“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7:9b
God’s words to Ahaz, king of Judah, over 2,700 years ago still resound with eternal truth today. A simple, yet profound statement that our capacity to live life well is grounded in what we believe. Or perhaps a better way of saying it is ‘in Who we believe.’
King Ahaz was having a bad year. King Rezin of Aram had allied himself with Pekah, the son of the king of Israel, and they were marching on Jerusalem (Isa. 7:1). Not good news! It was bad enough that Judah was being attacked by Aram, but for them to be attacked by Israel – this must have been like friendly fire!
In the midst of this threat, God assures Ahaz: “It will not take place, it will not happen” (Isa. 7:7). There follows God’s judgement on those attacking Ahaz, and His comment of “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all” almost seems like the natural and expected consequence of turning away from God. This is exactly what Israel had done. The warning remains clear even today – there are consequences for us if we turn from Him.
And yet the inverse holds true as well. When we do stand firm in our faith, God does bring us through. No matter what comes our way, when we put our hope and trust in Him – we simply will not fall. I’m reminded of Jesus’ promise: “In this world you will have trouble, but fear not I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). David puts it this way “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall”(Psa. 55:22). I like that.
I don’t know about you, but my observation is that I experience and know God more in times of trouble than when things are going well. C.S. Lewis calls suffering ‘God’s megaphone’ – His way of getting our attention. And it is often true that when we are in need that ‘God help!’ prayer, is never far from our lips! I think that’s the way God wants it – for it’s then that He gets to demonstrate His love and faithfulness; it’s then that we get to realise just how much we need Him, and it’s then that we experience His hand, His Word, His provision, His grace in the midst of all that assails us – and this takes us back to praise, to adoration, to desire.
And while the storm rages there comes this incredible knowledge that Almighty God is for you (Rom. 8:35-39). Far from causing me to turn away from God in the storm, such knowledge causes me to run to Him. Desperate in my weakness, lost in my own inability to manage life the way I want it – I come again to the cross and find that the river of grace still flows. And there I encounter an amazing freedom and joy, even when things are ‘pants.’ Paul put it this way: “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing … having nothing, yet possessing everything” (2 Cor. 6:10).
Here is the simple truth – with Christ, we can always rejoice, with Him we are incredibly rich in what really matters – for though circumstances might try you, though friends might let you down – with Him there is a present comfort and strength and a future hope that is certain. After all, His business is redemption, restoration and reequipping us to live life in Him and for Him – and that is always good (Jer. 29:11).
Desire for Jesus should not simply be evident on the mountain top – it is developed, refined, honed and purified on the valley floor. It’s there too in the ‘valley of the shadow’ that we find Him. So if you’re there, run to the One who will never let the righteous fall; run to Him and get lost again in the wonder of the love, joy and peace that He brings; marvel as you consider that even in the storm – He remains our anchor, our sure foundation, our safe harbour. Don’t give the devil the satisfaction of wringing your hands in woe; but cast your cares on Christ, lift up your eyes – it’s from there that your help will come. And while you wait, rejoice; for even though it tarries, it will come. And when it comes, rejoice and then watch yourself stand.
Wednesday 8 July 2009
Wednesday 14 January 2009
Embarking on a journey of desire
Hi. It's hard to believe that we're already through half of January and the Christmas break is a distant memory. I always find the beginning of each year full of potential and expectation. What has this year in store for us?
I have to say that it seems that 2009 is already defining itself for me as a year where my hopes are not so much defined by what I accomplish or the targets I set and hit - but rather as a journey into desire. Potentially not the language you would expect a pastor to use - isn't desire something sinful? I would say back to you, it depends on what the object of your desire is.
Desire is God given. We cannot hope without desire, and we cannot desire without hope. It seems that life has a habit, if we let it, of robbing us of God given desire and God given hope. We settle for the good and not the best; we allow the busyness and routine of life to dampen and deaden our passion and desire. Yet within each of us is the longing for that 'life in all its fullness' (John 10:10) thing that Jesus promised us. We might try to satisfy this longing through a variety of material things. And while we may enjoy them for a season, we're still always left longing, aching for something more.
My own journey is increasingly being defined by the desire for more of God. John Piper wrote a book called 'Desiring God' and in it he talks about Christian hedonism - the pursuit of godly pleasure at all costs. Hedonism is a concept we might be familiar with from a secular perspective, and we would rightly discern that the selfish pursuit of pleasure, ignoring the consequences to others - does carry a cost for those we hurt in its pursuit. But Christian hedonism as far as I understand it is the pursuit of enjoying God, revelling in Him, getting lost in Him, finding our life, joy and meaning in Him. Far from wounding others, we find the opposite is true, for the more we have of God, the more His influence affects how we live our lives. As we are changed by HIs love, so too we get to pass that on to others. I like how Piper changes part of the Westminster catechism with one word. Instead of 'Man's chief aim is to glorify God AND enjoy Him forever', he writes 'Man's chief aim is to glorify God BY enjoying Him forever.' I like that.
I think, increasingly I'm understanding what it means. I know that my ability to walk in my calling, to walk in obedience to God, and to live for His glory is dependent not on my religiousity or the strength of my will. If it was, we'd be earning our way to heaven. The Pharisees would have got it right and Jesus would have got it wrong. Thank God for His grace, and His mercy. But my ability to enjoy my faith and what it calls me to is totally and completely dependent on me wanting, desiring, having Christ. It's about intimacy with Him. Paul said 'For to me, to live is Christ ...' (Phil. 1:21) It's about gaining Christ ... not success in my finances, or in promotion, or success in ministry, or in my relationship with others ... it is about me wanting, desiring, longing for Him.
David knew about such longing: "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1) He goes on to talk about God's love being "better than life" (Psalm 63:3).
From His word we know that God can't help Himself but respond to such desire (Jer. 29:13). The story of the father in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is also clear evidence of this.
I hope you'll join me this year on this journey of desire. As ther Psalmist writes "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)
Mark
I have to say that it seems that 2009 is already defining itself for me as a year where my hopes are not so much defined by what I accomplish or the targets I set and hit - but rather as a journey into desire. Potentially not the language you would expect a pastor to use - isn't desire something sinful? I would say back to you, it depends on what the object of your desire is.
Desire is God given. We cannot hope without desire, and we cannot desire without hope. It seems that life has a habit, if we let it, of robbing us of God given desire and God given hope. We settle for the good and not the best; we allow the busyness and routine of life to dampen and deaden our passion and desire. Yet within each of us is the longing for that 'life in all its fullness' (John 10:10) thing that Jesus promised us. We might try to satisfy this longing through a variety of material things. And while we may enjoy them for a season, we're still always left longing, aching for something more.
My own journey is increasingly being defined by the desire for more of God. John Piper wrote a book called 'Desiring God' and in it he talks about Christian hedonism - the pursuit of godly pleasure at all costs. Hedonism is a concept we might be familiar with from a secular perspective, and we would rightly discern that the selfish pursuit of pleasure, ignoring the consequences to others - does carry a cost for those we hurt in its pursuit. But Christian hedonism as far as I understand it is the pursuit of enjoying God, revelling in Him, getting lost in Him, finding our life, joy and meaning in Him. Far from wounding others, we find the opposite is true, for the more we have of God, the more His influence affects how we live our lives. As we are changed by HIs love, so too we get to pass that on to others. I like how Piper changes part of the Westminster catechism with one word. Instead of 'Man's chief aim is to glorify God AND enjoy Him forever', he writes 'Man's chief aim is to glorify God BY enjoying Him forever.' I like that.
I think, increasingly I'm understanding what it means. I know that my ability to walk in my calling, to walk in obedience to God, and to live for His glory is dependent not on my religiousity or the strength of my will. If it was, we'd be earning our way to heaven. The Pharisees would have got it right and Jesus would have got it wrong. Thank God for His grace, and His mercy. But my ability to enjoy my faith and what it calls me to is totally and completely dependent on me wanting, desiring, having Christ. It's about intimacy with Him. Paul said 'For to me, to live is Christ ...' (Phil. 1:21) It's about gaining Christ ... not success in my finances, or in promotion, or success in ministry, or in my relationship with others ... it is about me wanting, desiring, longing for Him.
David knew about such longing: "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1) He goes on to talk about God's love being "better than life" (Psalm 63:3).
From His word we know that God can't help Himself but respond to such desire (Jer. 29:13). The story of the father in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is also clear evidence of this.
I hope you'll join me this year on this journey of desire. As ther Psalmist writes "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)
Mark
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