The Furnace of Faith

"But if I say, 'I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name," His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones , I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."
Jeremiah 20:9

The human experience is not without its share of disappointment or ache. In this world there is grief. In this world there is peril. In this world there is strife. And the internal tsunami that ensues from difficult ordeals often causes us to shed many bitter tears. The followers of God are not immune to this state of suffering. We will find ourselves immersed in doubt or despair at one point or another. In such moments God's ways tend to seem too mysterious. Too complex. Too complicated. Too slow to resolve. In the crises, the furnaces, of life we are tempted to lead with raw feelings rather than resolute faith. 

The battle to let emotion overtake mankind is evident throughout Scripture. One prime example is Jeremiah. This great prophet remained mightily committed to proclaiming God's messages throughout his earthly sojourn even though it came at a steep price.  He was mocked and maligned. He was threatened and tortured. He was ignored and insulted. And all because he would not compromise the truth of the prophecies and precepts that the Lord had instructed him to declare. But as valiant a spirit as Jeremiah possessed he was still prone to despondency. And we see this underscored in Jeremiah 20:7. In the NIV translation it reads, "O Lord you deceived me, and I was deceived." This complaint was a result of a recent incident in which Jeremiah was beaten and put in stocks for conveying God's message (Jeremiah 20:2).   

Jeremiah's frustration and utter sense of surrender are understandable given what he had undergone. God's will and activity are always just and right, but it is often hard to perceive this to be true when pain is coursing through one's body. Realize that Jeremiah was a loner in many regards. The people of Judah had long forgotten to observe God's decrees or exercise hearts of allegiance. Jeremiah harkened the people to return to the Lord or face the horrible wrath of divine judgement through Babylon. And this communication was not well-received. Jeremiah was highly unpopular with the religious and civil establishment. Therefore, the brave prophet was belittled day after day. This can wear down even the strongest of souls. And Jeremiah voiced his discouragement, going so far as to say that His work for God brought him reproach continually (Jeremiah 20:8).    

But even as Jeremiah levied his hardship he knew that God's words had to be shared. In fact, Jeremiah said that the Lord's message was like a fire in his bones that demanded to be released (Jeremiah 20:9). Soak that in for a moment. Jeremiah was still nursing fresh wounds. He had incurred bruises and bloody sores from a beating. His body was ravaged with pain brought about from a brief stint in stocks. And yet Jeremiah still found the courage to praise God. He enunciated the hurt to the Lord, but then he entrusted it to the Lord, the Healer. This fact reveals that conflict can either cripple your faith, or it can confirm your faith. Jeremiah did the latter. The prophet was repeatedly thrust into the furnace of life, but every time he held tightly to his trust in God. This example is needed and necessary for every generation of believer.

A little over three years ago my wife and I found ourselves immersed in a furnace of life. Our second child, Abby, was continually having problems with one of her eyes not draining properly. It was determined that our daughter had a clogged tear duct. The only corrective action was a surgical procedure called a tear duct probe. The thought of our otherwise healthy newborn, who was just nine months old at the time, having to be sedated and anesthetized for a relatively minor operation was hard to absorb. But since our daughter had suffered from clogged tear ducts for nearly the entirety of her brief life, my wife and I knew it needed to be addressed so we scheduled the surgery immediately thereafter.

The morning of the procedure was a series of unfortunate events. Unexpectedly, a downpour of rain hit our city. In fact, it rained so hard that the interstate highway we were traveling on was partially shut down because one section of the passageway was flooded. We were at a standstill for almost an hour, and eventually had to be rerouted by backroads. While at a standstill, our daughter began to cry and wail, and as any parent can attest to the sound of a screaming child inside a car is not wholly enjoyable. We called the surgery center to let them know that we were running behind due to the road conditions. By the time we arrived at the medical facility we were well past our expected surgery appointment. After we hastily checked in a nurse frantically came out to the waiting room and ushered my wife and I to another area of the building. She  then promptly took Abby away for the procedure. 

My wife and I looked at each other with a sense of concern. Getting Abby into the operating room was rushed because of the surgical team's tight schedule, which meant that my wife and I did not have adequate time to be with Abby before she was put into the care of the medical staff. So many discouraging, disabling worries overwhelmed me. What if something goes wrong? What if Abby dies as a result of the procedure? What if Abby has an adverse reaction during the course of the operation, and is forced to be dealt some life-long debilitating condition? I felt so helpless knowing that I could not be there in the operating room with Abby, nor do what the well-trained medical staff could do. After about thirty minutes of surrendering to destructive anxieties I was overcome with a sense of God's calming presence. The Holy Spirit was quietly, but assuredly, renewing me with uplifting considerations. Isn't God greater than my circumstances? Isn't God supreme and sovereign? Isn't God entirely in control of each and every situation? Therefore what good does worry do, except to weaken my faith in God?

As it turned out, Abby made it through the procedure without any problems, and never experienced any clogged tear ducts again. But the episode stayed with me because it reminded me that the Lord's presence is authoritative and affirming. And the episode helped me understand that my day-to-day trust in God's lordship should aptly prepare me for the furnace of life. After all, how can faith really be viewed as faith unless it is put to the test? Jeremiah displayed resolute faith in the furnace of life. May I strive to do the same.              

The Lavish Love of the Lord

"The Lord within her (Jerusalem) is righteous; He does no wrong. Morning by morning He dispenses His justice, and every new day He does not fail..."
Zephaniah 3:5

Love - it is one of the many great attributes of the Lord. And it is one of the most endearing qualities of God because it signifies His moral and spiritual superiority over mankind. Humanity fails miserably to generate, or exercise, love. Our corrupted version of it is essentially a falsely glorified conditional emotion-based act. But the lavish love of the Lord is not tentative, nor is it tempted to come and go. It is available every morning, no matter how horribly we miss the mark of God's holy standards. And this truth is glaringly apparent in Zephaniah 3:5. 

The book of Zephaniah is a somber read to say the least. It draws attention to the despicable lifestyles of the nations that surrounded Judea. Philistia is called out. Amnon is called out. Moab is called out. Cush is called out. Assyria is called out. And even Judah itself is called out. God rightly railed against the corporate sins of the people. They had many shortcomings including: lacking a reverence for the Lord, lacking respect for God's Word, and lacking the resolve to spiritually enthrone the Lord above the wickedness, wealth, and worship of this world. Because of this, God laid out the indisputable fact that the collective disobedience of the earth was vast. In other words, He waylaid everyone's involvement in the heinous events, especially Judah's elders, prophets, and priests. But in the midst of God's rebuke for the vileness of this spiritually diseased environment He provided one of the most inspirational verses in all of Scripture (Zephaniah 3:5). 

In Zephaniah 3 God spoke about Jerusalem, the city that represented His light and very presence (in the temple). Sadly, Jerusalem, at this point in history, had become a harbinger for officials and religious leaders who had long abandoned a desire to humbly fulfill their obligation to pursue integrity or labor towards God-centric work. Therefore, Jerusalem was plagued with a pervasive cold-heartedness. But despite all of this God declared in Zephaniah 3:5 that He was still within Jerusalem, dispensing justice, and displaying His righteousness day after day. 

Zephaniah 3:5 beautifully underscores the lavishness of the Lord's love. The people of Judah, by and large, had entrenched themselves in rebellion and rejection of God's command. They willfully and willingly turned their backs on the Lord's kindness and compassion by performing profane acts and submitting allegiance to fake gods. And yet God remained faithful to Judah. Loving and leading. The Lord never relinquished His covenantal oath to Abraham's descendants. God, Who does no wrong, remained committed to Judah/Israel even though they brazenly abandoned Him, confirming that God's love is not tentative nor is it tempted to come and go. It is available every morning, no matter how horribly we miss the mark of God's holy standards. The Lord's divine disposition overflows with steadfastness and loyalty.

An incident a few nights ago put this concept in a new perspective for me. My two oldest children were playing together when a tragedy occurred, at least by their standards. Having just completed my daily biblical study in the master bedroom I was preparing to go check on the kids, but was suddenly interrupted by the wailing sounds emanating from my son. Before I could get very far, my son burst into the master bedroom and announced that his sister had purposefully taken one of his planes and smashed it on the ground, breaking off a wing and a tail fin. Within seconds my two oldest children were engaged in a back-and-forth debate. My son claimed that his sister had maliciously damaged his toy, and my daughter claimed it was an accident. I was able to maintain calm throughout the sibling strife and reminded my daughter that she would expect her brother to be careful with her toys, so she should respond in kind. Apologies were exchanged (between the children) and the momentary battle was swiftly ended.

But my son remained quite vexed by the state of his plane. As I put the children to bed I repeatedly fielded questions from him about the plane. "Do you think it can be fixed Dad?" "How soon can you work on it?" "WIll it ever be the same?" Bear in mind, this was a wooden plane that was purchased by my wife at a consignment sale some weeks prior. And even though it cost less than a couple of dollars my son had clearly made a emotional connection with this mock aircraft. I was tempted to just chuck the toy and go buy a new one, but the genuine internal ache of my son was compelling. Before I said "goodnight" to the kids, I told my son I would attempt to glue the plane soon. When I got back to the master bedroom I was overcome with exhaustion. Every fiber in my being yearned to just lay down on the bed and relax. I wanted to check some emails, and perhaps watch a show on TV. But I could not escape my son's desire to see his plane restored to the way it once was. So rather than lounge in bed and save the plane project for another day (that might never come) I went and grabbed some glue and got to work on my son's damaged toy. Within ten minutes I had the wing and the tail fin reattached. 

I then took the rehabbed plane into the children's bedroom and said, "Check this out." I made the aircraft fly circles in the sky and made ridiculous noises in the process. My son's eyes lit up. I could tell in that moment he was so thankful that I had taken the time, and effort, to fix something he feared could never be restored. A little while later, I walked out of the kids' room completely revitalized and energized. One tiny act...one  major impact. But as I headed towards the master bedroom I sensed a greater lesson being imparted to me. The Holy Spirit was non-verbally communicating wisdom and knowledge. That seemingly fractured plane was like my life. I tend to find myself, at one point or another, broken, whether it be from the guilt of self-induced mistakes, or the pressure of external forces. And I tend to also find myself feeling undervalued or unnecessary in the world around me. But when I turn to God and allow His glorious presence to renew me He mends the shattered pieces of my life and restores me. He takes me and utilizes me, even though I am wholly unworthy of His affection or attention. A tiny, inexpensive toy plane offered me a God-focused application that I hope to never forget. And it confirmed, yet again, that the love of the Lord is a truly lavish love.    
     



     

Deep Devotion (Even in Disappointment)

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights."
Habakkuk 3:17-19

Disappointment - it is sure to find us at one point or another. Try as we may to avoid it, there is simply no getting around it. We, as believers, may understand conceptually that life is riddled with problems, ordeals, and setbacks, but often we struggle emotionally to grapple with it, and still maintain a resolute hope in God. It is easy to become pessimistic when it feels as though our world is crumbling around us. And it is easy to let the seemingly unstable circumstance cause us to shed trust in the Lord instead of securing it. But numerous accounts in Scripture affirm that faith is not the absence of pain or suffering, but rather the will to persist and praise God through pain and suffering. Of course, this does not mean we will always be able to make sense of our trial-laden situations, but it does mean that we can cling to the truth that God is in control of our affairs, and will bring about the appropriate outcome He has determined to transpire.

When I was a child I witnessed the mental and physical demise of my grandmother. Unfair as it felt, my grandmother was stricken with Alzheimer's. Sadly, I never really knew her before her cognitive faculties started to deteriorate. But I vividly recall how her memories faded a little more with every visit. And the culmination of this human tragedy was when I heard her ask my mother, grandmother's own daughter, one day who Mom was. But I share this personal experience because what stood out to me about it was the steadfastness and resolve of my mother, not the agony or grief that it caused. Nowhere in Mom's interactions with grandmother, or the lulls in between their discussions, did Mom ever exhibit anger towards God. If anything, the hardship only deepened her desire to walk in God's Word and pray for supernatural strength to tarry through the heartache. For instance, when I would mention odd statements that grandmother had made Mom would respond with uplifting recollections - recollections that highlighted grandmother's honorable, distinguished character, before the disease set in. Or when I would ask Mom how she was coping with the adversity she always found a way to point me to the Lord. Therefore, there was untold discipleship and mentorship in the conduct of my mother throughout the affliction. And it helped me understand that a deep devotion to God is a durable devotion for it can endure the greatest of disappointments. 

The prophet Habakkuk certainly knew a thing or two about disappointment. He was frustrated with the pending demise of Judah and made sure to voice his complaints directly to God. The format of this short, but impactful, biblical book utilizes a question and answer format. Habakkuk, in remarkable boldness and perhaps audacity, candidly identified his concerns with the Lord, and the Lord responded. Habakkuk essentially begged the Lord to relent from sending Babylon's army to Jerusalem and destroying the capital city of Judah, but God confirmed that He would not relent from the forthcoming punishment. Judah sinned repeatedly and their time of reckoning had come due. 

The tone of Habakkuk's two recorded complaints (chapters 1 and 2) denote the prophet's struggle to grasp why the Lord would let the nation meet such a sure downfall. But in chapter 3 Habakkuk turned from grumbling to glorifying. And this is commendable considering Habakkuk believed God could have exercised mercy and re-orchestrated the events that were to take place. Clearly, Habakkuk's prayer in chapter 3 reveals the depth of respect and reverence he held for the Lord. Even as the  the world he had known for so long was falling apart Habakkuk still praised God. His joy was found in none other than the Lord. Although the prophet would have preferred that Judah's people be allowed to remain in their territory for an indefinite period he did not let his feelings disrupt, or destroy, his faith in God. Habakkuk realized that the Lord's sovereignty is supreme. And despite the fact that he did not have the means to comprehend the fullness of God's plan, Habakkuk still found reason to rejoice by recognizing the eternal, unbreakable leadership of the Lord.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 is especially moving. The prophet portrayed some rather gloomy scenarios: trees that do not grow, crops that do not flourish, and livestock that has died, or wandered off. And yet Habakkuk stated that even if should find himself mired in such circumstances he would still adore God. Why? Because God was the prophet's source of spiritual strength. Habakkuk's strength was not in storehouses. It was not in the state (of Judah). It was not in the sanctuary (the temple). No, Habakkuk's strength was in the sovereignty, the unending reign, of God. And this knowledge emboldened the prophet to give the Lord exaltation, even though his soul was vexed by the undeniable misery Judah was destined to meet. In short, Habakkuk's rock-solid, deep devotion to God trumped the temptation to wallow in despair. His faith was so real, and so relevant, that he overcame doubt and hurt and intensified his pursuit of the Lord's love and light.    
  

Compelling, Contrite Conduct

“When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.”
2 Kings 22:11

For a month we have reviewed assorted passages in Isaiah – a book of prophetic punishment, preservation, and peace. Isaiah is filled with unembellished text that is of a grave tone, which is understandable considering the spiritual deplorability of God’s people at the time of its writing. But Isaiah also contains an overriding ray of hope as it previewed the coming of Christ and His salvation mission. Isaiah was penned during the reigns of King Uzziah, King Jotham, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah. Hezekiah, for the most part, was a noble civil leader. He started well, but ended his earthly affairs steeped in pretention and pride. After Hezekiah passed away Judah endured the wicked rule of King Manasseh and King Amnon. In fact, Manasseh’s influence was so morally vile that 2 Kings 21:9 denotes that he led the people to commit more evil than the nations God had removed from the Promised Land. After Manasseh’s and Amnon’s time in office had run its course Josiah assumed the reigns of kingship in Judah. And what we quickly learn is that Josiah was committed to exercising a compelling, contrite conduct. In many ways, Josiah's life mirrors that of Hezekiah, in that both kings were fervently devoted to reviving the nation spiritually though public education and personal example. Sadly, Josiah’s final days, like Hezekiah’s, were characterized by arrogance (Josiah assumed he could march Judah’s army to battle Egypt without God’s approval or blessing – reference 2 Chronicles 35:20-24)    

But today’s reading focuses on Josiah’s early years as king of Judah, as recorded in 2 Kings 22-23. Eighteen years into his administration, when he was roughly twenty-six years old, Josiah asked some of his officials to report on the status of repair work that was being accomplished in the temple. When the officials went to the worship center the high priest, Hilkiah, showed them a copy of the law, which Hilkiah had found stowed away. Josiah’s secretary, Shaphan, read it and then took it to King Josiah. Shaphan divulged the content of the message to Josiah, who was so distraught by Judah’s collective disobedience that he ripped his royal attire to shreds and wept aloud as the holy inspired words were being dictated to him. The king’s humble response to the Word of God is remarkable. People of stature tend to present a well-crafted and well-maintained image. They work hard to sound influential and look important. Therefore, they are not easily swayed into affecting their image through visible acts of vulnerability or self-effacement. But Josiah cared little for municipal perception because he was brought to a place of sadness and brokenness. In other words, Josiah treasured God and he treasured truth. And he was cut to the quick when he realized the great expectations God had laid out in His Word had not been followed by Judah. 

It is terrifying to consider how easily mankind can choose to accept lies and falsehoods. We have God’s mandates present before us, and yet, by and large, we tend to reject them. We go the way of the world and embrace deception and dark dogma. We absorb carnal thoughts and repackage them as enlightened thinking. We consume ourselves with cultural priorities and principles, and allow Scripture to go unnoticed and unpracticed. In the process, we seek the oppression of man over the order of God. What a horrible exchange! But in order to break the chains of carnality we must pursue the conviction and commandment of God. And this desire to search out righteousness was displayed in Josiah’s compelling, contrite conduct in 2 Kings 22-23. 

Just after Josiah heard the words in the law he requested that his advisors and Hilkiah inquire of the Lord. How could the nation make right something that was so glaringly wrong? A response from God came back to Josiah, which, in effect, conveyed the pending doom was still coming, but the silver lining was that it would not take place during his reign. Unlike Hezekiah, Josiah was not content with fostering a religious laissez-faire environment after God’s final decree of state-wide punishment had been decreed. In fact, Josiah set out to advance his spiritual reform agenda with renewed fervor. He went around the surrounding territories of Judah destroying all remnants of pagan worship. He broke down idolatrous altars and burned the corresponding material used for their services, indicating there would be no return to the abhorrent way of life as long he was king. Josiah leveled sex shrines in Jerusalem. He led the people in the study and application of God’s Word. He called the people to remember the Passover, and even apportioned a large sum from his livestock so that many could participate in a national observance of the Passover. In short, King Josiah  attempted to eradicate all elements of pagan religious practices and usher in an era of virtuous beliefs and behavior. 

Whether personally or corporately, the Word of God, and therefore the will of God, should move us. It should draw us away from spiritual complacency and apathy. Josiah knew that he and the people, as well as their forefathers, had fallen short of God’s standards. Thus, he sought to rectify the problem. In his lifetime, he was bound and determined to be part of the solution, rather than the problem. He pleaded for mercy and guidance. He studied God’s pronouncements and dedicated himself to obeying them. His heart was consumed with honoring God. This inspiring passage is bona-fide evidence of the change God can bring about in one’s life. According to 2 Chronicles 34:33 the people did not turn away from the Lord as long as Josiah was alive. Civil power and consecrated passion – Josiah exhibited both with wisdom and integrity. And such is the effectiveness of compelling, contrite conduct.