Hope Always Wins!

 

We’ve heard it sung in recent weeks, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” And, indeed, it is because at this time millions will worship.  The motivation for millions to worship at this time of year is the coming of Jesus.  For some who so rarely worship, we might think they only come for the tradition of it: that it somehow just seems the right thing to do at Christmas time.    Yet, I’d rather believe that millions will worship now because they are seeking in Jesus some cure for their fears; some reason to have hope.  For, in the coming of Jesus there is the meeting of all our hopes and all our fears.

Israel of old was a people continually moved back and forth by the extremes of either their hopes or their fears.  In times of communion with God, they reveled in great hope; yet, in times of trial, they trembled in terrible fear.

Israel was little different than people today; and hardly different than Christians today.  Many are constantly shifting between the extremes of our hopes and our fears.  We’re moving somewhere between having a “blessed assurance of hope in Christ”, and a “terrifying expectation of judgment.”  Yet, that really ought not to be; because in Christ our hopes and our fears meet.  And, in Christ, Hope Wins!  In Christ, Hope always wins!

In the book of Micah, let us see how hope wins.  Israel is again moving between the extremes of their hopes and their fears.  The prophecy of Micah is packed with glorious promises of peace (5:5); peace with God and among men where the people “walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever” (4:5). 

However, Micah is also packed with terrifying warnings of impending destruction.  Micah 3 tells of the horrible times coming against the leaders who led God’s people astray; those  “hating good and loving evil” (3:2).  It tells also of God’s rejection of those who practiced such evil deeds (3:4).  Yet, the beauty of this prophecy is that there is always the promise of redemption.  By repentance; there is the promise of redemption.  There is the promise of peace; the enduring hope of the remnant who choose to walk in the name of the Lord.

In Micah 5:1, and 2, these hopes and fears meet face to face; the fear of destruction and hope of redemption meet face to face.   Concerning Israel’s bondage under Assyria, in verse 1, Micah said, “Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; they have laid siege against us; with a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.  [Even in the crisis there is reason for hope.  They will be struck on the cheek, but that’s not a fatal blow; some will survive.] 

Then, in verse 2, “But, as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, [meaning, they’re too little to muster troops] from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.  ³ Therefore, God will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child.  ⁴ Then the [remnant] of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel.   ⁴ And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.  And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.  ⁵ This One will be our peace.

And, today, when we ponder the birth of Jesus, we may first think of where He was born, or the miraculous conception.  We may think of the selfless love which made His coming possible.  All such matters are marvelous to consider.   Yet, perhaps, the truth of His coming is better stated in the words of a song.  When we sing about Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, we sing, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in [Thee] tonight.”  It is the marvelous truth of Jesus; that in Him, the Hopes and Fears of all the years come face to face.  And the greater truth is this; as Micah said, “This One will be our peace.” 

Yet, despite Micah’s assurance, it must have seemed to Israel that peace might never come.  For, certainly, they’ve done everything they could think of to find peace.  It’s worthwhile to recall how many ways they sought peace; how many ways they tried to overcome their fears by placing their hopes in all the wrong places.   And, perhaps, we’ll see ourselves in them.

First, we know from 1^st Samuel 8, Israel sought peace by having an earthly king.  Even though it wasn’t in God’s will for them, He allowed it because they had already rejected God as king over them (8:9).  Samuel warned them of all the problems to come by an earthly king; yet the people said, “No, there shall be a king over us” 1Kings 8:19.   They insisted; and God delivered them over to their desire.   They got their way. As Israel had to learn so many times; their king was not their peace.

Then we know, Israel also sought peace by trying please many other gods.  So quickly it happened, sometimes within the span of forty days; they’d turn from God to other gods.   Somehow they were certain; they had to worship other gods to ultimately have peace.  God had said, “You shall have no other gods before Me” Exodus 20:3.  Yet, the people insisted on worshipping the “work of their own hands” (Micah 5:13).   “Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord their God and bowed down to other gods” Jeremiah 22:9, the Almighty God “set apart destroyers against” them (22:7).  They still hadn’t learned, there is no peace apart from God’s peace.   And, it’s a lesson which many Christians still need to learn.

Third, Israel sought peace by making forbidden alliances with other kings and nations.  God has specifically told them not to do so, but they presumed to know better.  While they would not completely trust in God’s protection, they would depend upon far less.  So many times “Judah had offered her incense under every green tree on every high hill” (Jer. 2:20).  The Lord charged Judah to acknowledge her idolatry, for she had transgressed against the Lord, “having scattered her favors to strangers under every green tree, and having not obeyed His voice” (Jer. 3:13).

Israel depended upon devious alliances with the wicked.  From Daniel 11, we know that by the evil kings of the North and South, alliances were made to “carry out some peaceful arrangement” 11:6.   The problem was; it’s their “peaceful arrangement,” not God’s.  Clearly, Israel was trying to meet her fears by placing her hopes in all the wrong places.  And. clearly, Micah’s words are God’s indictment against them.

So, let’s look closer at Micah’s prophecies; and let us see the need to seek peace only in the One who has come to bring peace.   Let us also see that some Christians today are like Israel.  It is at the heart of Micah’s message; “This One will be our peace.”

Now, in the first three chapters of Micah’s prophecy, he relays God’s message; their sins are so great that God’s justice demands judgment upon them.   In 2:1, Micah declares that the people lie awake at night, scheming “iniquity, [working out] evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, for it is the power of their hands.” 

But, Christians do that still today.  We may not carve out statues and bow down before them, but we do worship the things created by man’s hands – houses, cars, money and more.  The people of Israel coveted the possessions of others; scheming ways to obtain them.  Yet, even among Christians it is still a problem seeking peace through possessions rather than through Christ.  Colossians 3:5 tells us that “covetousness is idolatry.” 

Many Christians have hearty appetites for more things, but Jesus declares that is not the means to peace.  In Luke 22:15; Jesus warned that “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”  Yet, sadly, many are seeking peace through their possessions.  But, even Micah warned against our gain, saying, “This is no place of [peace]” (2:10).

In chapter 3, Micah continues the Lord’s indictment against their wickedness.  There’s the heart of the indictment in 3:2; declaring they “hate good and love evil.”  And, now their sin is lying against the truth; the sin of false prophets who lead the people astray.   These false teachers would teach anything so long as it profited them.   Micah said in 3:11ff, “Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price, and her prophets divine for money.”  And despite such evil, then the leaders say, “Calamity will not come upon us.”    And, because of their lies, Micah prophesied, “Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins (3:12).”

So, do we see the problem – they’re declaring peace where there is no peace.  In their lying, they presume to be right with God, but there will be no peace on that basis.  Yet, all is not without hope; for in chapter 4 Micah moves on to preach a message of hope.  He declares that one day there will be peace.  Despite the destruction proclaimed against the cities of Israel, from one small place, Bethlehem, there is coming the promise of hope.   However, now, the unbelieving Jews have rejected this Prince of Peace; they have rejected the True Hope for so long.  Even now they are without “This One [who came to be their] peace.”

However, the glory of Micah’s prophecy is that even now we can have peace because all the hopes and fears of our years have been met through this One named Jesus.   The promise which came in His birth is the end of all fear, and the beginning of all hope. 

We can have peace in our hearts beginning today by trusting in this Jesus as our Savior.  Romans 5: 1-2, 5 tell us that by our “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God…. And, this hope does not disappoint.” And, this is the theme of Micah’s final message, calling people to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.  And, the call is the same today; calling people to decide to trust the Lord and obey His Word.

Let each one of us know this for certain; our hopes and fears are met in Jesus if we continually trust the Him.   And, according to Micah 6, the truth of our hope has already been proven in court.  Micah 6 is like a courtroom scene.  The Lord hears and indicts the people for their unfounded complaints.   God is demanding answers; asking them in verse 3, “My people, what have I done to you, and how have I wearied you?  Answer me.  Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt and ransomed you from the house of slavery.  And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.  My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered…”   

So, let’s briefly remind ourselves of Balaam’s answer in Numbers 22; and from his answer we can know where our hope rests.  To the wicked schemes of Balak, Balaam responded in Numbers 22:18,  “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the Lord my God.”  That’s where our hope is found – in obedience to the commands of God.

Thus, we see in Micah 6, the people are troubled by God’s indictment, and in verses 6-7 they want to make it right.  Now, in the fear of judgment, they want to make up for what they have done.  They ask, “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before the God on high?  Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?  Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil?  Shall I present my firstborn for all my religious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  

Do we see the truth?  All of our gifts and sacrifices cannot atone for our sins.  God does not desire my firstborn because he has already given His firstborn.  God has given His best fruit for the sins of our souls.  All of our religion, all of our righteous acts cannot save us.  Our “hope is built on nothing less than  Jesus’ blood and [His] righteousness.”   Our hopes and fears are met in Him; the One of whom Micah declared, “This One will be our peace.”

Micah 6:9 then says a time of fear is coming.  “The voice of the Lord will call to the city – and it is sound wisdom to fear your name.  Hear, O tribe, Who has appointed its time?”     Certainly, the Lord is the One who has appointed the time of Judgment.  The message of Micah is a call to repentance.  It is the call saying that now is the time to trust and obey the Lord.  Now is the time to resolve your fears and to begin your hope in Christ Jesus.

However, some today would rather not hear this message.  Some will respond like the people of Israel.   Let’s recall how Israel reacted to Micah’s preaching?   Micah had warned them of the judgment to come, but they wanted no part of hearing about it.  In 2:6 they said, “[Stop preaching about these terrible things; such disgrace will not overtake us, for we are the Lord’s people].”

Are we any different?  Are we somehow still presuming that we know better how to find peace; that we know better how to resolve our fears?  In what have we placed our hope? Are we placing our hopes either in the present leaders of this country?  Brethren, the nation’s leaders are not the cure of our fears; and ultimately they are not the One who brings peace.  Are we placing our hopes in possessions?  Are we somehow, like Israel, vainly presuming God really will not condemn us for our sins?  Thus, they just weren’t willing to hear Micah’s message.

Ah, we see, their first and their worst mistake was to close their ears to the Lord’s message.  Brethren, if we are truly going to know peace; knowing our fears are past and our hope has begun, it is only in Him of whom Micah said, “This One will be our peace.”   For, in Christ our fears change.  We ought to no longer fear death; no longer shall we fear the condemnation to hell.  Our fears of death rightly become a respectful fear of God.  For we who are in Christ, the fear of the Father is met in our hope in the Son. Our hopes and fears are met only by responding in faith to the salvation which comes in Christ Jesus.  Trust Micah’s words, “This One, this Jesus, will bring you peace. 

The greatest gift of God is the hope we have in Jesus.   In Jesus, Hope wins; and Hope forever wins.  And, Romans 5:5 tells us, this “hope does not disappoint…”  We receive the gift by placing our trust in nothing else or no one else.  The true “hope [of every believer] is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and His righteousness.”

Let each one be convinced, “This Jesus will be our peace.”  The coming of Jesus is the cure of our fears and the cause of our hopes.   Won’t you make Him your peace; determine more completely than ever before to make Him your hope.  For, in Christ Hope always wins!

 

 

                                                             Merry Christmas
                                                                        2012

 

 

 

 

The Result of Contentment

Ask a crowd of people, “Who wants to be content?” Even if they don’t understand what contentment is, likely everyone will, in some manner, say, “I do, I do!” For most, the desire for contentment is simply the self-serving wish to have everything their hearts desire; to be made happy by possessions. Some are simply seeking the emotion of feeling satisfied; that is, for the moment, not being worried or anxious.

Perhaps, some of the people will recall Paul’s words, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” Philippians 4:11. Paul, while thanking the Philippians for their concern, assures them that God’s provision for him is sufficient. Paul is content in the sufficiency of God’s supply. The contentment is not the result of material wealth. Rather, the contentment derives from Paul’s share of God’s grace, which is the source of his supply.

Man does not handle contentment quite as well as Paul did. For when man is content, he tends to forget the source of the supply, becoming not only sufficiently satisfied, but arrogant in the assumption of self-sufficiency. The problem is, man’s presumed self-sufficiency results in self-centeredness, being content only because his selfish needs were met. However, Paul’s awareness of sufficiency being a gift of God’s grace resulted in service to others.

Paul twice speaks of contentment in 2nd Corinthians; once concerning the giving of the Corinthian brethren, the other in finding contentment in his own suffering. From these, we learn that there ought to be an outward intention resulting from the sufficiency of God’s supply, which proves God’s gracious provision is sufficient for all. There is, in the original language, the implication that sufficiency is more than what is needed for one’s self, but is enough to meet the needs of others.

To those whom God’s grace has supplied the financial means to give, Paul wrote, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” II Corinthians 9:8. The sufficiency being more than for Paul alone is evident through the emphatic language. God is able to make all, always, all, everything and all grace sufficient for good deeds.

God’s ultimate intention for His sufficiency to the Corinthians was not for their contentment, but for them to pursue every good work to others. “For he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will multiply your seed for sowing and increase your harvest of righteousness… [through] the liberality of your contribution to them and to all” II Corinthians 9: 10,13.

Concerning Paul’s persistent thorn in the flesh, God said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you [to be content,] for power is perfected in weakness. Therefore [Paul was] well content with weaknesses” II Corinthians 12: 9f. By Paul’s contentment the power of God would dwell within him, enabling him to proclaim the gospel. Thus, Paul’s contentment in weakness resulted in strength to serve others.

Paul understood the purpose for and the results of contentment. If we desire real contentment, we must also understand its purpose and intended result. God did not intend contentment for selfish ends, but for selfless service. The fruit of contentment is not self-satisfaction, but is service in every good deed, causing others to find contentment in the sufficiency of God’s grace. Thus, the realization of one’s contentment is not the cause for ease, but ought to be the cause for action.

Is "Truly, Truly, True of Me?

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Did you ever wonder about Jesus’ repeated use of the phrase, “I tell you the truth?” Why would Jesus, who in Himself is the very embodiment of Truth, have validated His words with, “I tell you the truth?” Similarly, yet still more intriguing, is Jesus’ often repeated use of the phrase, “Truly, truly, I say to you.” Superficially, the similar phrases would appear to be inter-changeable. Various translations use the phrases interchangeably, but in doing so they dilute and obscure the message.

The words for truth, true or also truly, when used to describe words spoken, derive from alatheia. It means that the words spoken are facts. But, when Jesus speaks the words, truly, truly, it is a different word, aman. Aman means the words which Jesus spoke are not only true words from Him or about Him, but that the message is incarnate and verified within His physical being.

Aman is also the word by which we close our prayers, Amen. We understand Amen as an affirmation of the words prayed and to express the desire for the prayer to be affirmed by God. Thus, Amen has come to mean so be it.

Aman, aman, when spoken by Jesus is also translated as “Verily, verily, I say to you.” Such could be stated as, I who Myself am the Amen, tell you the truth which is verified in Me. It is true because the words are inseparable from Him, and Jesus is speaking the so be it of Himself.

When The Old Covenant was renewed, prior to the people of Israel entering the Promised Land, Aman was the word spoken as the peoples’ response to the Laws. For example, The Levites recited to the all the people, “’Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.’ Then shall the people say, ‘Aman’” Deuteronomy 27:26. By the peoples’ aman they are vowing that the law will be the so be it of their lives. Similarly, any vow or covenant we make with God is made with the will to so be it. The vow must not be left unfulfilled, but must be accomplished and proven so through the evidence of our lives.

When we proclaim that the words of Jesus are true, it is a statement of theology. When Jesus verifies Truth within His own body and actions, it is a statement of autobiography. The words are True because they are verified in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Truly, truly (aman) is the truth (alatheia) in Jesus Himself.

Truly, truly is true of Jesus. Because we are called to be imitators of Christ, truly, truly should be true of us. Therefore, each Christian ought to ask:

“Is the vow I have made to follow Christ a theological claim, or my biographical reality?

Is my obedience a response to a theological mandate, or is it the fruit of my submissive will?

When I repented, was it a required theological step, or has my life verified my death to sin?

Have the commitments I have made to God been verified as the so be it of my life?

When I in the Last Day, say, “Lord, Lord…,” will the Lord find proof of it in my life’s story?

Is my life truly, truly the biography of a Christian? Is ‘Truly, Truly,’ True of Me?”

"No, Not One"

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“There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one! There’s not an hour that He is not near us, No, not one! No, not one!” When we sing the words, do we truly remember what a unique friend He is? From the writings of John, we know there is truly no friend like Him – not one!

No other friend - "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man” John 3:13.

No other friend – no one can, or so generously will, give “living water” to the outcast sinner who only says, “Give me a drink” John 4:13.

No other friend – no one will continue “to accomplish His work,” even when “no one brought Him anything to eat” John 4:33-34.

No other friend – no one endures, when “not even His own brothers believed in Him;” while mocking Him by saying, “No one does anything in secret when He seeks himself to known…to the world” John 7:4-5.

No other friend – no one stands by you when there is “much complaining…concerning Him” and when “no one [is] speaking openly for Him” John 7:12-13.

No other friend – no one will hold His own as tightly as cherished gifts, promising that “no one will snatch them out of My hand” John 10:28.

No other friend – no one can truly say, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” John 14:6.

No other friend – no one will love you more, for "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13.

No other friend – no one can truly say, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and then assure that you will see the Father because He “will raise [you] up on the last day” John 6:44.

No other friend – no one is always near when you need Him, preserving your place in Heaven by promising, “I am coming quickly… so that no one will take your crown” Revelation 3:11.

Now, when we sing the song No, Not One, we may remember why Jesus is truly a friend like no other. He is the only friend who heals all our soul’s diseases; the only friend whose love, even in the darkest hours, can always cheer us. Indeed, “Jesus knows all about our struggles; He will guide till the day is done. There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus. No, not one! No, not one!”

- Paul Myers

Why Did Christ Die?

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Why did Christ die? To those who belong to Christ, the answers seem obvious? Christ died to redeem sinners, reconciling them to God. Christ died that we may have life more abundantly. Christ died so we may have the hope of an eternal home in Heaven. Surely, Christ died for these reasons, but what is the overarching reason for Christ to die?

Prior to leaving the splendor of Heaven, Christ said to His Father, “I delight to do Your will, O my God; yea, Your law is within my heart” (Ps.40:8; Heb.10:7). The cord woven through every work of Christ is His commitment to fulfill His Father’s will. The food which sustained Christ was His Father’s will. “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work” (John 4:34).

It was Christ’s commitment to His Father’s will which led Him to die. “I seek not mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me” (John 5:30). Jesus reiterated this conviction, saying, “I come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).

Every deed, every word, every intent of Jesus’ heart was to do the will of the Father. Likewise, we should be compelled to pattern our deeds, our words, and our wills after Christ, for just as we sing, “He the great example is and pattern for me.”

Sweet are the promises, kind is the word;
Dearer far than any message man ever heard;
Pure was the mind of Christ, sinless I see’
He the great example is and pattern for me.

As we strive to be imitators of Christ, we ought to imitate His mindset of having His Father’s will as His highest priority. May we follow the pattern of Christ, purposing our lives as Christ purposed His own.

Certainly, it was an incomprehensible burden when Christ completed the will of His Father by bearing our sins at Calvary. Recall the night before when Christ prayed in the garden, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, yet not as I will, but as You will” (Mt 26:39).

Do we see the pattern? No matter the trial, no matter the sacrifice, Jesus sought only to do His Father’s will. In so doing we, indeed, can have redemption; we can be reconciled to God. We have, through Christ’s selfless submission to the Father’s will, the hope of Heaven. May we, in similar selfless submission, pattern our lives after Christ. And, may we also say like Christ, “I delight to do Thy will.”

God ALWAYS Makes a Way!

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“I know the Lord will find a way for me.
I know the Lord will find a way for me.
If I walk in Heaven’s light, shun the wrong and do the right,
I know the Lord will find a way for me.”

Essentially, the Bible message is that God made a way for man to ultimately return to the beautiful and blissful state of the Garden. God yearns to walk again, side by side, with His children. For, just as Adam and Eve could walk and talk with God, and see Him face to face, He yearns for the same close kinship with each one of us.

For Christians, the message of the Bible is rightly summarized by the first line and the last line of this song, “I know the Lord will find a way for me,” and, “Won’t it be grand to hear Him say, “Well done.” That, indeed, is the message of assurance in this song and throughout God’s word, “The Lord will find a way for us.” And, if we choose to walk in the way, we will hear Him say, “Well done!”

God has always made a way for those who choose to “shun the wrong and do the right.” From the beginning, Noah and his family shunned the wrong and did the right, and God made a way for them to escape the flood’s destruction.

Then God, by a series of terrible plagues, made a way for the people of Israel to be released from Egyptian bondage. And, God, by parting the Red Sea, made a way for his people to escape the Egyptian army.

Then God, by calling Moses to the top of the mountain, made a way to communicate His Law to His people. And, God, through that Law, made a way for His people to be forgiven of their sins.

So plainly throughout the Old Testament, we can see it. God ALWAYS makes a way! And, so plainly throughout the New Testament, we also can see it. God ALWAYS makes a way!

In the early chapters of the book of Acts, we see the proofs of God’s Power. We see that God overcame every challenge which rose up against His plan. We see that God always made a way for His apostles and disciples to accomplish His plan.

From the beginning, while the church was yet very young, oppositions arose and God overcame every challenge. In fact, even before the church had taken her first step, mockers were scoffing at the apostles’ Spirit-given ability to speak in tongues, saying in Acts 2:13, “They are full of sweet wine.” But, God, through the power of Peter’s preaching, made a way to overcome the mockers’ foolish scoffing. God made a way!

Then, when the church had barely taken her first steps, still full of amazement at all which they had seen and heard, opposition arose again. Peter and John were arrested, thrown in jail and threatened against speaking any more about this Jesus. Then God made a way for the apostles’ release “because [the people] were all glorifying God for what had happened” Acts 4:21. God made a way!

But, the challenges were not over, for then problems arose from within the church. The church had barely learned to walk and her own have conceived wickedness. Ananias and Sapphira, each with the full knowledge of the other, conspired to deceive in order to “keep back some of the price” of the land” which they had sold. The Lord struck both of them dead, and thereby, made a way for the church to continue to grow. Again, God always made a way!

So very early in the life of the church, God has proven his power to overcome every challenge. So very early, those in the Jerusalem church, those who would shun the wrong and do the right, can see that God always makes a way!

God has made the way for the lost to come to salvation. God has purposed that it is through the teaching and example of His children that the lost will be shown The Way. We know that Jesus is The Only Way and we must each be willing to do our part to help the lost see Him.

Our willingness to help the lost see Jesus depends upon us acting upon the belief, that the God will ALWAYS make a way for us to reach the lost. Doing so is proof to the Lord that we believe He still has the power to overcome every opposition which rises up against His church. Doing so is proof that we want to again be with God in a beautiful and blissful new Garden. And, doing so is the reason that we can sing:

“Won’t it be grand to hear Him say, “Well done.”
Won’t it be grand to hear him say, “Well done.”
If I walk in Heaven’s Light; shun the wrong and do the right,
Won’t it be grand to hear Him say, “Well done.”

Are You Going Anywhere?

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Two precious, four year-old girls were sitting up in their beds, still talking long past bedtime. Grammie went in to settle them down for the night. In the dim light from the hallway, the eyes of one still twinkled, but with uncertainty. Her only words were, “Are you going anywhere, Grammie?”

Change had shaken their security. Daddy had recently gone away to war in Iraq. Mommy was gone, having the chance to see him once more before his going overseas. They were as safe as could be with Grammie. But, safety does not equal security, especially in the dark when Daddy is gone and you are only four.

Grammie reassured the girls that she was not going anywhere; promising to be right in the next room. Freshly tucked in, they went right to sleep. All they needed to settle their restless insecurity was the promise that they would not be left alone.

Somewhere along the way, childhood fears subside; or, we don’t express them so plainly. Somehow we become secure in our own care and safety. Then, as God’s children who are not dependent upon Him as we should be, God is asking His children, “Are you going anywhere?”

Though God “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us” 1 Peter 1:3, we are prone to choose our own lives and define godliness on our terms.

Though God “has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” 1 Peter 1:4, we are prone to leave at least one foot in the world’s corruption.

Though God has made “the prophetic word more sure…[like] a lamp shining in a dark place” 1 Peter 1:19, by our self-secure ways, we are prone to close our eyes to the Lamp’s light.

Having the assurance of safety, security and light through the knowledge of God and the sacrifice of His Son, somehow we are still prone to return to darkness and insecurity. It is as if we do not care if our Heavenly Father has gone anywhere. And, in the darkness, we forget that He did not leave us, but it is us who left Him. We forget to consider, “Are we going anywhere, and where are we going?” Then the trouble begins.

Through forgetfulness, we are prone to follow “destructive heresies…denying the Master…maligning the way of truth…and [commit ourselves] to the pits of destruction, reserved for judgment” 2 Peter 2:1-4.

Through forgetfulness, we are prone to be “like unreasoning animals…reviling where [we] have no knowledge…forsaking the right way...[and loving] the wages of unrighteousness” 2 Peter 2:12-15.

Through forgetfulness, we are prone to again be entangled in “the defilements of the world…and [when] overcome, the last state will be worse for [us] than the first, for it would have been better for [us] not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the righteous commandment given [us]” 2 Peter 2:20-21.

However, amid Peter’s descriptions of those who have returned to their previous state of wallowing like hogs in the mire of sin, there is also this assurance of escaping the darkness. Even while one is enslaved to corruption, there is a means of freedom to any who want to escape; 2 Peter 2:18-19. Amid this world’s temptations there is escape, just as there was for Lot. “God rescued righteous Lot…for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among [the wicked] felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation” 2 Peter 2:7-9.

Because Lot considered the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked, he could rightly answer the question of which way to go. In the darkness of sin around him, Lot was assured that God had not gone anywhere. Lot was reassured that God was with him; that there was both safety and security in the way of the Lord. Lot knew how to answer the question, “Are you going anywhere?” By Lot’s actions we know his answer; “God, I’m going with you.”

At four years of age, or at any age, our security can be shaken by change. For those who depend upon the Lord, though we may in dark times wonder, we really do not have to ask, “Are you going anywhere, Lord?” With God’s comfort, seemingly as near as the reassuring words of a Grammie, we can know that God is not going anywhere.