Complacency

“And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency, who say in their heart, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.’  

Zephaniah 1:12

It’s unfortunate. Zephaniah is another one of those small books in the Old Testament that can be easily overlooked. Three short chapters begin with a portrait of impending judgment. Zephaniah cries out, “The day of the Lord is near”. When the light of the Lord shines on Jerusalem it exposes a particular group of people. Zephaniah does not lack for descriptions of iniquity. But, among the descriptions of idolatry and indifference, I am drawn to the imagery of complacency. Sometimes the phrase is translated “settled on their lees”. In other words, God compares people to the sediment of grapes during the process of making wine. I’m no expert on wine-making, but I understand the message. The initial contribution of grapes is essential, but there comes a time to move on from the dregs! In Zephaniah, God’s judgment is coming upon those who have made complacency a permanent residence. Despite the messages of the prophets, the people became indifferent in their attitude toward the presence and power of God. The message delivers a fresh warning for today. When it comes to your relationship with God, are you living in the dregs? How would you describe your passion for following the Lord? When it comes to a dynamic and passionate relationship with God, complacency can be a bit of a silent killer. Zephaniah provides both diagnosis and treatment. Consider the answer found in Zephaniah 2:3, and “Seek the Lord” this week.

A different way to live

Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls - Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Last week I spent a lot of time considering what it means to “live by faith”. Habakkuk 2:4 contrasts the one who lives by faith with the proud person who refuses. How does the life of faith differ? Habakkuk closes with a beautiful hymn of thanksgiving that provides at least one answer. It begins with a brief summary of dire circumstances. The trees fail to bloom; the crops yield no fruit and the livestock are cut off from the normal staples of protection. I am somewhat removed from a day-to-day agrarian lifestyle, but the message is not lost. The specifics of life’s challenges are not the point. After every “though” in the hymn, the prophet presents visible reminders of just how tough life can be. 

Sometimes our surroundings assault our senses. We see and hear and feel the relentless attack. As a result, it is easy to base life on circumstances rather than the “God of our salvation”. Habakkuk’s hymn points us back to the life of faith. For me, the most important word in the hymn is the three-letter word, “yet”. Ultimately, it is a song of trust. From a Nazi prison cell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was able to translate the heart of Habakkuk’s hymn into his own situation as follows: “By good powers wonderfully hidden, we await cheerfully, come what may.”  My God give us strength to praise Him on those days when God’s good powers seem wonderfully hidden from plain sight. It’s essential to add the word “yet” to our vocabulary.

Living by Faith

Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.

Habakkuk 2:4

Habakkuk describes a way of life. More than just a metaphor to describe the journey, “living by faith” provides a deep contrast to the way of pride. The disparity deepens when you consider that the soul of the proud is not “upright” and the life of faith is the life of the “just”. In plain speech, Habakkuk describes the difference between the right way and the wrong way to live. It’s fairly easy to see the sins of the Babylonian kingdom in the late 7^th century B.C. as described in Habakkuk. But, when we look in the mirror it’s a different story.

So how do we live by faith? It’s tempting to reduce our faith to inner beliefs that lack tangible expression. That’s not the kind of faith Habakkuk describes. In the words of Eugene Peterson, faith has to do with “marrying Invisible and Visible”. Living by faith requires transformation. It begins with a difficult surrender. A proud life is a closed life. Authenticity and vulnerability are the great enemies of pride. The life of faith is an open life. It is a bold trust. Have I placed my whole life in God’s hands?  Am I willing to take God’s Word to heart? Peterson goes on to describe faith as a radical reorientation “in which God’s presence is the dominant and defining reality”. When God’s presence gives meaning and direction to decisions, goals and relationships the life of faith begins to take shape.

Am I better than?

Are you better than Thebes that sat along the Nile with water surrounding her, whose rampart was the sea, the river her wall?

Nahum 3:8

Are you better than…? It is a question of comparison. In Nahum 3:8, God was asking the question and the city of Nineveh was the target of the interrogation. The comparison between two great cities of the ancient world is fascinating. Thebes had been a leading and celebrated city in the Egyptian empire for centuries. In fact Thebes seemed to have infinite resources until it was sacked by the Assyrians in the 7^th Century B.C. How does an invincible city fall? The presumed answer from Nineveh would be that Thebes fell because “we” are greater. Based upon the characterization of Assyrian arrogance and treachery, I can imagine a rather smug response. But, in the eyes of God, comparison is dangerous. Certainly the point of God’s question was not to compare two earthly kingdoms. It was to draw attention to the foolishness of comparing human power with the sovereignty of God. Earlier in the book of Nahum, two questions establish a proper perspective: “Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger?”

So, we ask, “Am I tempted to compare? No doubt. If I want to feel better about myself, I compare. If I want to nourish my pride, I seek for an opportunity to compare. If I want to elevate, I look for an opportunity to cast a downward glance. If I want to rely on my own justification rather than celebrate the grace of God, I manufacture a victory in an imaginary competition in my mind. Am I better than? The question can lead down a prideful path. It’s a path that leads in the wrong direction. Instead, I must choose the path that leads back to the cross. My tendency to compare melts away in the presence of the Savior. Paul wrote, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14) I am who I am by the grace of God.

Jealous God

God is jealous

Nahum 1:2

What a way to begin a book in the Bible. After the introductory information found in Nahum 1:1, the first words you will read are “God is jealous”. To be fair, the book is aimed toward the evil city of Nineveh. This capital city in the Assyrian empire is portrayed by a litany of sinful descriptors. But, don’t miss the significance of verse 2. Verse 2 is not a description of Nineveh. It’s about God. The jealous nature of God might make us feel a bit uncomfortable but it is not hard to understand. A quick trip back to Exodus 20 clears up any confusion. You may recall that Exodus 20 contains the “Ten Commandments”. Here’s a portion of Exodus 20:2-5: “You shall have not other God’s before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to the nor serve them”. Immediately after these commandments, God clarifies himself: “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.” It’s not very long before the Hebrews provoke God’s jealousy. Centuries later, the people of Nineveh provide another backdrop for God’s jealousy. But, these two examples are not isolated.

Nahum may not be at the top of your reading list, but please do not question the relevance of the material for a 21^st century reader. The description of God found in Nahum 1 reinforces the revelation of God in the “Ten Commandments”. When (not if) we are tempted to place anything “before” God or elevate anything as a “counterfeit” god we need to revisit this book. Nahum provides an awe-inspiring portrait of God’s character. The opening words are preparation for a revelation of God’s incomparable glory and power.

Who is like God?

Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Micah 7:18-19

Any attempt to describe the character of God is bound to fall short. God is beyond description. But, the classical Hebrew poetry of Micah is extraordinary. In the closing verses Micah extols the incomparable majesty of God. These two verses explore the complexity of a God who is powerful enough to subdue our iniquity and hurl it into the depths of the see and yet gracious enough to delight in mercy and compassion. Who is a God like You! No wonder Micah includes the confident expectation “I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7) God has not changed. Twenty-seven centuries later I can ask, “What is the basis for my trust in God?” What is my assurance that God will hear me today? It is the character of God. God is mighty. God is merciful. God is compassionate.

Follow Jesus

“Follow Me”

John 21:19

It’s Monday, the day after our celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. It’s a good time to consider “post-resurrection living”. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection provide the ultimate picture of redemption. So, how do we live in light of all Jesus has provided? What did Jesus say to His disciples after His resurrection? Jesus walked among the disciples for a brief period before He ascended to heaven. The material in the Gospels describing post-resurrection encounters with Jesus is not lengthy, but it is significant. When reading John 21 this morning, I focused on the words that Jesus spoke to Peter. Frequently, when I read the exchange between Peter and Jesus, I give most of my attention to the questions that Jesus asked Peter. After all, it’s a captivating conversation when Jesus asked the man who had denied knowing Him, “Do you love Me?” However, it’s a tragedy to miss the final words in that conversation. Jesus repeated them twice (John 21:19 & John 21:22) At the conclusion of this series of questions and after Jesus had given His instructions regarding how Peter should care for Jesus’ sheep, Jesus simply said to Peter, “Follow Me.” It wasn’t a new message. Peter had responded to the invitation to follow Jesus long ago. But, these words never lose their importance. Why did Jesus repeat “Follow Me” the second time? The second time Jesus spoke them to Peter in John 21, it was because Peter was asking questions about what was going to happen to another disciple. Imagine that! Peter was already getting distracted. How easy it is to shift our focus away from following Jesus and become distracted. The words of Jesus are a good reminder for “post-resurrection living” this week. Follow Jesus.