Why?

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled. Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Psalm 46:1-3

I was thankful for this Psalm this morning as I thought about the disasters that have struck the earth in the past few days. The death toll from the Myanmar cyclone continues to climb and over 50,000 earthquake victims are either dead or missing in China. "Why?" is a natural question to so-called "natural" disasters. Yet, it may be a question that will not likely be answered to our satisfaction. The words of the Psalm answer the more pertinent question "Where". Where can we turn in the midst of tragedy? Where is a place of safety? Psalm 46 resolves with a firm instruction to "be still" and know that God is with us and God is a refuge that stretches beyond the limits of our life on earth.

I received a forwarded email from a contact in Myanmar. His email closed with a request for prayer and the words "God help us". Simple words with profound significance. Along with aid that is sent for the immediate physical needs. Pray for God's help for the people of Myanmar and China.

Can we skip this chapter?

Well, my study of Abraham has brought me to Genesis 22. I am convinced that many people who have begun reading the Bible have stopped at Genesis 22 and decided to read Psalms or stick with the New Testament. It's a tough chapter to read. Check out the second verse where God says to Abraham "take now your son, your only son Isaac and offer him there as a burnt offering". If you haven't managed to finish the chapter you need to know that Abraham doesn't sacrifice Isaac - God intervenes. However, the happy ending doesn't erase the terror of the beginning. I can't offer a nice neat explanation, because there is none that I have been able to find. However I can share some perspective about faith. Faith is not neat. It is not easily explained. Most of the time my faith in God makes sense to me - but, that doesn't mean it makes sense to others. To be honest,initiation into a life of faith in God can be terrifying. Eugene Peterson comments on the faith of Abraham as "trusting obediently in what we cannot control, living in obedient relationship to the One we cannot see, venturing obediently into a land that we know nothing about." Now then, is that nice and neat? I look forward to sharing some more about Abraham on Sunday.

Hold the onions

I was eating at a restaurant yesterday and happened upon a conversation that occurred between a mother and her young child. It seems the child was complaining about how she ordered his burger. The mother responded to his complaints by explaining how the burger was going to arrive and that he was to enjoy it when it arrived. Now before you reach deep for your expert parenting advice, consider this event with a larger perspective. Yesterday I posed a comparison between the childlike follower of Jesus and the childish. It seems to me that the little boy's behavior provides a good illustration of how we distort our journey with Jesus. When we decide to follow Jesus sometimes we expect to treat it like an old Burger King commercial: I'll have it "my way" or I will complain. Everyday with Jesus provides us with challenges. The virtues of a childlike faith allow us to cherish the fact that we walk through those challenges with a God who holds our hand. While God is big enough to receive all our complaints (read the Psalms), we live in a day when we often expect life to be made to order.

Childish or Childlike

I have continued to ponder a few lessons from childhood. Jesus encouraged us to recongize the value of childlike faith. Obviously, there are childlike virtues that are very positive. I want to recover and cling to my sense of awe and wonder of God. However, there is a difference in "childlike" and "childish". Unfortunately, the two can be confused. When I hear the word "childish" the first synonym I think of is "selfish" followed closely by "immature". So is selfishness a problem among followers of Jesus today? For now, I will let you answer that question.

Say your prayers

God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food.
Just like many other children I learned to pray these words before meals. This past Sunday I shared some reflections on the depth of this simple prayer. Sometimes we lose the powerful words in their simplicity. God is great. Actually, my reflection of this childhood prayer was prompted Sunday morning as we were singing How great is our God. God's greatness is incomprehensible. During the time of worship I was thinking about God's unlimited power and how God is sufficient for my every need and situation. God is great. But, God is also good. God's purpose for me is a good purpose. In every challenge of life, God is able to bring about good in my heart. God's acts are good. His plans are good. Everything good in my life has its origin in the good God. So...let us thank Him. Isn't it interesting that we were taught as children to give thanks before the meal. Not after, but before. Our thanksgiving was offered up while we were still hungry. Our thanks to God was given while we were empty and in need. This powerful lesson is often lost as we enter adulthood. We fail to apply this principle in our spiritual lives. We want to give thanks to God when we are full, not when we are hungry. We want to wait to give thanks to God "after the meal" rather than before. Our thanks to God rests primarily on the fact that God is great and that God is good. So, revisit your childhood. Pause today and pray.

A good shield is hard to beat

What is the value of a good shield? When I go out in the sun, I wear a hat (please review my picture if you doubt the importance of a hat). It protects my head from the beating rays of the sun. Even though I appreciate the value of a good hat, God is the absolute best shield. Psalm 121:5 reminds us that "the Lord watches over you -- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night". These were great words to the ancient pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. The Psalms of Ascent are believed to be songs for that journey. The message of this song is reminiscent of the Lord's words to Abram in Genesis 15. The Lord told Abram, "I am your shield". It is a message that we need to hear. God's protection is immense. Not only does He protect the outside of my head, He protects the inside which can become overwhelmed with fear. In short, His promise is for peace of mind and I cherish that.

No fear

God said many awesome things to Abraham. On more than one occasion, God blessed Abraham with reassurance of His promises. Because of the many messages that God gave to Abraham we may have overlooked the great the great treasure found in Genesis 15. God begins with the words that occur so often in the Bible: "Do not be afraid". Why do these words occur so many times? You don't have to be a theologian to answer that question. God knows us. He knows our tendencies. He knows how we are wired emotionally, spiritually and physically. Fear is the ultimate flat tire in our journey with God...and I have experience sitting on the side of the road watching the cars go by. Nothing puts a halt to our progress quite like being afraid. That's why the word of the Lord in Genesis 15 fits so well in the flow of Abraham's life. By the way, God says some great things immediately after that. (That's a tease to go back and read it again).