Meditations Upon Faith - Romans 4:16-24 - Part Five

 

Meditations Upon Faith – Romans 4:16-24 – Part Five

 

 

Abraham’s belief earns him a divine commendation; the distinction, “credited to him as righteousness.”  This description indicates legal language. Centuries after Abraham lived, members of the Sanhedrin, the predominant council of religious leaders in Israel including Pharisees and Sadducees, appealed to the black letters of the Law to establish righteousness. To justify themselves before God and the people, they split hairs and divide atomic particles. Incredulously, they construct a hedge around the Law to ensure that they would not violate it. If the Law allowed forty lashes in delving out punishment, they ordered disciplinarians to stop at thirty-nine licks. Technically, they remained righteous as they did not violate the Law. This pretentious righteousness offends God’s holy and gracious character. The affirmative characterization of righteousness belongs to disciples whose relationship with God yields honor and glory through obedience to His holy character from which the Law emerges. Disciples respect God’s holiness by making daily choices that reflect their belief in Him. They rebuff  idols and false gods. They forsake self-centered lifestyles. They discard self-seeking motives. The highest honor and act of worship that disciples can demonstrate to God is to have unwavering faith in Him.

 

Paul discourses upon  Abraham’s incomparable example to encourage Christians in Rome. Like “the father of faith,” they face a daily existential crisis. Will they unconditionally trust the Lord Jesus Christ and devote their lives to Him? How will they remain faithful amid the legal threats of emperor worship which demanded allegiance to Rome from everyone? Will they resist myriad temptations of Roman society including paganism, brothels, bath houses, temple prostitutes, tax extortion, military subjugation, slavery and compulsory service and loyalty to the Roman government? Consider the frightening nature of being a committed Christian disciple within those daily life-threatening challenges. The Lord deems those disciples whose strength of belief and dedication empowers them to remain committed notwithstanding those adversities to be faithful. He accordingly credits them as being righteousness.

 

It is important to note that righteousness does not equate with self-aggrandizing adherence to religious creeds, rites, rituals and rules. As mentioned above, the Pharisees and Sadducees engaged that fallacy with their interpretation and alleged obedience to the Law. They devised schemes to quantify their righteousness. Rather than studying the Law to learn about Almighty God’s holy character, they utilize it to justify themselves before Him. Their obedience should honor and glorify Him. Instead, they employ their self-righteousness to extort their fellow Israelites. They seek good grades in their religiosity. Their pretentious observance of traditions, codes and creeds impedes their knowledge of God. They are lost in a self-serving theological maze which prevents them from rightly relating themselves to God. Adherence to God’s dictates emerges from a relationship with Him. Disciples align their lifestyles with the Lord’s Gospel and teachings as an act of lifelong worship and devotion to Him. Disciples freely commit to a lifetime of studying the Word of God to better understand God and ways in which to serve Him. Christian discipleship is most evident in lifestyle choices borne of unequivocal faith in Christ than in mere intellectual and theoretical assent to the Lord’s teachings.

 

The Fourth Evangelist recalls the Lord’s teachings on righteousness. “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15) Love, commitment and devotion to the Lord compels obedience to Hs commands not a fallacious attempt to appear religious and upstanding in the eyes of fellow congregants and community residents. Worship and righteousness are most apparent in a Christian’s lifestyle. Moreover, Abraham’s example reflects the seminal role of faith in being in right relationship with Almighty God. His obedience and faith interchangeably compel each other. Christians in the Roman Empire dismissed the intimidation of emperor worship and prevalent licentiousness because they wholeheartedly believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. They, like Abraham who believes God’s covenantal promises, fervently trust Christ’s promises in establishing the new covenant. Their faith in Christ is credited to them as righteousness.

 

Parenthetically, righteousness is more than strict adherence to petty moral dictates like rules about clothing, drinking, smoking, gambling, sex, sexuality and observance of religious traditions. I do not underestimate the potential of any of these activities to cause considerable damage to disciples and their families. Anyone who is not persuaded of the existence of evil obviously has not experienced the human destruction of addiction. Illicit and illegal drugs fuel considerable crime in American society. Arguably, we cannot compute the costs of alcoholism in damage to property, legal proceedings, adverse effects upon families and communities and loss of life. Beyond the financial losses, there are intangible and incalculable costs. Myriad other addictions ruin families and result in early deaths. Nevertheless, were disciples to approach these activities with Pauline discretion, their self-discipline and moderation would prevent them from lapsing into addictive behaviors. It is farcical to believe demanding abstinence and restraint in all recreational activities are primary determinants of discipleship. Church goers who subscribe to this fallacious thinking fail to see the incongruence between their emphasis upon how someone dresses to attend Sunday morning worship services and their indifference to human pain and suffering in their local community.

 

Meditations Upon Faith - Romans 4:16-24 - Part Six

 

Meditations Upon Faith – Romans 4:16-24 – Part Six

 

It is peculiar to observe disciples who are very proud of their conservative Christian ideology, politics and lifestyle while simultaneously tolerating social injustices of racism, classism, militarism, misogyny, imperialism and myriad other sociopolitical and geopolitical inequities. To be fair, disciples from a liberal ideological perspective have ravaged mainline denominations and local churches about the issue of sexuality to gain acceptance of their lifestyle choices while remaining equally indifferent about the foregoing societal dilemmas. Cynically, some of them can tolerate a parade of social ills as long they achieve psychosocial respectability and theological sanction of their preferences and lifestyle. They seem willing to destroy longstanding institutions to achieve this goal. Though espousing rhetoric opposing social injustice, they do not fight it with any vigor. In their private beliefs and choices, some of them are the biggest example of everything that they allegedly oppose. As I write, I immediately think of several people whom I knew in graduate school and with whom I worked. Their liberalism appeared as self-seeking and self-aggrandizing as the conservatism that they fiercely condemned in other people. The practice of spiritual disciplines, especially self-reflection and introspection, is necessary lest we proudly condemn in other people’s lives the very actions that we so easily forgive in our own. Nonetheless, irrespective of disciples’ position on the ideological spectrum, tolerating genocide and uncritically supporting a regime that furthers it can hardly be characterized as righteousness. The failure to comprehend these inconsistencies and grapple with the moral quandary that they create undermines any claims of righteousness and religiosity.

 

Ever the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, in the twenty-third and twenty-fourth verses, emphasizes that God’s promises to Abraham extends to everyone who believes. The commendation of righteousness and its ensuing rewards belong to those of us who believe in a miracle far greater than the birth of Isaac. Following Abraham’s example in his belief that Almighty God would fulfill the promise of giving him a natural heir despite its scientific impossibility, we believe in God’s ability to conceive a son via the Holy Spirit and no male human participation. Furthermore, His “One and Only Begotten Son” is the “Anointed One” who preaches, teaches and heals during a three-year earthly ministry that culminates in His death on a cross. Amazingly, we believe that God raised His Son from the dead. Belief in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is a far greater triumph over natural law and science. The Lord credits as righteous those disciples who believe in resurrection. Beyond accumulation of material possessions and financial gain, the daily blessings of redemption, transformation and revitalization unfold in the lives of disciples who believe in God’s ability and willingness to perform these miracles.

 

The final verse on this passage reminds us of the atoning work of Christ. In this very pastoral letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul clarifies two doctrinal matters. With the zealous complicity of religious leaders, the Lord Jesus Christ was delivered over to the Roman governmental authorities. His death serves as an atoning sacrifice on behalf of all Christians. His punishment and death engraft the totality of human sin. His perfect life recompenses human error and transgression against God’s holy character. Second, Christ’s resurrection cancels human sin and imparts justification through faith to everyone who believes in Christ. This theological term means to be righteous before. Literally, it means to stand without any scintilla of sin before God. Disciples achieve justification before God through their unwavering belief in the sinless life, sacrifice, death, resurrection and atonement of Christ.

This passage summarizes the justification of Abraham through faith in Almighty God. His example offers hope and encouragement to contemporary disciples. Notwithstanding rapid scientific and technological advances, uncritical acceptance of the scientific method as the primary means of determining truth and progress in psychology and mental health, Christians still have access to God’s grace and power through faith. Abraham, “the father of faith,” exemplifies righteousness borne from an unwavering faith in God. His example demonstrates the necessity of remaining faithful despite myriad adversities and daily complexities. He perfectly  and humanly reflects how to genuinely rely upon Almighty God.

 

Meditations Upon Faith - Romans 4:16-24

 

Meditations Upon Faith – Romans 4:16-24

 

Faith is an unwavering, unconditional and unequivocal belief in God’s ability to favorably orchestrate minute details in human affairs. It allows that God, the Creator of the universe and Maker of heaven and Earth, elects within His sovereign will to suspend the laws of nature and alter human affairs to achieve His will. Notwithstanding regimens and protocols of Eastern and Western medicine and science, Almighty God, exercising His sovereign prerogative, chooses to supernaturally heal someone of myriad diseases to accomplish His will. He may miraculously grant a pregnancy to a woman as a gift to humankind. That child may be a divine agent with a unique mission. Interestingly, that child could become God’s vessel to cure HIV/AIDS or some other debilitating disease. He may be an activist, reformer, researcher or visionary who possesses abilities to contribute significantly to the betterment of the global community.

 

Consider the faith of Abraham upon which Paul discourses in the fourth chapter of the book of Romans. Abraham believes God is able to accomplish the promise of a natural heir that He makes to Abraham and Sarah. To bless humankind through His chosen people, God blesses Sarah’s womb though Abrahma is one hundred years of age and Sarah is ten years younger. Biologically and physiologically, the birth of Isaac is an impossibility. Only a miracle could accomplish this feat. Immediately, images of Hollywood special effects and science fiction come to mind. Paranormal approaches may have some value. In Aristotle’s literary technique, “Deus et machina,” an author forcibly invokes divine intervention and sovereign powers when he exhausts his options. In the Ancient Near East, none of these options were available to Abraham and Sarah. Accordingly, Abraham unwaveringly puts his faith and trust in Almighty God.

 

The text records that Abraham does not waver in his faith but unquestionably believes God can do what He promises. Abraham does not question God’s authority or ability to fulfill His promise. In fact, Abraham remains “fully persuaded” that God’s capability, capacity and character will yield fulfillment of His promise. Abraham trust that God would faithfully adhere to the covenant which God initiates in the twelfth chapter of Genesis. God’s makes an oath based on His holy and unblemished character. Almighty God will not violate His word. God’s character and intrinsic attributes compel Him to faithfully and perfectly fulfill His word. Relying upon his relational and experiential knowledge of God, Abraham unsurprisingly depends upon God to keep His promise of the gift of a natural heir.

 

Consider pragmatic dimensions of faith. Abraham matures in faith as he practices spiritual disciplines. He learns to trust God as Abraham rightly relates to God. This relational knowledge empowers Abraham to genuinely rely upon God though scientific facts, reason and human experience combine to negate any possibility that God can perform this miracle. Wholeheartedly, Abraham desires an heir from his own loins and from his beloved wife, Sarah. In communing with God, Abraham learns God’s character. Prayer and meditation are essential spiritual tools; necessary to develop disciples’ faith and spirituality. Often, disciples rush into prayer with a grocery list of concerns, challenges and personal desires. They want God to remove all obstacles in their paths. In contrast, they might ask God how He may mysteriously and majestically utilize their problems to glorify Himself. What if they were to ask God for insight into how He orchestrates their spiritual development and personal growth amid daily challenges and trials. Envision approaching the throne of God and asking how to transform personal complaints into concrete building blocks of Christ like character. Moreover, try being still and listening to the voice of God. Silence is a powerful form of prayer. Interestingly, if disciples are silent, the Holy Spirit will guide them about what to pray.

 

In Romans 8, Paul instructs the church that the Spirit directs us because we do not know what to say. As disciples mature, they are less interested in personal dreams, ambitions and goals. They focus more upon acquiring the Lord’s heart, mind  and character and expanding Christ’s kingdom. They desire a legacy wherein they deposited His unfailing love within the hearts of other people. They genuinely seek His will and strive to accomplish His purposes. Disciples pray for wisdom and power to become vessels of His love, messengers of His grace, channels of His peace and instruments of His will. In meditation, God’s voice teaches us to patiently wait for the revelation of the Lord’s will. A Christian sister once lost her job amidst a company’s downsizing. Her employer told her on a Friday morning that her job had been eliminated. To the human resources department’s utter surprise, she calmly accepted their decision and accompanying severance package. Upon returning to her desk and sharing with her fellow employees that she lost her job, she faithfully remarked, “I wonder what God is up to?” Her serene acceptance emerged from many years of trusting and genuinely relying on Almighty God in every situation. Her stalwart faith stemmed from years of listening to Him.

 

The exact words that we use in prayer are extremely important. It is significant to ask what you want. I would like to share two instructive examples. First, I recall praying and affirming daily for a period of four late spring and summer months that I would “be in a classroom in the fall.” Wholeheartedly, I sought to return to teaching. I had been working in sales for approximately two years when I began to offer that prayer. Almighty God graciously answered my prayer. That fall, I returned to teaching Global History, Human Geography and Development and Senior Religion. Within six months, my employment at that school was terminated suddenly, unexpectedly and shockingly. I did not foresee being fired. I will not share the reasons that the principal gave or my responses. The administrators simply decided irreversibly to end my employment. Nothing that I said could have made any difference. They resolved it was the right course of action. Upon further reflection, I realized that my initial prayer and affirmation were incomplete and inadequate. I retrospectively wished that I had asked to be placed in the classroom that was right for me within God’s perfect design and grace. Yes, God granted my prayer. I confidently walked into a classroom that fall but I did not walk into a classroom suitable to my personality, standards, gifts and abilities. Issues of classroom management and student recalcitrance among other contributing factors made it untenable for me to remain. Had I been paired more closely with a learning community that shared my vision of education, I imagine a different outcome. In adding the words relating to God’s perfect grace, I acknowledge God’s divine plan and sovereignty which are overarching in the life of any disciple.

 

Meditations Upon Faith - Romans 4:16-24 - Part Two

 

Meditations Upon Faith – Romans 4:16-24 - Part Two

 

The second example is an incomplete prayer of a sister in the Lord who fiercely desired to leave her current position. She felt burned out after decades of administrative paperwork and resolving interpersonal conflicts with staff, teachers, parents and students. The thought of writing another resolution plan made her want to vomit. She accordingly prayed to God for relief from stress, paperwork and supervision. As circumstances developed, a promotion to department chairperson opened. She applied but did not receive the position. A junior colleague with considerably less experience but who had just received her doctorate was promoted. My sister in the Lord was very disappointed in this outcome. After further reflection, she appreciated that she prayed primarily for removal of stress and job-related conflicts. God gave her exactly what she wanted. Would the outcome have been different if she had prayed specifically for the promotion? Specificity in prayer is important.

 

Paul opens this passage by reminding Roman disciples that eternal promises of God’s covenant with Israel extend to believers in Christ through faith. These promises unfold in the lives of people who genuinely believe Almighty God possesses the ability and will to fulfill His promises. This realization is an act of grace, God’s unmerited favor, to anyone who believes. The genealogies of Matthew and Luke prove that Christ is a descendant of Abraham, “the Father of Faith.” The manifestation of the promise extends to Christ and anyone who believes in Him. “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abrahm’s seed and heirs according to the promise. - Galatians 3:29.” It is significant to note that the inclusion of Gentiles was not new. God did not restrict it to adherents of the Law and descendants of Israel. Anyone who shared Abraham’s faith received the promise. Non-Israelites who discarded paganism and began to worship the God of Abraham as “the One, True God” were proselytes. Though they were not descendants of Israel, their adherence to the Law and worship of God through obedience made them eligible for the promise and its fulfillment. Paul reiterates that Abraham is the “father of us all” who believe. His faith in God as detailed in Genesis chapters twelve to twenty-three (12 to 23) earns him the eternal distinction as “the father of many nations.” The God who grants Abraham this honored place is the Holy One who “gives life to the dead and calls into being things that are not.” Therefore, anyone who seeks this promise must believe God possesses these attributes and will actualize His promises.

 

The eighteenth verse reflects one of the most challenging aspects of faith. “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.” The first phrase alludes to scientific facts, biological challenges and physical impediments to God’s promise of a natural heir to Abraham. In the Genesis accounts, he questions the possibility of this promise considering his advanced age and that of his wife. Although the promise causes exuberant feelings, the facts are not in his favor, nor do they portend that this miracle is achievable even by Almighty God. It would require an especial dispensation of faith to persevere in believing that God can perform this promise. Nevertheless, Abraham persists in  hope that God will keep His word. Consider the irony of being steadfastly hopeful in an essentially and factually hopeless situation. Abraham’s hope and belief are in Almighty God. He is not standing on the verandah with his fingers crossed; silently praying that a miracle of miracles happens. His hope results from Abraham’s experiential and relational knowledge of God.

 

Abraham benefits considerably from God’s unquestioned faithfulness, limitless grace, enduring mercy and unfailing love. The Genesis chapters that record Abraham’s life also reveal these divine attributes. God initiates a covenant with Abraham and perfectly adheres to its provisions. God’s infinite, perfect and holy character compels His fulfillment of each promise regardless of how Abraham, Sarah and their offspring respond. Abraham acquires immeasurable wealth and prosperity wherever he lives. God’s trustworthy provision is foundational in Abraham’s life. Nonetheless, despite Abraham’s inestimable wealth and innumerable possessions, he feels utterly impoverished because he does not have a natural heir. He complains that a servant will inherit these bountiful blessings. Consequently, God expands their covenant and promises a natural heir to Abraham though it is naturally impossible. Abraham, the “Father of Faith” to all nations who believe, responds with unwavering faith that God will maintain their covenantal relationship. Though every scientific indicator and natural fact insist that hope and belief are mythical in Abraham’s circumstances, he overrides those realities by genuinely relying upon God.

 

One biblical scholar declares that hope is not an emotional reaction like a childhood wish for candy or immediate satisfaction. He characterizes hope as a calm and consistent reliance upon someone, or something known to be reliable. Though it takes time, a disciple hopes persistently because he knows he will receive his heartfelt desires. Abraham puts his hope and belief in Almighty God based upon his knowledge, reason and experience of God. Therefore, Abraham’s hope is not futile. God’s faithfulness over the years of Abraham’s long life persuades Abraham to believe that God possesses power and grace to actualize this incredible promise. The word, belief, translates from Greek to the English word, persuade. God’s unwavering provision and adherence to the covenant convinces Abraham that He will accomplish this promise.

 

Accordingly, Abraham does not weaken in his faith. He employs all his mental faculties (creativity, intellect and logic) to conceive of ways in which God will adhere to His promise. Interestingly, Abraham does not ignore the hard facts of his predicament. He straightforwardly acknowledges that he is nearly one hundred years old. His wife, Sarah, is also advanced in age. Nevertheless, Abraham perseveres in his faith in God’s integrity in adhering to His covenant through this necessary miracle. Paul beautifully describes Abraham’s stance as one who “does not weaken in his faith.” The Greek language communicates words pictures to relay Paul’s meaning to his audience. Abraham maintains a rock of Gibraltar  type faith. Envision also the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Over millions of years, the forces of nature (rain, sleet, snow and other natural disasters) have not diminished these rock formations. They have strengthened them as any erosion reinforced the formations and enhanced their beauty and preservation. Likewise, Abraham’s faith in Almighty God remains rock solid and mountainous as he remains silent and reaffirms his belief that God can and will fulfill His promise.

 

I imagine that Abraham consistently utilizes spiritual disciplines such as prayer, meditation, reflection, silence and recitation of God’s word. Abraham did not have a printed Bible. He lived centuries before the Hebrew Bible was recorded on papyrus manuscripts. However, he rehearses the word of God as he repeatedly recalls the spoken promises of God. He establishes a covenant with Abraham based on His holy name and character. God being intrinsically all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present and all-kind cannot violate any oath He makes. Presumably, Abraham reflects upon many previous instances in which God accomplishes His word. Conceivably, he envisions whether Issac’s facial features will favor Sarah, him or another relative. Abraham probably laughs at the possibility that his wife of advanced age will wear maternity clothing. Interestingly, the author of Deuteronomy considers reflection to be a type of prayer. He exhorts the Israelites to recall God’s mighty deeds on their behalf as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Their recollections will prevent them from abandoning God or turning to idols and strange gods. Perhaps in extended periods of silence, Abraham reaffirms his hope, faith and trust in Almighty God’s ability to maintain His covenant by granting Abraham’s greatest desire.

 

Meditations Upon Faith - Romans 4;16-24 - Part Three

 

Meditations Upon Faith – Romans 4:16-24 - Part Three

 

Do you have any “miracles” that you seek from God? Is there someone whom you love wholeheartedly facing a major health challenge? Does it appear that nothing short of a miracle could make any difference? Are you willing to believe that God can perform this miracle? Would you humbly ask God to do so primarily to honor and glorify Himself? Would you ask God to restore your loved one’s health to enable that person to serve God through serving humankind? Like Abraham, are you willing to meditate steadfastly upon God’s unquestioned faithfulness, infinitely loyal love and limitless grace? Are you willing to emulate Abraham’s example by relying immovably upon God’s sovereign will and prerogatives? I do not ask these questions in an academic and theoretical vacuum. On the night of his daughter’s fifth birthday, a clergy colleague and longstanding friend had a debilitating and life-threatening stroke. Upon learning of this most unfortunate incident, I rushed and visited him in the hospital. As I entered his room, I saw a tube extending out of his head. His physicians and medical staff decided to drain any excess blood and fluid from his brain. Silently, I prepared myself for the worst-case scenario by making a mental note to take my black suit to the local dry cleaners. I was certain that he would not survive that monumental assault on his health and well-being. Five years later, he and I speak weekly on  the phone about shop talk, the state of the Church in the United States, the decline of the professional clergy and general issues of public discourse. Yes, God’s providential will yielded a miracle. However, his family, classmates, extended circle of friends, clergy colleagues and fellow Christian disciples held a video weekly prayer meeting on Sunday afternoons for almost a year following the stroke. I attended each one. During those times of intercession, we recalled God’s faithfulness  and covenant promises to the faithful. We prayed the scriptures as we asked Almighty God to fulfill His Word in our lives. We asked Him to be gracious toward my colleague and friend. As God is not “a respecter of persons,” He is willing to perform a similar miracle in your life.

 

In the twentieth verse, Paul emphasizes that Abraham did not “waver in unbelief regarding the promise of God.” A scholar prefers stagger instead of wavering. Another biblical linguist uses the verb, divide. These alternative translations conjure the image of falling amid a drunken stupor of doubt and disbelief. Also, standing nervously and being of a definitively split mind; and crossing sweaty fingers with a childlike hope that something favorable will happen. Consider the mental and verbal fluctuation that occurs in drunkenness. Ideas, concepts and beliefs sway like a pendulum between affirmation and opposition. Your values change from minute to minute. Should you grasp any momentary clarity, you lose it immediately to a contrary notion. This shifting sand is borne of drinking theoretical and theological cocktails made of doubt, cynicism, despair, fear, negativity and other toxic ideas. These emotions corrode genuine belief in God’s faithfulness, grace and ability. Abraham rebuffs this perfectly normal and human tendency. He does not digress to being a frightened child who pulls the covers over his head to hide from an imaginary monster in the bedroom closet. He does not bury his head in the sandstorm of scientific impossibility. In stark contrast, Abraham resolutely and irrevocably puts his faith in Almighty God whose adherence to their covenant compels Abraham’s faith and trust. Simply stated, Abraham unswervingly trusts God.

 

The latter half of the twentieth verse describes Abraham as being “strengthened in the faith and [giving] glory to God.” An immediate question arises. Given the circumstances, how does Abraham grow in faith and praise God? The Greek verb, dunamai, indicates an intrinsic ability or authority to accomplish a task. English translations in some instances yield the word, dynamite which is an incredible type of power. As Abraham rightly relates to God over decades of His life, he develops an intrinsic ability to genuinely rely upon God’s Word. Rather than being a debilitating and destructive challenge that could potentially destroy Abraham’s faith, God’s promise of a natural heir ironically strengthens his faith. Abraham rehearses countless acts of God’s previous faithfulness. He stands amazed as he recalls Lot’s rescue, his intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah, his blessings in an arid and infertile land, the incalculable blessings of livestock and other material possessions and God’s favor as Abraham encounters other kings and rulers who threaten him and their covenant. These reflections resemble the monetary concept of compounded interest. As Abraham experiences God’s grace, blessings and provision in each instance, Abraham’s faith increases. Each incident is a greater feat that surpasses the previous one. From year to year, Abraham grows stronger in his belief in God’s intrinsic ability to fulfill His Word.

 

As these experiences fortify his faith, Abraham praises God for His inherent attributes. Possibly, Abraham proclaims God as the “Maker of heaven and Earth, Creator of the universe, the One, True, living and everlasting God, the Most holy, righteous and gracious God who keeps His Word on all occasions.” To give glory to God, disciples proclaim His infinite essence and being. They exalt His Name. They declare His goodness. They admire His grace and provision. With thanksgiving and praise, they recite God’s countless deeds of kindness. Abraham experiences personally what Israel will encounter as a nation. Living more than four centuries before the written Hebrew Bible emerges, Abraham relationally trust God’s Word. Abraham gives glory to God because Abraham unequivocally knows that God will fulfill any promise that Almighty God articulates.

 

 

 

 

Meditations Upon Faith - Romans 4:16-24 - Part Four

 

Meditations Upon Faith – Romans 4:16-24 - Part Four

 

Paul states Abraham is “fully persuaded” of God’s ability to accomplish anything He promises. There is not a particle of dust of doubt or unbelief in the crevices of Abraham’s mind. Equally, he does not store any reservations or apprehensions about whether God can or will accomplish His Word. In his “heart of hearts,” Abrahams unreservedly certifies God’s integrity. In the cellar of Abraham’s psyche, he does not store any negative concepts or limitations about God’s willingness and ability to provide His promises. In unity and uniformity, Abraham’s heart, mind, soul and strength concur that God will fulfill His promise that Abraham will have a natural heir. Abraham will become the father of many nations whose numbers will equate with the stars in the sky and grains of sand on the seashore. Being “fully persuaded” literally means being “carried to fullness.” In practical terms, Abraham affirms God’s willingness to perform what He promises to the ultimate possible extent, degree or measurement. Abraham does not vacillate; nor does he entertain an iota of suspicion, doubt or reluctance to believe God. The enduring relationship that Abraham enjoys with God carries him to the fullness of genuine hope and trust in God.

 

The eighteenth chapter of Genesis depicts a very close and significant relationship between Abraham and God. Some biblical scholars refer to Abraham as a friend of God. On the eve of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord asks, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” God interestingly honors Abraham as His chosen servant who will demonstrate to his people and other nations how to live in right relationship with the “One, True God.” All nations of the world will be blessed through Abraham’s faith, obedience and example. More fascinatingly, Almighty God, the Creator of the universe and Maker of all that is seen and unseen, within His sovereign prerogative and providential will, decides to reveal to Abraham the pending desolation of two wicked and diabolical cities. Please note that the text states that there has been a great outcry against these twin cities because of their grievous sin. That notation alludes to the power of persistent prayer. Some people within the vicinity of those towns appealed to Almighty God to rectify the colossal sin and wickedness of those towns. Intercessory prayer is a legitimate response to social dilemmas such unbridled crime, rampant drug activity, rise in murder rates, increasing suicides and indifference of political leaders to suffering of poor, vulnerable and marginalized people. Parenthetically, I hasten to add the condemnation of Sodom and Gomorrah is not due to sexuality and its diverse and legitimate iterations, preferences and expressions. It is necessary to delve more deeply into the language and meaning of the succeeding verses and chapters. A more extensive exploration of that component of the text exceeds the purpose and intention of this reflection. Nevertheless, God shares His plans with Abraham who responds by immediately interceding on behalf of the people in those cities. God graciously reveals His intentions, purposes and will to disciples who maintain a right relationship with Him. Friends often and regularly share confidential and secret information with each other. Disciples who become friends of God equally will become recipients of inside divine information.

 

The years of Abraham’s relationship with God witness his maturing faith wherein He unconditionally trusts God. Abraham learns to rebuff the “Hows” and “Whys.” He does not allow science and nature to limit God’s ability. The text records Abraham’s reasonable question about the possibility of pregnancy given his advanced age and that of his wife, Sarah. Notwithstanding that reality, Abraham relies upon God’s character and Word. He resolves that God will fulfill His promise despite any circumstances. Abraham does not need to know the means and methods. He unfalteringly meditates upon God’s faithfulness. Abrahm’s relationship with God perfects his faith and empowers him to trust God even in the most difficult and challenging situation.

 

Abraham’s belief earns him a divine commendation. Paul concludes that Abraham’s faith earns him the distinction, “credited to him as righteousness.”  This description indicates legal language. Centuries after Abraham lived, members of the Sanhedrin, the predominant council of religious leaders in Israel including Pharisees and Sadducees, appealed to the black letters of the Law to establish righteousness. To justify themselves before God and the people, they split hairs and divide atomic particles. Incredulously, they construct a hedge around the Law to ensure that they would not violate it. If the Law allowed forty lashes in delving out punishment, they ordered disciplinarians to stop at thirty-nine licks. Technically, they remained righteous as they did not violate the Law. This pretentious righteousness offends God’s holy, righteous and gracious character.

 

Reflections Upon 2 Timothy 1:7 - Part One

 

“For God had not given us a spirit of fear but love, power and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

Legend holds the Apostle Paul writes to his protege in ministry to encourage him to persevere in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. An adolescent at the time, Timothy is susceptible to the need for affirmation and popular praise. Living in Ancient Near Eastern and biblical times, Timothy is no less prone to these teenage needs than contemporary adolescents. One harsh criticism from an influential adult could derail this young lad’s promising future. His mentor sends this letter to redress Timothy’s fears and offer extensive recommendations on how to conduct himself as a minister of the Gospel. Like squashing cockroaches, they brutally beat down anyone or group whom they perceived as competitors. Understandably, the prevalent threat of physical repression created fierce fear and apprehension within Paul’s young apprentices. To encourage them to remain steadfast in their growth as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Paul pens these empowering words to Timothy. For God hath not given is a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

 

Initially, Christianity was an illegal religion in the Roman Empire. Paul’s insistence upon unwavering devotion to Christ competed with emperor worship that Roman government rulers demanded of people. Myriad biblical texts allude to these legal and religious tensions. The Book of Acts records secret house church meetings because of the prevalent and imminent threat that surrounded Christians and other religious adherents. Anyone pledging allegiance to any deity or power that competes with Caesar lived under the dread of death. Hollywood depictions and caricatures of Christians being fed to hungry lions abound. Unsurprisingly, the fervor and neophyte fever of an adolescent minister would shrink under that kind of legal, political and military pressure. Paul in contrast recommends that Timothy harness God’s power and wisdom as foundational to his personal and ministerial growth.

 

Legend posits that Timothy was an adolescent. Imagine his intrapersonal predicament of forging his character during those precarious years while striving to be faithful to his ministerial calling. A strong bravado could fuel his words and activities. Adolescent arrogance can be formidable. In contrast, he appears to suffer with considerable and noteworthy fear. Across the expanse of the Roman Empire, Timothy’s father in ministry writes to reassure him that fear is not of God. Each day, the constant threat of arrest, imprisonment, flogging and death could paralyze a young minister. Reasonably, he would recoil under such horror. To combat Timothy’s fright, Paul simultaneously exhorts and encourages his protégé that faith in Almighty God triumphs over fear. He recommends necessity of reliance upon God in making decisions. In the daily battle between fear and faith that rages within a person’s mind, a disciple decides whether he will trust God. Will he rely upon God’s unfailing love and unquestionable faithfulness, or will he will choose to indulge self-serving fear?

 

Paul declares unequivocally that Gd is never the source of fear. Elsewhere, he says that God is not the author of confusion. Church affairs are to be conducted in “decency and order.” These teachings remind disciples that God does not intend for us to live in fear and chaos. An abundant and fulfilling life would not include either of these adverse effects. Still, many people live in prisons of fear and despair. Like the third servant in “The Parable of the Talents,” countless people choose to surrender to fear. They prefer to succeed perfectly at doing nothing rather than attempting something new and possibly failing. Fear of failure leads to inertia. People stay on jobs because they are afraid to follow their dreams, passions and destinies. They remain in dead end jobs. There are those people who cower underneath unwarranted and unsolicited criticism from uninformed and misguided busybodies. Paul fears his younger clergy colleague may recoil from his ministerial duties in response to unjust social pressure. He reassures Timothy that God graciously imparts His unfailing love, rationality and creativity to triumph over fear.

 

An inverse relationship exists between fear and logic. Fear oftentimes can be insidious and ridiculous. Fear forms in the heart and mind like a pervasive fog that halts traffic. Fear stifles creativity and innovation. It paralyzes anyone who placates it. Fear of rejection prevents people from asking someone out on a date. Fear of failure ironically creates a pile of unwritten books, uncomposed music, incomplete blueprints, unopened businesses and myriad other unfinished projects. Fear destroys incentive and motivation. Consider what fear has taken from you? What big costs do you pay as tribute to any fears that lurk in the crevices of your mind and closets of your heart? Paul cautions Timothy against permitting fear to undermine his ministry.

 

Reflections Upon 2 Timothy 2:7 - Part Two

 

“For God had not given us a spirit of fear but love, power and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7) – Part Two

 

I imagine fear is the primary cause of most failure. Fear is one of the greatest enemies a person faces in life. This paralyzing, imprisoning and self-defeating emotion forms during a person’s childhood and formative years. Many parents misguidedly discipline their children with the threat of physical violence. Fearing a “beating,” their children surrender to the parent’s commands. Perpetual fear undermines a child’s confidence, self-esteem and reasoning skills. Verbal violence is another regrettable method of discipline that retards a child’s growth toward self-acceptance. As a writer, I know the power of words to destroy, injure and hurt. Equally, words have potential to heal, restore and reconcile. Parents sometimes fail to appreciate the depths of demoralization and dehumanization to which they subject their children with harsh and brutal words. Grandparents, siblings, extended family and friends also instill penetrating fear into a person’s consciousness through their words and deeds. Fear remains one of the most debilitating outcomes of childhood trauma. Most people spend a lifetime trying to correct deficiencies, incapacities and detrimental consequences borne of fear that they internalized as small children.

 

Decisions made in fear result in loss of courage, dignity and life. Recall the story of David and Goliath. The Philistine giant paralyzes the army of Israel with his booming voice that echoes across the valley. Each morning, he stands at full height and bellows threats to a host of trained and accomplished soldiers. The fear of death magnifies exponentially in their thinking; it prevents them from entertaining any possibility that they could face and defeat Goliath. The giant wins because of their fear. This mismatch of adversaries continues until David appears. In contrast to his countrymen, he approaches the giant in the Name and power of the Holy One of Israel. This Bible story teaches the necessity of conquering fear with faith in the Lord.

 

Personally, I made two major mistakes because I chose fear over faith. I failed to end a disrespectful and hurtful relationship because I feared that I would not have another one. As this was my first relationship, I was too afraid to let go of it. Fear compelled me to allow an unacceptable relationship to become normal. I tolerated verbal violence and disrespectful behavior because I was too afraid of losing the relationship. As I had been battered by injurious and penetrating fear as a child, the person with whom I was in relationship exploited this character defect to her advantage. Retrospectively, I realize that she used my fear to manipulate me. Because of the fear that my family and formative community instilled in me, I tolerated abuse in that relationship. Like Israel’s army recoiling in the response to Goliath’s daily threats, I chose paralysis over proactive action to liberate myself.

 

In second instance, I allowed well-intentioned people to convince me to enter a profession that is incongruent with my gifts, talents, personality and destiny. From second grade, in my heart, I knew exactly what I desired to achieve professionally. Throughout my childhood, I constantly talked of court room drama, litigation and fierce adversarial battles. In college, I choked relating to this aspiration. Out of fear, I chose to pursue another line of work in which I thought I would hit a grand slam. The flame of my heart’s desire would not yield to the extinguishing forces of fear, diversion and distractions. Also, I did not have a Paul in my life to assist me in remaining steadfast in clarifying and pursuing my destiny. My poor performance on a standardized test a few years after graduate school reignited my volcano of fear. The lava of disillusionment, anxiety and embarrassment made me susceptible to misdirected advice from colleagues and friends. My fear forced me to seek a psychosocially respectable escape route.

 

Parenthetically, the human spirit cannot remain imprisoned to fear. As spiritual beings on a human journey, we are not meant to live in fear. I eventually realized that my fears had become larger than life itself. One day during a run in a city park, I stopped, sat on a bench and saw just how small my life had become. My joys, ambitions, hobbies, interests and relationships with family and friends had shriveled to the size and essence of a raisin. I offered one of the most simplistic yet genuine prayers I ever uttered. “O Lord, I need your help.” God answered by empowering me with inner fortitude to forsake my fears. I began to trust Him. Whereas I did not know what would unfold in my life, I certainly knew it was preferable to what I was experiencing. Living in fear is not living. Interestingly, that relationship lasted only two and a half years, but it felt like an eternity. In stark contrast, I celebrated thirty-one years of  blissful relationship in a healthy, mature and fulfilling marriage. My wife and I have two wonderful and amazing young adult children.  Three plus decades have passed as if they were a single day.

 

The same amount of time has elapsed since that awful performance on that standardized test. The world has become a international village. Everyone is a neighbor with people who live on opposite sides of the globe. Online degree options offer infinite possibilities to people to attain their dreams and goals. By the grace of God, the pilot light beckoning me toward self-realization and fulfillment of my destiny burns as brightly as ever. I seek God’s guidance regarding my goals. I will serve Him in service to marginalized and vulnerable people within my community. I will write further as this part of the journey unfolds.

 

As I celebrate victory over my fears, I consider the second component of Paul’s counsel to Timothy. As God has not given us a spirit of fear, He graciously and abundantly shares his unfailing love with us. John, the Beloved Disciple and Author of the Fourth Gospel and The Epistles, says straightforwardly, “God is love.” (1John 4:8) God replaces fear with faith. Grace, hope, joy and peace emanate from God’s love. These divine attributes obliterate fear. When a disciple rests confidently in God’s love, it is impossible for fear to overwhelm him. The Psalter declares “I sought the Lord; He heard my cry and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4) A victim of Roman governmental oppression for espousing a religious system that contradicts emperor worship, Paul does not theorize in his appeal to Timothy. His words undoubtedly echo within the chambers of Paul’s mind and heart. Paul combats his own fears of torture, mob rule, unjust incarceration and death. (2 Corinthians 1:8-11) Paul perseveres and relies on God’s love to sustain him as he faithfully discharges his ministry as the apostle to the Gentiles.

 

 

Reflections Upon 2 Timothy 1:7 – Part Three

 

“For God had not given us a spirit of fear but love, power and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7) – Part Three

 

Interestingly, our fears indicate potential strengths. Norman Vincent Peale, the late venerable Pastor of Marble Collegiate Church and author of more than forty books on the necessity of maintaining a positive mental attitude and implementing the power of positive thinking, posits “Do the thing that you most fear and the death of fear itself is certain.” David, the little shepherd boy who relies on the strength and power of God’s Name, defeats the real enemy, fear, before he confronts Goliath. Unlike the paralyzed and frightened men of Israel’s army, David does not allow his fear to prevent him from fighting. Each morning, many disciples wake up and immediately enter a fight with the Goliath that yells across the Valley of Bacca that exists between their ears and within their hearts. David’s example teaches us to defeat fear to eliminate adversities. Confronting fears transforms them from liabilities into assets. Mel Robbins, prominent motivational speaker and life coach, defines courage as the willingness to try. She insists minimal bravery is necessary to triumph over any fears.

 

Personally, I recall a previous job in which my supervisor and head of the department ruled with an iron fist. She relished any opportunity to intimidate any employee. She particularly and sadistically enjoyed threatening people with termination. She escalated small incidents of miscommunication and harmless errors to enable this serious threat. She demonstrated a wholesale disregard for her subordinates and the well-being of their families when she made such threats to their livelihoods and quality of life.  I became a consistent recipient of this immoral and unethical pattern of behavior. However, an internal irony occurred after a year of this obnoxious supervisory conduct. Tired of receiving these threats, I straightforwardly confronted this supervisor. I told her that I was no longer afraid of her. Her excessive use of threats weakened their intention and force. Ironically, she empowered me with the power to fight her. My fears and resulting depression transformed into anger, repulsion and intensity to fight. I retained legal counsel and meticulously fought any further intimidating tactics prior to my departure from that job. My experience illustrates God’s power to demolish fear and change it into an inner resource. Human beings are not meant to live in fear.

 

The life of the British psychoanalyst, developmental theorist and writer, D. W. Winnicott, depicts love’s power to heal, redeem and create. Rarely does anyone create anything meaningful or enduring out of ear. Fear and faith cannot coexist spatially parallel to darkness and light. Faith in God’s love as experienced in vibrant human relationships empowers disciples to create, design, invent, envision and innovate. Love possesses the power to destroy fear and other destructive forces. Sometimes, inability to create, paralysis and lack of productivity ensue when fear and lovelessness predominate. Paul accordingly encourages Timothy to seek refuge in God’s unfailing love. His protégé will fulfill his ministry’s mission and purpose if he retreats to the safety and care of God’s empowering love. Winnicott suffered thoroughgoing personal, physical and professional impotence in his first marriage. Biographers and other analysts characterize that relationship as loveless, passionless and lifeless. Duty and conventional social mores compelled his commitment notwithstanding the dearth of his marriage. He remarried after a period as a widower. In contrast, Winnicott’s second marriage evolved into a rejuvenating and impassioned relationship upon which he made an enduring contribution to psychoanalysis and developmental theory. The energy of his love fueled his thinking, writing, analytic practice, teaching and scholarship. His story attests to the power of love. God has not given any disciple a spirit of fear but love, power and a sound mind. Fear impedes self-realization and achieving personal destiny. Genuine reliance upon God’s unfailing love empowers disciples in attaining these two existential milestones.

 

 

 Zechariah, A Case Study in the Importance of Silence

Luke 1:5-25 – Part One

 

 

Luke, the evangelist and author of the third gospel, introduces John the Baptist in this story. He recalls the birth narrative of the future fiery and unrelenting itinerant preacher who proclaims the coming of Christ and emerging kingdom of God. John especially emphasizes the necessity of personal cleansing and repentance. John and his followers were believed to be members of the Essene community which embraces an ascetic lifestyle that honors God’s holiness. Moreover, this way of life prepared them to receive and apply the teachings of Christ. Nonetheless, John’s birth story parallels the miraculous promise of Isaac’s birth. An angel appears to announce God’s plan for the birth of John to his father, Zechariah, a descendant of the priestly division of Abijah. Destined for greatness in God’s plan for the salvation of humankind, John the Baptist would be born to elderly parents who both descended from priestly tribes. Like Abrahan and Sarah in Genesis, Zechariah and Elizabeth had advanced beyond childbearing age. Physically, it was an impossibility. However, God had other plans for them. He miraculously would satisfy their most treasured and wholehearted desire. God sends an angel to announce His intentions to utilize this priestly couple to rear this special child and prepare him to fulfill his role in the grand plan of human salvation. Theologians refer to this historical moment as soteriology, salvation history, wherein John the Baptist factors significantly as the precursor to Christ.

 

This birth narrative contains very interesting details that reflect God’s meticulous planning as He daily imparts grace to us. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth are descendants of Aaron and the priestly tribes. In current parlance, that makes John the Baptist the son of two “PKs,” preacher’s kids. His parents were prepared ideally to rear him in the priestly traditions and prepare him to become the forerunner who would announce the coming of Christ. Luke describes Zechariah and Elizabeth as being “righteous in the sight of the Lord, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” They maintain a right relationship with Almighty God by adhering strictly to God’s holy requirements. Because of their unwavering devotion to Him, God expressly chooses them for the task of preparing John.

 

Implied in their preparation are the seminal contributions of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Interestingly, our nuclear families and homes are the primary locales for evangelism. It is important for parents to realize the evangelistic challenge and obligation that they have in rearing children, grandchildren and future generations. More specifically, parents accomplish this spiritual task by faithfully living with integrity. They align their lifestyle and principles to fit as neatly as a hand in a tailored glove. Arguably, most people who become Christians respond favorably to the Lord’s love, grace and teachings because they encounter disciples who apply these principles in daily living. Truth and integrity are most evident in personal choices and behavior instead of confessions and proclamations. John Wesley famously exhorted his followers to go into the world and preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; “use words if necessary.” John the Baptist’s preparation for his mission develops over multiple generations. Deserving of the Lord’s endorsement, Zechariah and Elizabeth fulfill their role.

 

Advanced in age and childless, Zechariah and Elizabeth are God’s chosen servants. John’s birth is physically impossible. Their predicament parallels the plight of Abraham and Sarah who were also childless in old age. However, God made a promise and covenant with Abraham that he would have a son from his own loins. To fulfill this oath, God performs a miracle. Sarah bears Isaac who becomes the patriarch to the twelve tribes of Israel through whom the nations of world would receive divine blessings. Like Abraham and Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth are the gracious recipients of a divine miracle that prepares them to become vessels of His plan for humankind. The purpose of the miracle is fulfillment of God’s plan. It does not occur to satisfy self-seeking desires. Miracles occur to facilitate the “good, pleasing and perfect will” of Almighty God. This biblical truth and principle empower disciples’ prayers.  When we ask for miraculous intervention, do we ask for the fulfillment of God’s will? Are we requesting divine power to accomplish our self-centered desires? God answers Zechariah’s prayers to further His plan for human salvation. He utilizes two people who are faithful and worthy instruments. They faithfully adhere to God’s directives and resultingly seek His will in their prayers and actions.

 

Zechariah receives further grace in the draw of the priestly custom of choosing lots to determine which priest receives the honor of serving before the Lord. This favorable outcome enables him to enter the temple, stand before God and light incense on behalf of the people. They stand outside and pray as he performs this important priestly ritual. Zechariah receives an angelic visit which frightens him. He announces the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist. The angel also gives Zechariah several instructions about the way Zechariah and Elizabeth are to rear their son. The angel first assures Zechariah that God hears and answers his prayers. This scene reminds disciples of the significance of praying fervently and faithfully regardless of their circumstances. Apparently, this elderly couple persisted in prayer for a child despite nature’s opposition. It seems their prayers were useless. William Barclay, author of the longstanding and helpful New Testament commentaries, The Daily Study Bible Series, offers that prayer is a time and period of personal transformation. He rebuffs the tendency of many petitioners who recite grocery lists of material wishes and financial needs or desperately want relief from penetrating anxiety. Self-seeking and self-centered prayers rarely if ever pursue the will of God. Furthermore, these times of introspection, reflection and discernment are means of imparting the mind, heart and character of Christ into any disciples who pray. Nevertheless, this elderly couple prays and provides an incalculable example of spiritual discipline and personal determination for twenty-first century disciples. Later in his gospel, Luke records the Parable of the Persistent Widow which begins, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1-8)

 Zechariah, A Case Study in the Importance of Silence

Luke 1:5-25 – Part Two

 

The angel proceeds to tell Zechariah that a miracle will unfold in his life. His elderly wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son whom they are to name John. The angel’s next comments serve as a model for pastor’s when they perform infant dedications to the Lord. He prophesies that John will be a delight and joy to the priestly couple. Many people will rejoice when learning of his birth. He will be great in the sight of the Lord. The angel cautions that John is to abstain from wine and other fermented beverages. God will fill John with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. In addition, John will lead countless people through repentance and return to the God of their forebears. In the tradition of the prophet, Elijah, John will guide disobedient people toward divine wisdom and a new way of life. His call to collective repentance and return to a right relationship with God was necessary to prepare for the coming of Christ.

 

This exchange depicts John’s destiny and further shows that children are a gift of God to their parents and to the human family. God gives them to their parents as a delight and joy to them. Accordingly, there is never a case in which an “illegitimate” child is born. Each birth, whether within or without of marriage, gives a child who arrives with a unique character and destiny. The angel’s instructions represent divine guidance and provision in childrearing. God imparts grace, wisdom and resources to parents to enable them to rear their children to know and serve Him.

 

Reflecting the incomplete faith each disciple possesses despite faithful adherence to spiritual disciplines and religious rites, Zechariah questions the angel’s magnanimous and majestic declaration. He resorts to basic biology. He and his wife’s ages and physical bodies cannot accomplish this feat. Given the angelic visit, incredulous grace of officiating in the temple and incredible divine message, Zechariah should have been struck completely silent. He surmounts his fear and astonishment and questions everything the angel says. Zechariah questions God’s ability to perform this miracle. This priest, descendant of priests and husband to the daughter and descendant of priests challenges the trustworthiness and power of Almighty God to whom Zechariah perseveringly prays. I imagine he struggles mentally, emotionally and spiritually with the intermixture of the angel’s visit, God’s promise and his faith. This immeasurable tension yielded momentary doubt. Should Zechariah simply have been silent?

 

Gabriel, one of the four arch angels (Raphael, Michael and Sariel), who stands in God’s direct presence, was sent to relay this divine message. He introduces himself to Zechariah to relay the seriousness of his mission and God’s will. To defend God’s sovereign prerogative, Gabriel strikes Zechariah with silence. This action is not punitive but instructive. Discipline educates which practically means to lead out of the darkness of ignorance and lack of experience into the light of knowledge and favorable experience. Discipline allows its recipients to analyze choices, evaluate beliefs, dissect assumptions, question motives and consider alternatives. His period of silence allows this faithful priest to examine his reaction to Gabriel’s announcement. What led Zechariah to question anything Gabriel says? The questioning seems incongruent with everything else that the text reveals about Zechariah. What can he learn from this experience? Silence is a method of answering these questions.

 

Silence is a form of prayer. Among other personal and existential benefits, it yields four Christlike attributes. First, silence fosters discernment which is acquisition of God’s will. In solitude and silence, disciples listen attentively to the Holy Spirit who reveals God’s will within their circumstances. He reminds them of relevant spiritual and biblical principles and reiterates Christ’s teachings. Discernment imparts spiritual guidance and furthers a main objective of prayer which is aligning a disciple’s will with God’s purposes. In his version of the Lord’s Passion Narrative, Luke specifies the ultimate objective of Christian prayer, principles and practice. These components of discipleship seek the Lord’s honor, expansion of His kingdom on Earth and fulfillment of the Heavenly Father’s will.

 

Second, meditation and silence summon necessary periods of withdrawal to seek self-mastery. Howard Thurman, premiere Black Baptist mystic theologian of the twentieth century, writes eloquently and enduringly about the necessity of retreating into silence to listen to God as He speaks through individual intuition.

 

Third, silence permits consideration of latent ideas, concepts and creativity. The noise, pace and force of normal routines often do not allow introspection and reflection. Daily functioning absorbs every second of time and ounce of energy. It is rare that you can gain any perspective on the purpose of daily activities. What do you accomplish on any given day? Does any of your activities contribute to the cause of Christ? Are you merely subsisting or are you living a meaningful and fulfilling life that fosters self-realization and greater progress toward your destiny? Do you need to change anything? Are you utilizing your time, treasure, talent and temperament in the best possible ways? Silence affords you the necessary time and space to ask these questions.

 

Finally, silence creates conditions for character transformation, personal empowerment, inner and holistic healing and developing self-acceptance. Meditation and silence open the door to an internal tool shed. There, you can discard any dross within your character that impedes your spiritual growth and personal development. The prophet, Isaiah, uses the images of the refiner’s furnace. The goldsmith puts silver, gold and other precious metals into ovens with volcanic temperatures that burn away impurities that lessen the worth of the metals. When he opens the oven and sees his reflection in the gold, he knows the impurities have been burned sufficiently. Likewise, as disciples reflect Christ’s character, they relinquish behavioral patterns that undermine their potential. In this spiritual workshop, silence endows disciples with desire and tools to clarify and achieve their destiny.  Fear is one of the main contaminants of any disciple’s character. It viciously and severely undermines a disciple’s pursuit of goals and aspirations. Furthermore, fear impedes growth in ministry and spiritual maturity. Paralysis seems preferable to failure. You recall the third servant in “The Parable of the Talents” whose paralyzing fear compels him to bury his talent and return it to his master rather than risk an investment and loss. He misguidedly reasons it is better to do nothing than to try and fail. In times of silence, meditation and prayer, disciples can ask humbly for empowerment of the Holy Spirit to surmount deep-seated fears and internal impediments to self-realization.

 Zechariah, A Case Study in the Importance of Silence

Luke 1:5-25 – Part Three

 

Have you ever had the experience of a friend calling to ask your advice but as the conversation ensues you are unable speak? Your friend’s nervous energy and penetrating anxiety overwhelms you and the conversation. It forces you to simply listen. You hope your friend will calm down, take a deep breath and become silent. That pause will enable your friend to listen to you and consider creative solutions to his problem. I suspect God has that experience billions of times each day. Anxious disciples under the guise of prayer flee to Him for relief from their fears and adverse circumstances. Like frightened children who cannot sleep because they fear a monster lurks in the closet, these disciples seek miracles to eliminate their tiniest dissatisfaction. They find discomfort intolerable. The “Gospel of Wealth and Health” tells them that a slight seasonal cold or sneezing resulting from exposure to pollen and inflamed allergies require angelic intervention. A glance at a neighbor’s new car, learning of a relative’s move to a bigger house or observing a coworker’s promotion motivates them to storm the gates of heaven. They demand God’s direct, immediate and favorable intervention to increase their social position, material acquisition and financial standing. Silence would resolve these childlike challenges.

 

As disciples become still and silent in solitude, the Holy Spirit speaks, empowers and transforms. Paul instructs his protégé, Timothy, that God is not the source of any fear. Instead, God grants necessary emotional stability, reason and strength to overcome any fear that plagues us. “God has not given us a spirit of fear but love, power and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) During times of disciplined prayer, meditation and silence, the Holy Spirit reminds disciples of God’s unfailing love. Regardless of any errors, crimes or sins of commission and omission, God’s faithful love does not change. His love empowers us to transcend any mistakes, guilt, regret, pain or toxic emotion. The Holy Spirit imparts divine strength and perseverance to enable disciples to eradicate fear and defeat any internal opposition or external threat.

 

“A sound mind” equates with reason, creativity, ingenuity and willingness to resolve any problems. Conceivably, the answer to prayers for financial blessing is an earnest desire to grow in stewardship of your finances. Absolving debt indirectly raises your income as you have more funds to access and utilize rather than servicing debt at high interest rates. Paying bills on time avoids late fees. Multiple failed relationships indicate a personal pattern that requires self-reflection.  If you are the least common denominator in each of these situations, perhaps you are the primary catalyst for any chaos and dissolution of the relationship. The spiritual disciplines of prayer and meditation aid you in detecting the behavioral patterns borne of past experiences that unconsciously propel you towards sabotaging your professional and personal relationships. Practically, the Holy Spirit enlightens you in discovering the problem and its root causes. He then equips you with reasonable strategies to resolve your dilemma.

 

Self-mastery is a process of taking a comprehensive inventory. You explore assets and liabilities, strengths and weaknesses, talents and deficiencies and successes and failures. Humorously, you examine “the good, bad and ugly.” You embrace a ruthlessly honest appraisal of your heart, mind and character. Carl Jung, famed Swiss analytical psychologist, discourses upon “the shadow” which is the dark side of a person’s character. There, the propensity towards self-centered motives and self-seeking choices lies. Indulgence of physical instincts that possibly results in myriad addictions also lay there. Potential to betray people, infidelity, theft, organized crime, refusal to forgive, toxic emotions and willingness to seize opportunities to indulge in crime and other adverse behavior. Traditional religious practices tend to ignore these aspects of a person’s character. People focus on “the good” with fallacious hope that it erases bad behavior and choices. However, self-mastery compels disciples to look intently at all dimensions of their character.

 

As the recovery community has taught for nearly a century, a primary step in resolving any internal difficulty is wholesale acceptance of it. Denial of any problems further suppresses it within a person’s mind and psyche. Most regrettably, suppression often leads to perversion. This inverse relationship often manifests in sexual scandals. Demands for unrealistic sexual practices usually  leads to promiscuity, infidelity and unwanted pregnancies. Self-mastery propels disciples towards holistic self-acceptance. You unconditionally and unequivocally recognize your total character and self. Rather than playing games of sinning and making mistakes and then performing formulaic rituals of forgiveness, you acknowledge these traits. In so doing, you empower yourself to neutralize them and resist the temptation to satisfy them. Ironically, admission of addiction empowers its sufferers to surmount it. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”  Pulling a negative characteristic from the shadow and examining it in the openness of communion with God yields power and strength to overcome it. Acceptance of a bent toward theft can motivate you to eradicate that trait as you refuse to imprison yourself to any detrimental attribute. The process of self-mastery allows you to find a “strange freedom” wherein you fully acknowledge all of who you are but equally realize that you do not have to slavishly indulge negative characteristics. You have liberty to resist.

 

Self-mastery is more than recognizing and purging pathology. Interestingly, it is an internal treasure hunt. Taking time to be still and reflect yields incalculable benefits. Employing the adage, “Listen to learn and learn to listen,” you stumble upon previously unknown  components of your character. You discover latent interests, talents and abilities that daily busyness obscures. You can check the dream file in your heart. There may be dusty items that hold the keys to unlocking the door for your next adventure. Admittedly, there are new joys, mysteries and experiences that await you. Has the pilot light of a particular dream remain lit throughout your life? Regardless of jobs, opportunities and challenges, you continually feel an inner compulsion to pursue a different career.  Your active imagination places you in a courtroom, classroom or boardroom. You may also choose to open your own business, enter the arena of athletics, pick up a paint brush, join a band, compose lyrics or decide to finally retire and pursue your passions with reckless abandon. In the process of self-mastery, you acquire the internal strength and resilience to rebuff emotional and circumstantial hurdles (age, finances, familial opposition, stereotypes, societal uneasiness, fear, tiredness, etc.). You simply learn to listen to your inner voice. It empowers you to strive toward a new future that includes all of who you are.