I want to talk to you a little about the grace, mercy and love of God.
It’s one thing to give mercy to a guilty person. It’s a whole ‘nother thing to give grace to a guilty person. Grace is by definition un-merited (un-deserved) favor, but God’s grace is not only extended to the righteous, but also to the guilty. This, of course, is completely on the basis of the offering of the perfect life of Christ at his crucifixion on our behalf. But it is still a wonder, and still very hard to accept – even for those who have been regenerated.
God’s grace is greater than all of your sins. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. If Adam didn’t sin there would be no mercy, forgiveness, healing, or redemption.
We know that God doesn’t want us to sin. He never tempts us or lures us into sinning so that we can experience more forgiveness. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!
However, God knows in advance that we will sin. He can see beforehand the decisions we will make that will bring destruction into our lives. Why does he not stop us from making them!? Wouldn’t he stop us if he were truly loving and merciful?
We may not understand it all, but we can rest assured that his heart is all love and favor. He designs that our failures will turn out for our good. The Father planned that the Son would come to die for our sins before Adam sinned. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us! Your good Father in heaven planned some good to come out of your failures before you made those bad decisions.
Our worldly, man-centeredness thinks that it is only our successes and moral victories that bring good into our lives and that all of the pain and suffering in our lives we deserve. This is partly true and we should be very careful to not overlook those realities. However, this is not the whole story. God’s love and favor towards us is greater, more powerful, and more determined than our failures.
God wants us to be at peace. He wants our hearts settled and resting in the full, unreserved, glad acceptance of the heart of God. He wants us to be able to look into his Eyes of kindness and joy towards us, not to look down in shame in his presence. We should be ashamed of our sins. But if we acknowledge them, confess them, turn away from them and turn to him – through Christ – then they are gone! This may at times even be a moment by moment exchange. Are you repentant? Look into His Eyes: behold his love for you.
Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t think that any form of flagellation will bring you joy or bring pleasure to God. You cannot pay for your sins. It’s offensive to God when you try. The only thing God wants you to bring to the equation of salvation is your own sin and brokenness. Jesus paid it all. Isn’t he good? The Gospel really is good news. Believe it. Do you think the Gospel is actually more amazing news than you realize or less? It is much more unbelievable than we realize.
I pray today that your whole heart and soul would be baptized in the all encompassing, all-enveloping love of God; that tears would well up out of your heart and out your eyes, and that you would be able to say nothing less than, “Thank you Jesus. Thank you God;” that you would be assured deeply in your own heart that God is unbelievably good at all times and in all ways.
He makes everything beautiful in his time (Eccl. 3:11).
If you could choose to be any animal what would you be? I would want to be an eagle, or any high flying bird. One of the most spectacular images from nature to me is seeing a bird suspended in mid air, unstriving, just coasting in the breeze. Wow. Every time I see this my heart fails a little and I ask God to help me to live just like that: to live in the power and freedom of the Spirit. The bird is not inactive, he’s probably hunting. He’s doing what he needs to do. He doesn’t realize it, but he’s doing an incredible feat, not in his own power, but utilizing the dynamics of the wind. In one sense, the Chrsitian life is supposed to be easy. “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mat. 11:30). This is a great image, because it includes hard work (yoke, burden). The thing is though is that if we are yoked with Jesus he is doing all the work. We’re just along for the ride.
Why are we so stubborn? Why do we insist that our ideas and desires are so much better than the will of God? Every moment is a simple choice: do what I want in my own strength and wisdom, or do what God wants and rest.
As much as I would want to fly in open skies, I know that I would be absolutely terrified if I could just all of a sudden lift off and start flying. What if I fall? One reason we do not do God’s will is because it is absolutely terrifying. He calls us out of our comfort zone to do impossible and often implausible feats. But how many times did he say, “Fear not.?” We should be afraid to not do his will. I know with myself I am afraid that I will mistake my own inner voice from the voice of God. I have the desire to jump or go and act, but it’s just me and not God. This is a trouble for me, but one that I hope to become more clear on. So we must learn to discern his voice. If we follow his Word, we follow his power. “For the word of God is quick and powerful.”
If we are not terrified and doing things that are impossible for us to do then we’re probably not doing the perfect will of God. Something to think about today.
“O LORD, thou hast deceived me (you have induced or persuaded me – to believe in you and to represent you), and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed (I am gripped by you and cannot shake away from your Word): I am a laughingstock daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him(of God), nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with holding it in, indeed I could not.” – Jeremiah 20:7-9
Jeremiah is often called “the weeping prophet,” and for good reason. He just happened to be the one charged with the unpleasant task of signaling the final warnings to Israel of impending national destruction. He was there in Jerusalem when it happened and later penned a funeral dirge for the city (the book of Lamentations). All that to say that he was given a very burdensome task. He was a famine-time prophet, not one of an abundant harvest. Early on in Jeremiah’s ministry the LORD told him that no one was going to accept his message (7:27). Imagine being called by God to a ministry and then after you’re settled into it you get assurance – from God – that no one is going to care at all what you have to say. Instead of giving heed to his message and honoring Jeremiah, the people despised him, ridiculed and mocked him on a daily basis and several times tried to kill him.
Perhaps you may feel like a Jeremiah? You’ve been doing God’s will – maybe not perfectly, but humbly and to the best of your ability – but there seems to be little to no fruit from your labors; it seems like no one is even taking notice of what you’re doing for the Lord; it seems like no one cares (except the people who are unhappy with you – they make it known that they don’t appreciate you). Maybe there are even people coming after you physically or in some other way trying to destroy your life and ministry? It seems like the more you try to do what’s right, the more you are despised for it. You feel like Paul who concluded, “and I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved” (2 Corinthians 12:15).
Jeremiah was a champion as far as courage goes. He stood in the midst of an arrogant, hardened mob of people and daily mourned out God’s message of condemnation. He was a weeping, hell-fire & brimstone preacher. He had a backbone of steel. However, he was only a man, a man with a tender heart, and his resolve was challenged one day…
On this occasion Jeremiah gathered some Israelite leaders together. During the meeting he smashed a clay pot on the ground and warned them that the LORD was going to smash the nation of Israel and break them so that they could not be repaired. Afterwards, Jeremiah went up to the temple (the busy public square) and began to proclaim that Yahweh was going to bring evil on the city because of their wickedness. While Jeremiah was preaching, Pashur the priest’s son walked up and delivered to Jeremiah some kind of blow (maybe a punch to the face or gut or something), then locked him in the stocks beside the temple, publicly humiliating him. The next day Pashur released Jeremiah from the stocks, but while he was Jeremiah began again to preach, and told Pashur that all of his friends were going to die by the sword, that he himself would be taken captive to Babylon, and would die and be buried there because he was a false prophet! Wow. So much courage.
However! The very next lines in the text after this story are the verses at the heading of this chapter. Jeremiah is exhausted. He begins to complain about how difficult his ministry was and then he concludes, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him (of God), nor speak any more in his name” (Jeremiah 20:9). He came to a breaking point (understandably so!) and was entering a major temptation to give up.
Maybe you are right here, right now. In the past, you had waves of difficulty, but you plunged into them and pretty quickly resurfaced, but this time it feels like you have sunk to the bottom with iron weights tied around you. The circumstances are different. It’s too much. Well, let this passage from Jeremiah remind you that nothing is impossible with God . . .
Thankfully, on this occasion, Jeremiah did not give in to giving up. His flesh said, “I’m done,” and then his spirit immediately responded, “But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with holding it in, indeed I could not.” What happened?! There was another power working inside of Jeremiah other than his own feeble resolve – the power of God. When Jeremiah became weak, God became strong. When Jeremiah gave up, the LORD raised him up. Jeremiah didn’t quit because he reallycouldn’t quit. Jeremiah’s calling stretched all the way back into the eons of eternity, it started in the heart of God, and God wasn’t done with him yet.
Consider Jeremiah’s calling from chapter 1, when he was a young man, “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5). God planted his Word in Jeremiah’s heart from the womb, it was more native to him than his mother’s milk. Being a prophet wasn’t Jeremiah’s idea, it was his destiny. His ministry didn’t arise from his own ambition, therefore it is not going to fall by his own inhibition. His message was God’s, his tears were God’s, his mission was God’s, and God was not done speaking to Israel yet, so therefore Jeremiah was not done speaking yet.
Remember who you are – Jeremiah – was why you started doing this. If it did arise out of your own ambition, then may you quit right away! But if your calling is real, then it started in the heart of God before eternity, just like Jeremiah’s did. Remember these Scriptures… The apostle Paul knew from whence his calling was. He said the Lord, “…saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works (or, our ambition), but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:9).” “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” (Galatians 1:15-15). This eternal calling was motivation for Paul to keep going. He was confident about this for other believers as well, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6).
God didn’t make a mistake when he called you. He knew exactly what he was doing. All of the events that led up to you calling on Christ for salvation. All of the events that led up to you desiring a certain kind of ministry. All the things in your heart to do for God. None of those things were an accident or happenstance. God made you who you are – with your personality, gifts, temperament, etc. You are where you are at this time in history to do his perfect will. Don’t give up because the road is rough, or because you have stumbled or because you don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Focus on him who called you from the beginning. Remember those circumstances when he first called you – whether it was a scripture, or a song, or a sermon, or a deep time of prayer. God hasn’t changed, you have, but I am confident that if you choose to bring your heart and mind back to the Word you heard at the burning bush that it will burn in your heart like a fire and that you will feel no other option than to pursue it.
His Word Was In My Heart
Jeremiah said, “I’m done. I’m not going to even make mention of God anymore.” But again, the very next phrase is, “But his word was in mine heart.” He couldn’t get away from it. It was part of his nature. Earlier on in the book he said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts (Jeremiah 15:16).” God planted his Word in Jeremiah from the womb, but then in conscious experience Jeremiah had tasted the unique goodness Word of God and had swallowed it whole. It was part of the fabric of his being. Many other saints in the Scripture spoke of this experience of “eating” the word of God.
When you became a Christian you didn’t just turn over a new leaf or change your mind about something. You were changed at the core of your being. Jesus said that we must eat his flesh and drink his blood. You did this and became partakers of him. You became one with him and he with you. The Spirit of God, his divine nature, came into union with your spirit, thus making you a new creation. No matter where you go from here God is going with you. Not near you, but in you, in all your thoughts and feelings and outlook. You cannot ignore God. He’s so patient and good. He has all the time in the world to bear with you. He is faithful, he promised that he would never leave you nor forsake you.
You have taken in the Word of God. You’ve studied it, memorized it, lived according to it, rejoiced in it. Remember the unique joy of the Word in your life.
Something divine, supernatural happens when the believer turns their eyes to heaven in prayer, or becomes calm before the Scriptures. There is a real connection with the eternal One, the Word, and you cannot but help to speak about it. Paul said, “I believed, and therefore have I spoken (2 Corinthians 4:13).” Just like that exceptional restaurant you ate at, or that great show you went to, you want to tell other people about it. Almost every year our family visits Sight and Sound Theaters in Lancaster, PA. In the realm of live theater, especially for Christian based shows, their performances are extraordinarily good, second to none. I recommend to people often to bring their families there because I know the experience is so worth it – even to people who seem like the last people who would be interested in something like a live musical. I believe, therefore I speak about it. You tasted that the LORD was gracious and you spoke about it. Perhaps you spoke about it for a very long time. Return to your first love. You may be in the fog right now. Its ok. Jeremiah was there too. Press through though. Continue to be faithful and then glorify him again. “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works (Psalms 73:25-28).”
True Success
One more note on Jeremiah about what true success in life is. God was upfront with Jeremiah, “No one is going to believe you. You are going to warn about coming judgment and call the nation to repent, but they are not going to. The judgment will come” (my summary). So, was Jeremiah a failure? The people weren’t saved. They didn’t give heed to his warnings. Obviously God’s heart is for people to repent and avoid judgment. The Lord is “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).” He takes no delight in the death of the wicked. However, God also delights in righteousness, judgment and justice. Israel had become corrupt and now it was God’s pleasure to defend his truth and those who were being oppressed. All of this is higher than Jeremiah. What was his part in God’s dealings with this nation, and other nations? His part was simply to be faithful – to be God’s heart and mouth to the people, and Jeremiah did this faithfully. Although Jeremiah’s preaching wasn’t well received, it was nevertheless true. What he said was the faithful Word of God and the prophecies he spoke did come to pass.
Take the time to think deeply about what you regard as true success. True success is not equivalent to lots of outward signs of people repenting, being converted and mobilized in the work of God. If those things truly happen then it certainly is a sign that God is at work, but God can be at work even through a man or a ministry that appears unsuccessful. For example, God told Moses in the desert to speak to the the rock so water would gush out to quench the thirst of Israel. Moses in his anger disobediently smote the rock, but water still came gushing out. That Rock was Christ and Christ fed his people out there, but God was furious with Moses. He came down hard on him and decided that he would not go in to the promised land. By appearance this was a wonderful success – a day of refreshing and revival – yet it was the worst day of failure for Moses. So we have to be extremely careful about judging on the outward appearance – whether it’s judging other people’s lives or our own lives.
There are very large, exciting churches that are a displeasure to God and there are very small, “unexciting” churches that are choice servants of God. Similarly, there are very large, exciting churches that are a pleasure to God and there are very small, “unexciting” churches that are a displeasure of God. How do we know the difference? We cannot know in an ultimate sense, but we can examine faithfulness to God’s Word or not. Is the Bible being taught in a simple, straightforward manner? Is righteousness being exalted and sin being exposed? Is there church discipline happening? Are people being encouraged to evangelize and be rich in good works? Are the leaders and members humbly walking in love and unity? If so, these are all good signs that God is pleased. The same is true as individuals. If you are striving to conform your life to the Word of God with a humble heart and to do what he calls you to do – he is pleased, whether or not you see the results you are hoping for. You have to get your eyes off of other people. Stop comparing yourself and your works to theirs. Everyone is different, has different gifts and a different calling. If you have been doing what is right with a humble heart then disregard the results. It’s fine to examine the results. Maybe there is a way for you to improve to be more effective in whatever you’re doing, but certainly don’t give up. It got really hard for Jeremiah. It may get hard for you. Let God search your heart. If you have done something wrong, repent of it and make it right. From there though, focus on doing what you know for sure the Lord has called you to do. Leave the results with him and give him time to renew your passion for him and his work. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self (1 Corinthians 4:2-3).” This is what you have to focus on – simply being faithful to your Lord.
“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? . . . Feed my sheep.” – John 21:17
Peter loved Jesus. He was a genuine follower. Jesus had transformed him from an average, worldly fisherman to a saint and pioneer of the new kingdom God was about to build. However, Peter still had his struggles. He was often stuffing his foot into his mouth. Once he brazenly rebuked Jesus – never a good idea. As bad as that was, it wasn’t the worst. The day he totally blew it was when he denied his Lord. Sweet Jesus: the one who found Peter lost in his sins, who brought him on board the Great Mission as leader of the disciples; the pure, humble teacher healer who had come to Israel, the gentle lamb who was hated, wrongfully arrested, being beaten, about to be crucified. At that very moment, when Peter (of all moments!) should have been there for his friend and Lord, warming his hands by the fire, he repeatedly denied him, with cursing! He had given in to embarrassment, fear and betrayal. He instantly knew it too. All it took was one look from the Lord and he knew he had sinned a great sin. He wept bitterly. Peter was crushed because he had crushed his friend in his greatest hour of need. He also let down his other friends who he was supposed to be leading. What was he good for now?
How about you, Peter? Every Christian sins, but perhaps in your case it seems like you have sinned a particularly grievous sin in a uniquely corrupt way. Some sins seem tolerable – like perhaps gluttony, or gossip, or materialism – but other sins truly seem to reveal your depraved heart, like adultery, pornography, rage, violence, drunkenness/drug abuse, idolatry or theft: the kinda stuff that many unbelievers don’t even participate in. Maybe you have fallen into a great sin as a genuine follower of Christ. Or, maybe you have given in to “little” sins so repeatedly that they have caused big problems for yourself and those around you. Maybe you feel like God could never forgive you, or, if he would forgive you he certainly would not use you in any special way. Maybe your reputation has been tarnished? Perhaps, like Peter, you may even feel like giving up, out of respect for the Lord, not desiring to dishonor him anymore…
We do seem to get the indication that Peter was giving up. He went back to fishing (John 21:3), back to who he was and what he had done before he met the Lord. He probably thought, “The Lord gave me this wonderful gift and calling, and I let him down. I failed. I guess I’ll default back to who I used to be.” The temptation after failing is to give up: to revert back to who you used to be, and to do what you used to do before you knew Jesus. You begin to think more about secular pursuits than the ministry God has called you to; to make church attendance and involvement less of a priority; to replace personal worship and study of the Word with other hobbies; to replace sacrificial giving to the Gospel with other financial priorities, etc.
How did this turn out for Peter and the others? “They caught nothing” (John 21:3). Remember when Peter met Jesus? That was also a day where he “caught nothing,” meaning a day when not only were his nets empty, but his soul was also empty. His life was void of ultimate meaning and purpose. It’s no accident that as professional fishermen they caught nothing this new day as well. It was on purpose, for the Lord to show him that he wouldn’t find anything genuinely meaningful compared to Christ if he were to go back.
Don’t go back. Don’t give up. Why? Because you really can’t go back. You are different. You’ve been born from above. You’re a new creation in Christ. You’re sheep not swine. It can’t be the same. You may give up on pursuing Christ and working in the ministry, but whatever idol you put in the place of Christ is not going to satisfy you. You have tasted the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come. The Holy Spirit lives in you! You’ll never be blessed unless you pick yourself up and begin to pursue Christ afresh!
He’s Not Done With You
Thankfully, Jesus was not done with Peter. In fact, the glory that Peter had experienced over the first 3 years with Jesus was nothing compared to the glory that Peter was yet to experience with his Lord for many years to come!
Jesus came to Peter in the sweetest way. As they were fishing, catching nothing, Jesus appeared on the shore, beckoned to them to throw the net on the other side causing them to enclose a massive catch of fish. This is reminiscent of when Jesus first revealed his desire to call these disciples – perhaps symbolic of re-calling them again to discipleship. Jesus was already on the shore making a meal. As they approached him there was the sweet smell of baked bread and fish being fried over the fire. Jesus greeted them with an invitation to “come and dine” with him. This initial meeting with Jesus could have been much different, right? Jesus could have hunted Peter down and wrathfully rebuked him, or punished him in some way. Think about it… or, perhaps worse: Jesus could have just given up on Peter and never returned to him or communicated with him again and left him to wallow in his regrets. But no. There is no one like Jesus. Think about the worst thing you have ever done to someone. The next time you saw them face to face were they preparing you a feast, desiring to share a meal with you? If so, praise the Lord for that person, but most likely that did not happen.
The reality is, that no matter what you have done – to the Lord or anyone else – Jesus is waiting for you to come to him. Not to come crawling over broken glass to be punished forever for what you have done. He wants to fellowship with you. He wants t oconfirm his love for you and his commitment to work his plan out in your life. He knows your broken heart, regret, and your shame for what you have done. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is nigh to the broken hearted,” and Psalm 51: 17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” It’s hard to accept how gentle and forgiving his heart is towards us. We beat ourselves up over our sins. Other people treat us very harshly over our sins, but Jesus doesn’t do this. He was beaten on our behalf; mocked, shamed, killed. He wants it in the past and he is looking to the future.
After seeing Jesus present himself to Peter in this reconciling manner, we get to the heart of the whole situation. As the finish the meal Jesus asks Peter a question, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” Wow. What a question! He could have said, “Simon, why should I forgive you,’ or ‘Why should I let you follow me?” But, no, he’s looking forward, not backward. Remember: Jesus knows everything. This question was not for Jesus, but for Peter. Deep down Peter knew that he loved the Lord, but up to this moment, in his won mind, I’m sure that his internal dialogue was all self condemnation. “How can you say you love the Lord when you sided with his murderers?” Jesus was pulling from deeper down in the well of Peter’s soul. He was leading Peter to recall his true self, which was genuine love for Jesus.
Just because you have sinned doesn’t mean that you don’t love Jesus. “A just man falleth seven times, but he rises up again” (Proverbs 24:17). Righteous men fall. Christians sin. Our love is not determined by whether or not we sin, but what we do with our sins. Unbelievers make excuses for their sins, the care less whether they have offended the Lord or not, they certainly don’t confess their sins and repent of them, and they don’t fear God’s chastening in their lives. But if you are a genuine believer, you do all of those things. You are guilty over your sins, you’ve probably already confessed them, your striving to overcome them, and it tears you up that you have offended your Lord and hurt other people. This means that you love Jesus!!!
Do you remember how you first came to Jesus, who you were when he called you? He didn’t call you because you were righteous. He called you because he had a plan for you. Thankfully, his plans have not changed: Romans 11:29, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” So, if you love him, feed his sheep – continue striving to be what he has called you to be and continue doing what he has called you to do. What a wonderful Savior we have – he wastes nothing and recycles every fault and weakness of his followers! You do not dishonor Jesus by serving him after you sin. He didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. You do honor him by exemplifying the Gospel: continually repenting of your sins and coming to Christ alone for forgiveness.
One last note on Peter: at the end of their conversation Jesus revealed to Peter that not only would he persevere in his faith, but that he would also in the end give his life for Jesus, which, according to tradition Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Savior. In response, Peter asked what was going to happen with John. Jesus didn’t answer his question but rather said to him, “follow me.” This is interesting to me. Jesus was lazer focused on his relationship with Peter, having a most intimate conversation with him, and what is Peter doing? He’s wondering about John and what is going to happen with him. Don’t be so focused on other people – what they are doing or what they think about you, or how you appear to other people. Focus on your relationship with Christ, what he thinks about you, and what he has called you to do. The path for every Christian looks different. Embrace yours.
“Father, I pray for whoever may be reading this, that they would have a deep abiding peace and relief that you have forgiven them of their sins and that you still desire to use them in special ways. Help them to see that your power and glory is easier seen through broken vessels than “whole” ones. Reinvigorate a lasting desire for the things of heaven than the things of the earth. Grant them wisdom, power, grace and faith to fully overcome and break free from their besetting sins, and to have full liberty in heart and mind as they serve you. Amen.”
Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Secondarily, it is also appropriate to recognize all servicemen & women who by mere entrance into the military have been willing to give their lives in service to our great country (especially those who have been deployed into combat situations). It is fitting to honor and bring attention to those who have given their lives in the service. There is no greater price that can be paid than to give one’s life for the benefit of others. As Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
To all of those who gave your life so that I might be free: Thank you.
To all of those who were willing to give your life as well so that I might be free: Thank you.
To all the families who have lost a loved one: Thank you.
To all of the families who had to be without a loved one for a long time, and who still struggle with the effects of war and service: Thank you.
I especially want to honor two specific people that have been close to me in my life. First, my Grandfather (Roy Robinson), who passed away last year at 100 years old. He was born and raised in Illinois and joined the U.S. Navy to serve in WW2. This was followed by a 20 year military career (retired as a Chief). He didn’t talk much about his time in the military, but I’m sure he had many close calls sailing in the pacific during a time of war. He was a very steady, kind and sacrificial man. I’m thankful for the household that he built and for his service to his country and family. May the Lord Jesus help us to live in a way that honors your service.
I also want to honor my brother in law, Steve McDonough. Steve reluctantly joined the Army in the aftermath of 9/11. He went as a result of feeling led by God to join. He was deployed twice to Afghanistan and experienced all of the horrors of war. Steve and his family have sacrificed so much in love for our country. He has borne the burden of many serious, ongoing physical health issues as a result of his service. The McDonough family is one of the sweetest families I know, who live to serve others, and most of the time under the radar without much recognition. Since retirement Steve and his family have given many years in serving military members in various ways. We love you guys and are so thankful for all that you have sacrificed in the path that you’ve walked with the Lord.
How can we honor?
Perhaps the greatest way to honor those who have died is to not abuse the freedoms they helped to secure. The Scriptures say, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Galatians 5:13-14). It is a blessing to be free. Freedom is never free, it always comes at a cost. Those before us courageously and sacrificially did their part to do what was necessary to keep evil at bay enough for us to live in peace. Of course, our nation is in many ways a sinking ship, but we still enjoy the benefits of their service in many ways. So don’t use your freedom to live selfishly with fleshly, ungodly living, but rather use it to build upon, to make your life, your family and our country better and stronger. It reminds me of a man who lived righteously and worked wisely and diligently throughout his life, in order to pass down to his children a strong inheritance. The kids can either continue the tradition to strengthen the estate and make it greater than their father, or they can squander the bounty and end up miserable and broke. We should strive to be the faithful children, who are grateful for our prosperity, and use it to engage in lifestyles that tend towards growth and prosperity. Honor God. You are free to worship God, so worship him. Love the Bible: read it, live it. Be grateful for everything. Use your freedom to work hard and to serve others in some way. Strive to live in moral purity. Goldiness tends towards more freedom, ungodliness to slavery.
Another way is to follow their example. It may not be your calling in life to join the military, but find a cause that is worth you giving your life for. The best place to look here is to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He left all to be humbled in death so that a lost, fallen world could be saved and set free. We still live in a fallen world that needs to be saved and set free. Allow the love of Christ to sink into your heart and transform you. Let God give you a love for your friends and enemies, a love that desires them to be saved. Learn of Jesus and follow in his footsteps.
To those whose hearts ache today because of the tragedy of war – May the God of heaven, the commander of the universe, give you a peace that passes all understanding. May your heart be comforted today and at rest.
And finally, may God revive our nation by His mighty mercy and grace, so that we, as a whole, can rightly see what is good and what is evil. May we have the grace to be humble, to repent of our sins; courage to confront the evil in our own hearts and then the following boldness to confront evil in our neighborhoods, our states and around the world. May this occur, so that those who do desire to defend their country will have the utmost assurance that what they are fighting for is truly justice and righteousness. May the battles of our nation truly be the battles of the Lord. “Father, make your Name, your reputation, honored and recognized in this land. May all of its people bow down in humble reverence at the feet of Jesus Christ. May your kingdom of love, peace, joy and righteousness come to this place. May this be a land that reminds all other lands of the heaven that is to come. Amen.”
Feelings of abandonment are not uncommon to Christians. Many heroes of the faith trudged through the deserts of desertion: Joseph’s unfortunes left him alone in a foreign dungeon, forgotten; David was driven into the wilderness, publicly defamed and barred from the house of God – just read the psalms; who did Job have? He struggled immensely with understanding what God was doing; and all we really need to say is…Jesus. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The one who did absolutely NO wrongdoing. There was every reason to believe that there would be continual open lines of communication between the Son and the Father; that there would always be evidence of the Father being with him in a favorable way. But, no, the Son of God himself entered into a spiritual black hole for a season – no evidence but the wrath and displeasure of the Father towards him. So if you are overwhelmed with feelings of loneliness – you’re not alone.
If you truly are a child of God then GOD HAS NOT FORSAKEN YOU!!! Here are a few reminders:
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Isaiah 49:14-16 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Psalms 37:25,28 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Deuteronomy 31:6,8 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
There is a divine purpose for the feelings of “abandonment.”
Why was Joseph undeservingly sold into slavery, falsely accused/imprisoned and forgotten by his friends? Because God had a plan to make Joseph (a Hebrew) the vizier of Egypt in order to save the world.
Why did God allow Saul to hate David with raging jealousy? Why did God allow one of his most precious worshippers to be banned from his temple? Because God wanted the book of psalms to be written and to comfort untold billions of people throughout world history; because David learned that the way up is down; So Israel would realize how great of a king they had in their midst by David continuing to be faithful to God and his country through all of it.
Why was Jesus forsaken? In short – the save the world from everlasting judgment in the lake of fire.
Why have you been abandoned by your friends or family? Why has God not healed you from this unbearable sickness? Why does it seem like the more you try to do what’s right – the more you suffer? Why does it seem like God is not speaking to you or showing up powerfully like he used to? Maybe he is positioning you to save the world? That’s why God did it in the lives of your heroes, why not you? You may not become the catalyst that saves a whole nation or a whole town, but you may be the one who will save your marriage, or your family, or your church, or your town – and you may be the one that God will use to save the world we live in.
We have the advantage of living on this side of Bible history. I believe Job was the first book of scripture written. What did he have to look to for encouragement through his suffering? He could recount how God was merciful to Adam & Eve, or how God preserved Noah through a dreadful generation. But how much more do we have?!
Knowing what God did in the past should be of great encouragement to us. God will come through, just like he did in many other lives.
Joseph may not have felt like God was with him in that dungeon, but the narrative states over and over “but God was with him.” Jesus said about David’s psalms that “the Spirit said” such and such. The point is that God was with David while he “wandered” alone.
You’re never alone.
We tend to focus on our problems and overlook our blessings. There may be an array of very deep and prolonged tragedies in your life, but are there really no blessings? Are you really without any friends? Is there really no word of promise from God for you? Are there really no deposits of God’s faithfulness in your life – special provisions? Divine encounters? Unexpected blessings?
We are fallen creatures. It’s unfortunate but true – it’s easier for us to see our problems and to see them as larger than they are, and to overlook our blessings and to minimize them when we see them. Maybe take some time today to write out all of the reasons that make you feel like you are accepted, loved and not forgotten? Write out on a piece of paper all the things that are right about your life; all the things that are in proper order. Write out as many good things that other people have done for you. I guarantee that you will run out of time or your hand will begin to hurt.
The LORD is your shepherd, comforter and friend. Like a good parent (but much more perfect), he is always there watching you. Sometimes he stands a little off or will stand around the corner and watch you struggle. He wants you to grow. He wants you to learn. Jesus “learned obedience by the things which he suffered.” He is providentially allowing difficulty with people and circumstances in order to position you in the exact place at the precise time in order to fulfill his perfect plan in and through your life.
He wants you to trust him. Babies have their mothers over their faces constantly when they are young. The baby needs to hear mommy’s voice, feel her touch and her squeeze and be fed continually. But as the baby becomes a toddler, then a older child, then a teen, their independence from mommy increases more and more. When adulthood comes, there can be a permanent detachment from mommy. There seems to be a similar parallel in our spiritual life (although not perfectly, since we always need God every moment, and will forever): the more someone matures in their knowledge and experience of God, the more likely it is that God will lead you into ways that require greater levels of faith; longer amounts of time where it seems like you’re all alone. After all that Paul did he said, “at my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me…” Why was it, that at his greatest moment of need, God allowed it to be the case that no one was there for Paul. Well, Paul then said, “…but the Lord stood with me.”
I hope something here is an encouragement to you. Be faithful. Trust God. Hope to the end. God has not changed. He knows you – through and through. He knows what you can handle. Put one foot in front of the other and trust that good will come in time. Continue to love God and others. “And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Brother Lee 