I was reading an article in the Belleville New Democrat, Saturday, October 23, 2010. It was entitled "More and more young people are leaving religion." It had some interesting things to say. It really wasn't a surprise to me. Young people leave religion regularly. The article was trying to make the case that in recent years, more young people (defined as twentysomethings) have left organized religion than in years gone by (stating that it is roughly four times higher). These are not people who have become atheists but are people who are still religious but don't like organized religion.
The reason - organized religion has become synonymous with conservative political parties and agendas. I guess I can see this. There are many religious groups that have become very political and as such, have driven some from the church with their agenda. But the whole thing begins to make me uncomfortable. Why? Because I can see this as yet another excuse to say "I believe in God but don't believe in religion." This statement is so overused it is ridiculous. We can get into the whole thought that if you believe in God, would you not want to follow what He says? The answer is generally, "According to who?" And we head down the road towards making God's Word relative to each person, open to what you want it to say and to follow only what you want. This is usually followed by trying to justify some sinful behavior that God has already condemned. Excuse me, I have digressed from where I was really heading.
There was a paragraph almost at the end that read, "More likely is that as growing numbers of young Americans reject religious doctrine that is too political or intolerant for their taste, innovative religious leaders will concoct more palatable offerings. Jesus taught his disciples to be 'fishers of me,' and the pool of un-churched moderate and progressive young people must be an attractive target for religious anglers." (BND Oct. 23, 2010 p. A5)
This set my teeth on edge. The writer is probably correct in his assessment of the way that churches will try to reach these young Americans. They will sell their soul to the god of modern thought (or postmodern if you like) and will give up the true teachings of the Lord for the ways of the world. The argument will be that they are just doing what they can to reach these young people. But can you give up the Word of God for the "good of the people" and still give the people something good? Can you "soften" sin in order to make people comfortable? In doing so, have you not said to God, "I don't think you quite have it correct. In order to reach these people with the message of the Gospel, I will need to change what you say about sin, life and salvation." That, my friends, is a terrible thing to have happen.
But it doesn't surprise me. We are told of this in Scripture. "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV) Turning away from sound teaching - it is happening when we don't want to tolerate those who bring the teaching of the Law to bear on our societal situation. Pastors are tempted to give away some of the teachings of the Word in order to fill the pews. When all is said and done, does the church that is built on the thinking that we need to change the message of Law & Gospel in order to suit people's tastes have anything to stand on? Is it not building on sand? Will it not collapse - if not at this time then at the time of the coming of Jesus on the Last Day?
We need to continue to build on the Rock. We need to focus on God and His Word. The church is not meant to be political. I agree with many who say that many churches have become to political. The church is not meant to be running the government any more than the government is meant to run the church. (This is why I refuse to put out "voter's guides" and the like. If you want to know who to vote for, do your own research. You will not find me or St. Paul's Lutheran telling you who to vote for.) But the church is meant to bring the Word of God into the lives of people. If they are sinning, it needs to be addressed. That often means that the church is not going to be PC (politically correct) in what it says. But we do not fear that. Instead we understand that we must follow God rather than man.
Will people continue to leave the church? Unfortunately, yes. Even if the church changes its message and "softens" sin, people will continue to leave the church. They will only stay if they know that what they are hearing week after week is the true, full Word of God and not some watered down teaching that changes with the whims of people.
"As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Hope in the Lord
There are so many things that I think about blogging about, then I get caught up in the day and don't get around to them. Most of the time they come from my morning Scripture readings and I don't want to stop reading to blog. That means that they pass quickly into another realm - and not the cyber realm.
I was in Psalm 42 and read, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?" (Ps. 42:5a, 11a ESV) When I read this, I thought about how we are so often in our lives. Something happens and we become upset. We don't like the way things are going. We feel that it is unfair, etc. We struggle with our lives. We face illness. We face financial difficulties. We face family problems. The list of things that cause one to be in turmoil or "down in the dumps" is as varied as there are people. And it changes from day to day.
And I wonder, why do we become "cast down" and "in turmoil"? Is it because our lives really stink? Are our lives really that bad? I can hear the resounding "YES!" coming from those who are going through those times. I won't "diss" you on that. But let me also ask you, "Where does your hope lie? Where were you when these things happened? What was the condition of your relationship with the Lord?"
The Psalm goes on, "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." (Ps. 42:5b, 11b ESV) Too often, our hope is in ourselves or someone or something. We look at our lives and focus on "me". We lose sight of God and His guidance and strength for our lives. We are so caught up in ourselves that we don't go to the one place that gives strength - the Lord.
I know that even when we hope in God, our lives can still stink. There will still be pain and suffering. Spouses will still argue, say heated things, perhaps even act in ways that lead to divorce. Children will still refuse to listen to their parents and think that their parents are stupid and have no idea what it is like to be their age. Workers will think that bosses are idiots and bosses will think that workers are lazy, no good bums who are only wanting to rip off the company. Sickness will still land a person in the hospital. Pain will drive people to more powerful medication. Anger will still lead people to act and say things they shouldn't. Basically, sin will still be in our midst, no matter what takes place.
BUT...where is your hope? Too often, we turn from the Lord in times of turmoil. Satan uses them to tempt us to doubt the way of the Lord. Hope in the Lord. Hope in the One who has gone through the pain that you are going through, who has gone through the loss that you are facing, who has been rejected by people just as you are being rejected by that one special person. Hope in the Lord. Trust in Him. Doubt that you can? Before you turn away, take His hands in yours and examine the scars you find there. Those scars are from nails. They are from when He hung on a cross, completely rejected by friends, family and followers. Those are from a time when the eternal Father turned His face from His Son and looked the other way while He suffered and died. He knows. He feels. He has been there.
And He overcame - for you! FOR YOU! He overcame all the turmoil of this world. He has overcome all that you are facing. He is victorious. He is living. He is saying to you, "Come to Me. Hope in Me. Trust in Me. I will carry you through." Will it still hurt? Yes. Will it overwhelm? Only if you try to do it alone. Hope in the Lord and He will carry you and your burden. Will you make it through? Yes. Better yet, let me say a resounding, "YES!"
Remember these words, "My soul is cast down within me, therefore I remember you." (Ps. 42:6 ESV) The Lord hasn't forgotten you!
I was in Psalm 42 and read, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?" (Ps. 42:5a, 11a ESV) When I read this, I thought about how we are so often in our lives. Something happens and we become upset. We don't like the way things are going. We feel that it is unfair, etc. We struggle with our lives. We face illness. We face financial difficulties. We face family problems. The list of things that cause one to be in turmoil or "down in the dumps" is as varied as there are people. And it changes from day to day.
And I wonder, why do we become "cast down" and "in turmoil"? Is it because our lives really stink? Are our lives really that bad? I can hear the resounding "YES!" coming from those who are going through those times. I won't "diss" you on that. But let me also ask you, "Where does your hope lie? Where were you when these things happened? What was the condition of your relationship with the Lord?"
The Psalm goes on, "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." (Ps. 42:5b, 11b ESV) Too often, our hope is in ourselves or someone or something. We look at our lives and focus on "me". We lose sight of God and His guidance and strength for our lives. We are so caught up in ourselves that we don't go to the one place that gives strength - the Lord.
I know that even when we hope in God, our lives can still stink. There will still be pain and suffering. Spouses will still argue, say heated things, perhaps even act in ways that lead to divorce. Children will still refuse to listen to their parents and think that their parents are stupid and have no idea what it is like to be their age. Workers will think that bosses are idiots and bosses will think that workers are lazy, no good bums who are only wanting to rip off the company. Sickness will still land a person in the hospital. Pain will drive people to more powerful medication. Anger will still lead people to act and say things they shouldn't. Basically, sin will still be in our midst, no matter what takes place.
BUT...where is your hope? Too often, we turn from the Lord in times of turmoil. Satan uses them to tempt us to doubt the way of the Lord. Hope in the Lord. Hope in the One who has gone through the pain that you are going through, who has gone through the loss that you are facing, who has been rejected by people just as you are being rejected by that one special person. Hope in the Lord. Trust in Him. Doubt that you can? Before you turn away, take His hands in yours and examine the scars you find there. Those scars are from nails. They are from when He hung on a cross, completely rejected by friends, family and followers. Those are from a time when the eternal Father turned His face from His Son and looked the other way while He suffered and died. He knows. He feels. He has been there.
And He overcame - for you! FOR YOU! He overcame all the turmoil of this world. He has overcome all that you are facing. He is victorious. He is living. He is saying to you, "Come to Me. Hope in Me. Trust in Me. I will carry you through." Will it still hurt? Yes. Will it overwhelm? Only if you try to do it alone. Hope in the Lord and He will carry you and your burden. Will you make it through? Yes. Better yet, let me say a resounding, "YES!"
Remember these words, "My soul is cast down within me, therefore I remember you." (Ps. 42:6 ESV) The Lord hasn't forgotten you!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Great is our God!
It is almost the end of September. Where did the month go? Where did the year go? Only 3 months till we are in 2011. Sounds like a ways off but the way time has been going, it will be here before we know it. The trees are starting to change. There will soon be color all around us - red, yellow, orange. It will be wonderful. The air has a crispness to it. It is the time to sit outside by a bonfire, make smores, drink hot chocolate, and watch as the little embers of the fire float into the blackness of a clear night sky.
Looking up, seeing the stars in all their glory, makes me think of a passage I just read. "May those who love your salvation say continually, 'Great is the Lord.'" (Psalm 40:16b ESV) Great is the Lord! Those twinkling stars remind us of how great God is. He made them. He put those stars in the sky to light our sky. Imagine how sad it would be to have no stars. You would look up in the night sky and see - nothing. Blackness. Emptiness. And you would feel so alone, as though you were living in the bottom of a deep pit, with no hope of ever getting out. It would be like living in a cave without ever leaving it. I shudder to think of such a thing.
Shows you how God thought of all things. He knew the need of our hearts to be able to look into the sky, see the stars and know that we are not alone. I don't mean life on other planets - I mean life with a God who made all those stars in a moment. When I look up at the night sky, I rejoice in the greatness of God. He gave them to us, to marvel at, to study, and to fill the blackness of our skies at night.
Great is our God! I say it again, "Great is our God!" His greatness no one can fathom. As you look at the stars, as you rejoice in the colors of Fall, as you wonder at the change in the seasons and the marching of time, that is what I would like to put in your mind. Each time you round a corner and see a bright red tree, let the words, "Great is our God!" slip from your lips and fill your heart. Each time you eat that smore or watch that bonfire burn, may your heart say, "Great is our God!"
Looking up, seeing the stars in all their glory, makes me think of a passage I just read. "May those who love your salvation say continually, 'Great is the Lord.'" (Psalm 40:16b ESV) Great is the Lord! Those twinkling stars remind us of how great God is. He made them. He put those stars in the sky to light our sky. Imagine how sad it would be to have no stars. You would look up in the night sky and see - nothing. Blackness. Emptiness. And you would feel so alone, as though you were living in the bottom of a deep pit, with no hope of ever getting out. It would be like living in a cave without ever leaving it. I shudder to think of such a thing.
Shows you how God thought of all things. He knew the need of our hearts to be able to look into the sky, see the stars and know that we are not alone. I don't mean life on other planets - I mean life with a God who made all those stars in a moment. When I look up at the night sky, I rejoice in the greatness of God. He gave them to us, to marvel at, to study, and to fill the blackness of our skies at night.
Great is our God! I say it again, "Great is our God!" His greatness no one can fathom. As you look at the stars, as you rejoice in the colors of Fall, as you wonder at the change in the seasons and the marching of time, that is what I would like to put in your mind. Each time you round a corner and see a bright red tree, let the words, "Great is our God!" slip from your lips and fill your heart. Each time you eat that smore or watch that bonfire burn, may your heart say, "Great is our God!"
Friday, September 24, 2010
Everything is changing
We live in a world of change. Nothing is ever the same. I am not the same as I was yesterday. I would like to say I am better, stronger, smarter, etc. Some of it is true. I have learned since yesterday. I just finished an hour of reading various things that have helped me to be understand "Christian vocation" and "infant baptism." I have a little better grasp on those things than I did when I got up this morning. Yet, I am a day older than yesterday. Having celebrated my birthday this week, I am now officially 49, which means I am getting close to that half century mark! It is for sure that I am not what I was when I was 29 or 39 (let alone when I was 9 or 19!). Am I better looker? I do know I have more grey hair today than I did 10 years ago. I also have more weight. I have less energy. And I eat less (though I want to continue to enjoy eating!). I have changed tremendously through my life.
We all have. "Change is the only constant in life," I have heard it said. Is that true? Is change the only constant? If so, that is terribly disconcerting. I can not be sure that when I get up tomorrow morning that anything will be the same. Remember what 9/11 did to our assurance of stability? It threw everyone for a loop. We weren't sure of anything anymore.
But then, as I was in God's word this morning, I read a wonderful, powerful, assuring passage. It comes from Psalm 102. As the Psalmist wrote, he said, "For my days pass away like smoke and my bones burn like a furnace...My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass." (Ps. 102:3,11 ESV) EEK! That sounds terrible. If change is so sure and certain, is there hope? "But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever..." (vs. 12) "They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end." (vs. 26-27) God does not change!
Did you hear that? God does not change! He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! In the middle of this world where the only constant is change, there is something else - God never changes. His love is the same for you today - in the midst of your life. He loves you as much as He did yesterday. He will love you just as much tomorrow! His grace never changes. He doesn't decide that today salvation comes through Jesus only to have Him decide that tomorrow salvation comes through a 3 mile hike in the woods or a dance around the altar. Grace is the same. He forgives you for Jesus sake - today, even as He did yesterday. Everything about God is the same.
Change - not in God. I might change in my relationship with Him but He will never change in His relationship with me. I might stray off the path but I can be certain that this changeless God will come after me, no matter where I have strayed or how far I have strayed. I might doubt Him but He never doubts Himself. Wherever I go, whatever I do, God is a God who is the same. He loves me the same. He cares for me the same. He saves me in the same way.
God doesn't change. Thank YOU! Thank You God for not changing because I know I am going to. I can be certain that my feelings are going to change - perhaps even through out the day. As uncertain as life is, there is one certainty - God. I breathe a huge sigh of relief. How God acts doesn't depend on me. He is always going to be Himself.
We all have. "Change is the only constant in life," I have heard it said. Is that true? Is change the only constant? If so, that is terribly disconcerting. I can not be sure that when I get up tomorrow morning that anything will be the same. Remember what 9/11 did to our assurance of stability? It threw everyone for a loop. We weren't sure of anything anymore.
But then, as I was in God's word this morning, I read a wonderful, powerful, assuring passage. It comes from Psalm 102. As the Psalmist wrote, he said, "For my days pass away like smoke and my bones burn like a furnace...My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass." (Ps. 102:3,11 ESV) EEK! That sounds terrible. If change is so sure and certain, is there hope? "But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever..." (vs. 12) "They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end." (vs. 26-27) God does not change!
Did you hear that? God does not change! He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! In the middle of this world where the only constant is change, there is something else - God never changes. His love is the same for you today - in the midst of your life. He loves you as much as He did yesterday. He will love you just as much tomorrow! His grace never changes. He doesn't decide that today salvation comes through Jesus only to have Him decide that tomorrow salvation comes through a 3 mile hike in the woods or a dance around the altar. Grace is the same. He forgives you for Jesus sake - today, even as He did yesterday. Everything about God is the same.
Change - not in God. I might change in my relationship with Him but He will never change in His relationship with me. I might stray off the path but I can be certain that this changeless God will come after me, no matter where I have strayed or how far I have strayed. I might doubt Him but He never doubts Himself. Wherever I go, whatever I do, God is a God who is the same. He loves me the same. He cares for me the same. He saves me in the same way.
God doesn't change. Thank YOU! Thank You God for not changing because I know I am going to. I can be certain that my feelings are going to change - perhaps even through out the day. As uncertain as life is, there is one certainty - God. I breathe a huge sigh of relief. How God acts doesn't depend on me. He is always going to be Himself.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thirsting, dry, parched...
Have you ever been really thirsty? What I mean, have you been so parched, so dry, that your lips are dry and cracked, and your tongue feels as though it is so thick and dry that it sticks to the roof of your mouth? Has your soul ever felt that way?
I was reading Psalm 63 this morning and thought about that. "O god, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1 ESV) I wondered if I have ever desired the Lord that much. More than that, I wondered if I still desired the Lord that much.
Have you? Do you? Or do you live your life of faith as though it doesn't make any difference? You believe. That is good enough. Desire the Lord? Thirst for His Word? That seems so foreign to us. When was the last time you said to yourself, "Hurrah! It is time for worship!" And then went joyfully and excitedly to the water of life? When was the last time you stayed home from worship and said, "My soul feels dry and parched because I didn't go to the house of the Lord this week." Have you ever had tears in your eyes because you were unable to join your brothers and sisters in Bible study?
That is the the way David was in this Psalm. He thirsted for the Lord. He wanted the Lord more than he wanted life itself. He desired the Lord more than he desired anything in life - and we all know about David's desires! They got him in trouble a time or two (just like they have gotten us into trouble). David's words are powerful, "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you..." Earnestly seek the Lord for your dry, parched soul.
Another line caught me as well. Have you ever lain awake at night, fretting because you couldn't sleep, worried about this or that event? Of course you have. That is one of the things that we often struggle with - sleep. Listen to David, "My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night." (Psalm 63:5-6 ESV) When I remember you upon my bed - laying awake at night. Instead of fretting over the enemies who sought to kill him, David spent the time meditating upon the wonders of the Lord. As he laid there, unable to sleep, instead of worry being upon his mind, he found himself filled with the bounties of the Lord - as with rich, fat foods. His parched soul was given the water of life - not from what he did but through the power of the Lord Almighty. He was refreshed by the Lord.
Water of life - water of refreshing - that is what you and I need for our dry, parched souls. Worship - regularly, frequently, with joy and excitement as you come into the house of God.
Bible study - daily yourself, weekly with others.
Praise - daily, in all that you do, with lips that are no longer parched but refreshed by the water of life.
Lord, I need refreshing. May I have that cool, wonderful water of life? May I drink deeply from the well of Your Word? Please...
I was reading Psalm 63 this morning and thought about that. "O god, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1 ESV) I wondered if I have ever desired the Lord that much. More than that, I wondered if I still desired the Lord that much.
Have you? Do you? Or do you live your life of faith as though it doesn't make any difference? You believe. That is good enough. Desire the Lord? Thirst for His Word? That seems so foreign to us. When was the last time you said to yourself, "Hurrah! It is time for worship!" And then went joyfully and excitedly to the water of life? When was the last time you stayed home from worship and said, "My soul feels dry and parched because I didn't go to the house of the Lord this week." Have you ever had tears in your eyes because you were unable to join your brothers and sisters in Bible study?
That is the the way David was in this Psalm. He thirsted for the Lord. He wanted the Lord more than he wanted life itself. He desired the Lord more than he desired anything in life - and we all know about David's desires! They got him in trouble a time or two (just like they have gotten us into trouble). David's words are powerful, "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you..." Earnestly seek the Lord for your dry, parched soul.
Another line caught me as well. Have you ever lain awake at night, fretting because you couldn't sleep, worried about this or that event? Of course you have. That is one of the things that we often struggle with - sleep. Listen to David, "My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night." (Psalm 63:5-6 ESV) When I remember you upon my bed - laying awake at night. Instead of fretting over the enemies who sought to kill him, David spent the time meditating upon the wonders of the Lord. As he laid there, unable to sleep, instead of worry being upon his mind, he found himself filled with the bounties of the Lord - as with rich, fat foods. His parched soul was given the water of life - not from what he did but through the power of the Lord Almighty. He was refreshed by the Lord.
Water of life - water of refreshing - that is what you and I need for our dry, parched souls. Worship - regularly, frequently, with joy and excitement as you come into the house of God.
Bible study - daily yourself, weekly with others.
Praise - daily, in all that you do, with lips that are no longer parched but refreshed by the water of life.
Lord, I need refreshing. May I have that cool, wonderful water of life? May I drink deeply from the well of Your Word? Please...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Zephaniah for today - Woe to our Nation
I have been reading in the "minor prophets" recently. They are small books that have a big message. Unlike Isaiah or Jeremiah (or perhaps the preacher that is writing at this time!), the minor prophets wrote less. Just because there are fewer words does not make their message any less important.
I couldn't help but think about these words: "Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no corrections. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God." (Zephaniah 3:1-2 ESV) Those words were spoken against Judah generally and Jerusalem specifically. But as I read them, I felt compelled to think not about Judah but about the USA. Could not this be said of our nation? More and more I feel that the prophets are also talking to us today. (No, I do not believe that the United States is the new "promised land." Nor do I believe that the people of the USA are the new "chosen people" of God. That would be a false teaching.) It is as if they were looking through the lens that told them to speak thus for there will be a people living in years to come, who would be in a land far from Israel, that would begin by following the way of the Lord and would end the very same way that Judah was going and ending in their day.
"She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction." How true that is today! Our nation as a whole does what it wants. It does not seek the way of the Lord. And when a prophet speaks out, when a priest cries out the Word of the Lord, she closes her ears. Covering her ears she attacks the prophet/priest and does her best to defile his name, to discredit him personally so that others would not listen to his message. The Christian message of Law and Gospel is blasted, looked down upon, thrown into the pit with the pigs and trampled underfoot. It is treated with no respect. When she is called to repent of her sexual immorality, she laughs. She derides. She speaks against the prophet who brings the word of the Lord. To those who say, "Thus says the Lord," she sneers and jeers. Like a drunken man that refuses to listen to the one who tells him not to drive, so our nation refuses to hear the word of the Lord spoken.
Nor does our nation trust in the Lord. "In God we trust" is our motto. But we do not trust in God. We open ourselves to the gods of the nations. We embrace falsehood instead of truth. We allow the god of Islam, the Latter Day Saints and materialism to have the same voice as the true God - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We draw near to other gods (and don't get me started on the mosque near the Trade Center plaza) and embrace them as though they are equal with the Lord Almighty. We allow the voice of those who have no voice (for they are man-made gods) to speak louder than the voice of the Creator God. Listen to the Lord? Never! Let Him lead our nation? Of course not. We must bow down to Allah, who is no god at all, but is embraced by leaders and people alike.
I can only imagine the tears of sorrow that ran down Zephaniah's cheeks as he proclaimed this message to the people of his day. Tears run down the cheeks of the prophet today who points out the sin of the people, the judgment of the Lord, the great Day of the Lord, for the people do not listen. They do not care. Satan has blinded them with his lies. And they have accepted them as truth. And the Word of God, which is truth, is seen as a lie.
Woe to you people who do not listen! Woe to you who turn away to false gods, who bow down blindly with your leaders! The day of the Lord is coming - that great, dreadful day of judgment! Turn from your sins, from your wicked ways, and live! Turn! Not tomorrow but today! Who knows, perhaps the Lord will relent of His judgment against you!
I couldn't help but think about these words: "Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no corrections. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God." (Zephaniah 3:1-2 ESV) Those words were spoken against Judah generally and Jerusalem specifically. But as I read them, I felt compelled to think not about Judah but about the USA. Could not this be said of our nation? More and more I feel that the prophets are also talking to us today. (No, I do not believe that the United States is the new "promised land." Nor do I believe that the people of the USA are the new "chosen people" of God. That would be a false teaching.) It is as if they were looking through the lens that told them to speak thus for there will be a people living in years to come, who would be in a land far from Israel, that would begin by following the way of the Lord and would end the very same way that Judah was going and ending in their day.
"She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction." How true that is today! Our nation as a whole does what it wants. It does not seek the way of the Lord. And when a prophet speaks out, when a priest cries out the Word of the Lord, she closes her ears. Covering her ears she attacks the prophet/priest and does her best to defile his name, to discredit him personally so that others would not listen to his message. The Christian message of Law and Gospel is blasted, looked down upon, thrown into the pit with the pigs and trampled underfoot. It is treated with no respect. When she is called to repent of her sexual immorality, she laughs. She derides. She speaks against the prophet who brings the word of the Lord. To those who say, "Thus says the Lord," she sneers and jeers. Like a drunken man that refuses to listen to the one who tells him not to drive, so our nation refuses to hear the word of the Lord spoken.
Nor does our nation trust in the Lord. "In God we trust" is our motto. But we do not trust in God. We open ourselves to the gods of the nations. We embrace falsehood instead of truth. We allow the god of Islam, the Latter Day Saints and materialism to have the same voice as the true God - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We draw near to other gods (and don't get me started on the mosque near the Trade Center plaza) and embrace them as though they are equal with the Lord Almighty. We allow the voice of those who have no voice (for they are man-made gods) to speak louder than the voice of the Creator God. Listen to the Lord? Never! Let Him lead our nation? Of course not. We must bow down to Allah, who is no god at all, but is embraced by leaders and people alike.
I can only imagine the tears of sorrow that ran down Zephaniah's cheeks as he proclaimed this message to the people of his day. Tears run down the cheeks of the prophet today who points out the sin of the people, the judgment of the Lord, the great Day of the Lord, for the people do not listen. They do not care. Satan has blinded them with his lies. And they have accepted them as truth. And the Word of God, which is truth, is seen as a lie.
Woe to you people who do not listen! Woe to you who turn away to false gods, who bow down blindly with your leaders! The day of the Lord is coming - that great, dreadful day of judgment! Turn from your sins, from your wicked ways, and live! Turn! Not tomorrow but today! Who knows, perhaps the Lord will relent of His judgment against you!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Anger and fretting
I was reading Psalm 37 this morning. This is a wonderful Psalm (but then again, which one isn't?). When I was installed as pastor of St. Paul's, Troy, Pres. Mueller used Ps. 37:4-6 as the basis for the sermon. As usual, he did a great job preaching that day. I know I listened. I hope that everyone there listened for he gave excellent guidance for how the ministry is to be from God, how a pastor is to trust not in himself but in the Lord and how the congregation is to focus on the work the Lord has placed before them.
Anyway, as I was reading Psalm 37, several verses jumped out at me and I couldn't help but comment on them. Psalm 47:8, "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself, it tends only to evil." (ESV) This is one of the verses that caught me. "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!" How often do we let anger guide our thoughts and our lives? We get upset over this or that, things that we do not or cannot control. We rant and rave. We let the anger build inside of us until we are worked into a frothy, unthinking sense of wrath. We get to the point where we cannot stand the person or thing that we are angry at. We say things that are unkind and unjust. Yes, we feel justified in our words and thoughts. We think it is "righteous" anger because "we" are the ones that have been wronged. But is that really true? Are we really as "innocent" as we think? More times than not, we find that we are letting our emotions rule our thoughts and letting them guide our anger. We are filled with wrath. And we cannot think straight.
After we are finished with our ranting and raving, do we ever think to go back to that person and apologize? Generally not. Because once again, we have done no wrong. "They" are wrong. "They" should be the one to come to us to apologize. "They" are the ones that we want God to strike down because "they" are so wicked. But is that really the case? When the dust has cleared, when we look at the situation, did our anger, our wrath, help the situation? Or did it make more smoke so that the solution couldn't be seen? Has it caused more hard feelings than it solved? Has that anger/wrath truly been worth the time and the effort, worth the hurt that it caused?
The Lord is guiding us here. Are we open to that guidance? If more of us listened to His Word and refrained from anger and forsook wrath, would it not make it possible to work through the issues at hand? Anger destroys relationships. Wrath hurts hearts and lives. The love of Christ, the peace of God, and the power of the Spirit does just the opposite. It heals. It lifts. It guides. It fills. It is the balm on the wound that sin cuts deep.
The other half of the verse is true as well - "Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." To sit and fret over a situation is deadly. How many times have you escalated a situation to the point of anger because you sat and fretted over it for hours, perhaps days, instead of talking about it with the person, dealing with it at work, etc.? Fretting solves nothing. It only tends to evil. It leads the heart to think the worst. It lets the heart think the worst of every situation. Have you ever fretted over a situation and had that fretting make it better? It almost always makes it worse. (I say "almost always" because if I don't, someone will come up with a time when their fretting didn't make it worse but finally, in some way, made it better. They will think that their "fretting" is what made it better. Instead, it is the Lord that works out the good in the situation for those who are still sinful. See Romans 8:28.)
Fret not - words to take to heart in every situation. God will guide you through the situation and work it out in the best way possible - maybe not at that exact moment, but in His time and in His way. And that is what is so hard. That is what leads to fretting. We want it to be in our time and in our way. We tell God how we want things. And when they aren't that way, we begin to fret. And soon it leads us to evil - even evil thoughts against God. "Why...?" we will often ask. We challenge God at every corner. Read Habakkuk. That is how he starts out - challenging God. He thought God was unjust by letting the Babylonians come to take away the chosen people. But God tells him to chill, to fret not. God has a plan that is unfolding. It is a good plan. It is a right plan.
"NO!" we cry out. We don't want God's plan. We want our plan...wait, isn't that a problem? Isn't that what fretting does? It only brings evil. When we cannot trust God's will, when we cannot accept it, is not that evil? Has not fretting taken us there?
Look not to the self. Look to the Lord. Look to the cross. Look to Jesus Christ! There we begin to see how to follow the will of the Father - in faith. And that faith is not in ourselves but is in the One who has given Himself for us in our lives. We trust that He will lead us through this valley of the shadow of death, this vale of tears. We trust that He is indeed the One who is control. Fret not, for it tends only to evil. Good words to listen to. May the Holy Spirit help each of us to not only listen but to follow them.
Anyway, as I was reading Psalm 37, several verses jumped out at me and I couldn't help but comment on them. Psalm 47:8, "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself, it tends only to evil." (ESV) This is one of the verses that caught me. "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!" How often do we let anger guide our thoughts and our lives? We get upset over this or that, things that we do not or cannot control. We rant and rave. We let the anger build inside of us until we are worked into a frothy, unthinking sense of wrath. We get to the point where we cannot stand the person or thing that we are angry at. We say things that are unkind and unjust. Yes, we feel justified in our words and thoughts. We think it is "righteous" anger because "we" are the ones that have been wronged. But is that really true? Are we really as "innocent" as we think? More times than not, we find that we are letting our emotions rule our thoughts and letting them guide our anger. We are filled with wrath. And we cannot think straight.
After we are finished with our ranting and raving, do we ever think to go back to that person and apologize? Generally not. Because once again, we have done no wrong. "They" are wrong. "They" should be the one to come to us to apologize. "They" are the ones that we want God to strike down because "they" are so wicked. But is that really the case? When the dust has cleared, when we look at the situation, did our anger, our wrath, help the situation? Or did it make more smoke so that the solution couldn't be seen? Has it caused more hard feelings than it solved? Has that anger/wrath truly been worth the time and the effort, worth the hurt that it caused?
The Lord is guiding us here. Are we open to that guidance? If more of us listened to His Word and refrained from anger and forsook wrath, would it not make it possible to work through the issues at hand? Anger destroys relationships. Wrath hurts hearts and lives. The love of Christ, the peace of God, and the power of the Spirit does just the opposite. It heals. It lifts. It guides. It fills. It is the balm on the wound that sin cuts deep.
The other half of the verse is true as well - "Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." To sit and fret over a situation is deadly. How many times have you escalated a situation to the point of anger because you sat and fretted over it for hours, perhaps days, instead of talking about it with the person, dealing with it at work, etc.? Fretting solves nothing. It only tends to evil. It leads the heart to think the worst. It lets the heart think the worst of every situation. Have you ever fretted over a situation and had that fretting make it better? It almost always makes it worse. (I say "almost always" because if I don't, someone will come up with a time when their fretting didn't make it worse but finally, in some way, made it better. They will think that their "fretting" is what made it better. Instead, it is the Lord that works out the good in the situation for those who are still sinful. See Romans 8:28.)
Fret not - words to take to heart in every situation. God will guide you through the situation and work it out in the best way possible - maybe not at that exact moment, but in His time and in His way. And that is what is so hard. That is what leads to fretting. We want it to be in our time and in our way. We tell God how we want things. And when they aren't that way, we begin to fret. And soon it leads us to evil - even evil thoughts against God. "Why...?" we will often ask. We challenge God at every corner. Read Habakkuk. That is how he starts out - challenging God. He thought God was unjust by letting the Babylonians come to take away the chosen people. But God tells him to chill, to fret not. God has a plan that is unfolding. It is a good plan. It is a right plan.
"NO!" we cry out. We don't want God's plan. We want our plan...wait, isn't that a problem? Isn't that what fretting does? It only brings evil. When we cannot trust God's will, when we cannot accept it, is not that evil? Has not fretting taken us there?
Look not to the self. Look to the Lord. Look to the cross. Look to Jesus Christ! There we begin to see how to follow the will of the Father - in faith. And that faith is not in ourselves but is in the One who has given Himself for us in our lives. We trust that He will lead us through this valley of the shadow of death, this vale of tears. We trust that He is indeed the One who is control. Fret not, for it tends only to evil. Good words to listen to. May the Holy Spirit help each of us to not only listen but to follow them.
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