Tag: faith

Allgemein, Reflection on the Word

God‘s wisdom – my comfort

Bibs

If you have ever read the book of Job, I wonder what stuck with you.
Maybe it’s the manner in which Job deals with immense, sudden grief, or how his friends attempt to offer reason and wisdom – or maybe, how all of it seems to be happening on the backdrop of a curious scene that takes place in heaven between Satan (the accuser) and God.

I’ve often wondered what I am supposed to get out of this book from the Old Testament. Especially the finally appearance of God and his challenging Job has always left me puzzled: Is God reprimanding Job? Is this simply putting Job in his place? And what does that mean for me?
You may gather that for years the end of the book of Job left me with a slightly daunting picture a God whose response felt less like comfort and more like intimidation.  
As it is, I found myself once again reading through Job’s lament and his friends’ frustrations and seemingly incomplete wisdom. This time, however, I decided to see wether some background knowledge might help me gain a better understanding of the story.

The Bible Project has this short videos on the different books of the Bible, and they have often helped me place the things I was reading into a broader context – historical, cultural, and even in terms of traditions of translations. They also offer videos on specific themes, characters, words, and concepts found throughout Scripture.
Regarding the book of Job, they have two main video clips: one that explores the book itself – its central ideas and structure – and another that places the book of job in conversation with the other two other books of „wisdom“, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
I will share the former with you, as it opened my eyes to the question I had been missing: Is God just?

Suddenly, my own efforts to discern God’s justice and His ways become liberatingly foolish. The final scene, in which God takes the stage and confronts Job with the intricacy of His creation, evoked a very different emotion than it had before. Like Job, all I could find within myself was a sense of deep humility and awe. There is no way I can even begin to fathom all that God perceives, knows and orchestrates every moment of every day. And while knowledge has always seemed to offer me comfort or sense of security, the sudden revelation of my profound lack of understanding came with a deep peace.
A liberation from the need to reason and figure out why and how things come about – what may be and what may not. A joyful lifting of hands in surrender, deeply content in the realization that I indeed lack the means to pass any judgment on the happenings around me, and instead reflecting on how awesome and almighty my God is.

My God how marvelous are your ways.
We are in awe with your works, your intricate design
Knowing that we only have a glimps of the vastness of all you made.
May we rest in your wisdom, rest in your almighty power
And contend ourselves in looking to you.
Where our reason ends, freedom begins.
I may never know, never understand but this I trust,
You know, you are involved and you are sovereign forever.
You love me and consider me.
So, let me lie down and remember in all of life’s trials – you are God.
Thank you.

Allgemein, Reflection on Faith

Reflections on the heart of Christianity

Bibs

“At the heart of the Christian message is God Himself waiting for His redeemed children to push into conscious awareness of His Presence.” – A. W. Tozer

A thought-provoking book I’d like to recommend: A. W. Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God”. What is more, it’s the reason I am sitting here, sipping some ginger tea on a rainy Sunday, desperate to share some thoughts.

Tozer devotes his words to remind the fellow believer about the core of the Christian faith and to reprimand the heart that has lost its fire. A heart that has become content with ‘right opinions’ (doctrine) and void of an intimate and personal experience:

“tasting of the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts” – A. W. Tozer

It is a book devoted to the panting Spirit that longs to push through the ‘veil’ and find there God Himself. Seeking Him for no other reason than to enjoy His Presence.

I read his words with a mix of deep yearning and conviction. Desperate to see and taste the Presence of God and simultaneously convicted of the many times I have missed His heart, having pursued the gifts rather than the giver. Habitually bringing God a list of my needs during my times of prayer, rather than consciously entering into the ‘holy of holies’ eager to find Him. Trying to get some direction or ‘right opinion’ from His word, while neglecting to cherish His word as a revelation of Himself.
Allowing the business and distractions of life to take precedent and missing out on the restoring and refreshing communion with God.

“The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.” – A. W. Tozer

I know I am not alone in this. It’s a heart issue that has manifested itself in many ways – some less subtle than others.

There is a term I have come across just a few weeks ago called “moralistic therapeutic deism”. It’s a term that was introduced in 2005 in a book titled “Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers”.1 In short, it is a prevalent believe that has reduced God to some mix of therapist, moral teacher and personal butler with the goal of being happy and living a moral life in order to get into heaven.

In contrast stands the Gospel as found in scripture:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” – John 3:16

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3

Or as the Westminster short Catechism states:

Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Oh what bliss, to approach God as a redeemed child ready to enjoy His very self.

Where are those with burning hearts for God Himself?
Where are those children of God that can testify to His Goodness and Majesty manifested in their lives and make others hungry for more?
And what kind of Gospel are we sharing with others?

I pray that we may return to our first love, to the pursuit of God Himself.
To the place were His love may compel us to enter into His presence with confidence and assurance. That we, as children, may enjoy Him and He may again be our truest treasure and delight.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
[…]
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

Hymn: Be thou my vision

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moralistic_therapeutic_deism ↩︎
Allgemein

The straight, narrow, and… hard

Bibs

Every once and while there will be a verse I stumble over during a morning devotional only to have it show up again during the day or week in some other shape or form.
Sometimes it will be something encouraging, sometimes an answer or clarification, and sometimes a nagging feeling.

The latter of which leads me to my blog. Mostly I write here to share some neat insight I had and because I hope to encourage others. This time, however, I write wondering if others out there find themselves asking similar questions and wrestling with Jesus’ statements as I am.  

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:13-14

Quick context: These verses are part of the famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus starts his sermon with the “Beatitudes”, a set of spiritual attributes he calls blessed and that lay the groundwork for the outward expressions which he teaches about later. Near the end of his sermon is where we find these verses, nicely fitted in between the Golden Rule (do to others as you’d have them do to you) and the fruit that reveals a good or bad tree.

Every time I come back to Jesus’ sermon on the mount I find something convicting or challenging.
This time, however, instead of an area of life that I feel needs adjustment or repentance, these verses pierced a bit closer to the core.

  • Am I walking the narrow way? Is it hard?
  • Have I chosen an easier compromise?
  • Only a fewfind it? Why only a few? And am I one of those?

Yes, Jesus offers grace, peace, rest and victory. Absolutely!
But, he also mentions over and over again the hardships, the cross, the persecution, and the challenges a follower will face. Now, life has its general ups and downs but the hardships Jesus mentioned here are the result of following him. So while those naturally-occurring “downs” certainly seem to be part of a faith-building process, my question is this:

  • Am I experiencing hardships due to my following after him?
    Am I following hard after him if I find myself facing little to no opposition?
  • Has it cost me anything to follow him? (Luke 14:27-28)
    Am I walking the straight and narrow path, or how much have I become a friend of this world (James 4:4)?

Jesus is clear that anyone who will follow him will be as light in darkness (Matthew 5:14). In other words, they will unquestionably stand out.
The persecution and hardships come, because people hate light. As Jesus said:

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” – John 3:19

The prophets, Jesus himself, and his desciples all endured hardship because their life irritated others. A reightous life will irritate those who walk in sin.
I know this to be true, remembering a time in my life when a friend’s “light” was incredibly irritating to me. And it wasn’t that my friend pointed out my sin to me or anything like that, rather their righteous way of living was so convicting it was truly irritating. However, once I had dealt with my sin, repented and turned back to God, and no longer was stuck in a defense mode, I found her light to be a delightful blessing.

So, how bright is my light?

What about you?

Ps. I mentioned in the beginning that the verses showed up again in another shape or form. In my case it was the movie “The Pilgrim’s Progress”. A low budget production, that still managed  to provoke a lot of reflection and reverence for the price of following after Christ.

Allgemein, Reflection on the Word

Imago dei

Bibs

Trusting God to take this writing and do his work, I will allow myself to jot down some thoughts in obedience and leave them in their imperfect form in my blog.
Inspired by the very concept I’d like to share with you today.

I got a fresh perspective on my Christian walk a couple weeks ago through a Bible study I had been working through. As a part of the homework, I was asked to reflect on the idea of our calling to be image bearers of God – imago dei.1 I will give you some passages and thoughts from the study later but let me first explain: This certainly was not the first time I had read the words “image bearer” in scripture, nor was it the first time I had heard in a sermon that we are called to represent God in this world. Yet something about the message hit me different this time around.
You know those passages in scripture that you’ve read more than once and still there is a unique moment in which one of those passages suddenly becomes alive like it never did before? A precious and intimate “aha” moment with God.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:26-27

God chose to create us to bear his image, be his ambassadors, his children.
Contrast that to pagan religions where people crafted images of their gods out of wood, clay, or precious metals. They believed that their gods would then reside in these idols.
Not our God. He himself fashioned images of himself by creating us. Living, breathing image bearers that carry in them the Spirit of God.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;” – 1. Corinthians 6:19

Let that sit.

So, what does it mean to bear God’s image in this world?
Well firstly, an image will let you get a glimpse of the original. Now here’s were the challenge comes in: Do people experience and see the almighty, loving God through you?
This question humbles me and reminds me of my many shortcomings and dependance on Jesus to shine through me.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” – 2. Corinthians 4:7

Having this hope that we may still bear his image amidst our failings, we cease to desire attention ourselves. Instead, we delight to see people turn their gaze to our heavenly Father in response to our obedience and conduct.
Perfectly loved, redeemed, and desired I may be, but this life is not about me. A daily battle against my selfish inclination.

From spiritual to practical. There is also an aspect of responsibility that clearly transpires from the passage in Genesis. God created us to be co-laborers with him.
Oh, how many times have I fallen into believing that I need to somehow work for God – leaving me frustrated and drained.
Instead, Jesus clearly showed us what it means to join the Father’s work:

“So Jesus replied, ‘Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.’” – John 5:19

Are you grasping how dependent we are on God?
Which brings me to another aspect – Jesus. God himself through His Son not only showed us what it truly means to be an image bearer but has made a way for us to actually step into that calling.
And what happens when we set our minds on bearing His image? In our dependance, we find Him: the one who knows us, created us, and in whose presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3

The Westminster catechism puts it like this:

“What is man’s chief end?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.”

We strive to give Him glory in all we do, whether writing a blog or meeting with friends. Setting our minds on Christ, we rejoice in the love He has shown us and the fellowship we can experience with Him.

I pray that His word may lead us into more knowledge of Him and His desire for us. That we may step into the life for which He died for us to have, and enjoy Him here on earth and then forever more.

Amen.

  1. https://youtu.be/eW7qqn8D4pE?si=atGPZkBSplTL5dJl ↩︎
Reflection on Faith

A little faith

Bibs

Walking on water with Jesus – Gospel of Matthew

There is so much that could be said on the topic of faith. Without it we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6) and with it we can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). It is a word that is mentioned in the NIV bible translation 236 times (the word “believe” is mentioned 148 times). And more profoundly it is the very essence, along with God’s grace, that makes up His gift of salvation:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9

By grace and through faith… what a profound statement. Yet I have spent the last 10 years of my Christian life not fully grasping the true meaning of the words grace and faith. This doesn’t mean that I wasn’t believing in God or that I was discarding His grace. It means, that I understood “faith” to be my mind’s conviction that God was real (synonymous with believing), and “grace” to be “receiving what I do not deserve”. These notions I held for the past 10 years may not be “wrong” as in contrary to God’s truth, rather they are like pieces of an incomplete puzzle. While I certainly don‘t dare to claim that I have a comprehensive picture now, I still would love to share a beautiful glimpse of the truth I found in His word concerning “faith” – another piece to the puzzle.[1]

 “The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing, but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One. While he looks at Christ the very things, he has so long been trying to do will be getting done within him. It will be God working in him to will and to do.” – The Pursuit of God (A. W. Tozer)

In his book “The Pursuit of God” A. W. Tozer expands on the nature of faith as he encourages us to fix our gaze on Jesus Christ. When I read this, multiple stories in God’s word, which display faith as an act of looking to Christ, sprang to mind.
The one I would like to share with you is the famous story of Peter’s walk on water.

The scene is set with Jesus’ disciples out on the lake at night, with waves buffeting their boat. Jesus had sent them ahead so that he could be alone in prayer back at the mountainside. Now instead of meeting them at the other side of the lake, Jesus makes an amazing entrance by walking out on the water towards them. The disciples, terrified of his appearance on the lake, struggled to believe that it was Jesus walking on water. And this is where a beautiful picture of faith unravels with Peter’s request:

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” – Matthew 14:28-29

How amazing this moment must have been for Peter! His feet hit the water, yet did not sink in – he found himself doing the impossible. Do we read of Peter hesitating or asking the others, if this was a good idea? No. He heard Jesus‘ command and went right out walking on water towards his Lord. I find that this passage already shows fundamental aspects of faith:

  • Faith and knowing God: Peter stepped out of the boat because Jesus called him. He knew Jesus and trusted him. Faith is born out of our trust and knowledge of God and Christ Jesus. The writer of the book of Hebrews emphasizes this by declaring:
    “Looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2
  • Faith and obedience: Peter did not hesitate to obey Jesus’ command. Our faith is displayed by our obedience, or, put another way, our obedience to God’s commands is evidence of our faith. It is faith that enables us to obey. We see this also with Abraham:
    “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” – Hebrews 11:8
    The importance of our obedience, acting on faith, is further emphasised in the book of James:
    “But some will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” – James 2:18
  • Faith comes from Christ: it’s Jesus’ call to Peter that opens the door to faith in action. We read about Jesus as “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). And that it is from Christ and through what He speaks that we receive faith – just as Peter did:
    “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” – Romans 10:17

We may conclude that faith, the way we see it in the story of Peter walking on water, is born out of Christ, through his words, and displayed in our obedience. Yet there is another aspect I would like to share with you, it is found in the latter part of the walk-on-water experience.

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” – Matthew14:30-31

What just happened? One moment Peter was walking on water and the next he finds himself sinking and in need of rescue. Jesus challenges Peter: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”.

When did his faith shrink? The moment he looked at his situation – “but when he saw the wind, he was afraid”.

Fear and doubt, they creep in when we shift our focus to the situation we find ourselves in. The wind and waves were there when Peter first stepped out onto the water, but his focus and gaze was on Christ. He didn’t step out of the boat trusting that he, Peter, could walk on water, no. He saw Jesus stand on the waves, and heard Jesus call him, and had faith in Him.

It comes back to what A. W. Tozer points out in his book. It is in the very act of looking to Christ, His ability, His power and His words, that faith finds it‘s source, and all things become possible. I have often found myself, like Peter, in a place where my initial faith faded when I began to look and consider the situation I was in. It is not enough to step out of the boat in faith. We need to keep our gaze on Christ, and trust that it is because He is able, that we will walk and not sink.

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

Maybe we need to start closing our eyes to the situations we are in and decide to believe the words spoken through Christ. For what we see – the waves and winds – they don’t determine if we can walk on water or not. Jesus shows us that when we look to Him, believe his words and obey – there is no storm that can speak louder than His truth.

May these thoughts inspire you to dig deeper into God’s word; find the truth of the situation you may find yourself in; redirect your gaze to Jesus Christ and all He is. All your doubts and fears, they diminish in the light of Him. May you grow in knowledge and insight of His truth, through His Holy Spirit.

[1] «Grace» I will surely write about in another blog – as there is much to say about it as well.