The arm of the Lord

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Isaiah 53:1

It’s a compelling question isn’t it? Who has believed our message? It’s a question that is made even more compelling by the fact that the message is so glorious. The message is all about a suffering servant. I think it is possible to become so familiar with Isaiah 53 that the message loses some of that glory. Am I so accustomed to seeing the passion of Christ within the words of Isaiah 53 that I am not affected by the story – the arm of the Lord that has been revealed? Am I less overwhelmed with gratitude? The suffering is described on so many levels. It is physical. It is emotional. It is willingly accepted. That’s right. The suffering servant was crushed, pierced rejected and despised because of love not force. All of this was a part of the revelation of the “arm of the Lord”. Yesterday, I reflected on my own mental picture of the arm of the Lord. I recognize that the prophetic word is a metaphor to help us understand God’s plan. But, my picture is twofold. I see the flexed bicep of God demonstrating the power of His might. Nothing can thwart His plan. Nothing could ever be impossible. God is always great enough, strong enough and sufficient for the task. Also, I see the arm of God extended. God’s wingspan is immeasurable. His reach is infinite. He found me. What happened when He found me? Because the servant suffered for me, I escaped punishment. Despite the fact that I wandered away from Him like a sheep gone astray, He did not punish me when He found me. No, instead, I experienced exactly what the sheep experienced in Luke 15:4. And when He finds it, He joyfully puts it on His shoulders and goes home.

God's Plan

Isaiah 5:1-4

I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?

Isaiah is known for the vivid judgment of the sins of God’s people as well as the prophetic picture of redemption. The opening chapters provide an understanding of sin in relational terms. God describes the rebellion of His children, the provocation of a nation and the unfaithfulness of his beloved. After the opening descriptions, there is a beautiful song. It is a song that describes God’s people as a vineyard. Of all the descriptions in the song, two “building projects” capture my attention. First of all, God “built a watchtower” in the midst of the vineyard. It is a reminder that God’s plan for us includes His presence in our midst. The watchtower is a symbol of God’s plan to watch over our lives and His ability to protect us. It is a 24/7 plan. The watchtower is a permanent structure. Equally significant to me, is the description of the “winepress”. This is a reminder of God’s plan for us to be fruitful. God’s expectation for the vineyard was that it would produce good grapes that would yield good wine. Ephesians 2:10 describes us as “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. Our lives are described as a masterpiece in the hands of a creative and powerful God. If we are unfruitful, it is not because God has failed to provide what we need to be fruitful. Thus, God asked the rhetorical question: “What more could have been done for My vineyard than what I have done for it?” (Isaiah 5:4)

Conformed or Transformed

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

What does it mean to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”? It’s clear that it is not the will of God for me to be shaped to fit the latest pattern of the world. Instead, I am changed from the inside out. How does that happen? After giving some thought to the challenge, I find the following questions useful. 

1.     What will be my testimony today? Every day is a part of my testimony. My life is my story. I am an active witness. There are things that I will and will not do simply because I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and I recognize that my life is a testimony about His lordship.

2.     How will God impact my choices today? Attending church is not enough. The transformational power of God affects my daily life. That requires me to cultivate a dynamic relationship with God - the kind of relationship that impacts my decision-making.

3.     Am I filtering the primary influences on my life through God's Word, Prayer and Christian Community? Frankly, most days it may seem much easier to go with the flow (the patterns of this world). But, while it may be easier to feed my selfish desires, there is a clear difference between those desires and the things that strengthen my heart and soul. God has provided and will provide guidance. It’s up to me to put the filters in place and utilize the help that God gives.

4.     When I fail – how will I respond? The transformational process is not a guarantee of a “mistake free” existence. It is critical that I know what to do when I fall down. Response patterns are as old as the existence of human beings. Will I hide from God? Will I run from God? Will I throw up my hands and lose hope? Or, will I run to God and find that God is my refuge. Will I return to God and find strength?

Three Words We Hate

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

Song of Songs 3:5

Within this beautiful line of poetry found in Song of Songs, there are three words we seem to hate. Within our culture, these words just seem to rub us the wrong way:  "do not…until".  To put it bluntly, the root issue is that we just hate to have anyone tell us what we can and cannot do and when we can and cannot do it. Too often our culture defines the words "do not" as narrow and restrictive. Frequently, the idea that God would command us to do anything is met with immediate displeasure.  Likewise, we live at a pace that abhors the word "until". In our culture, delayed gratification just seems so unnecessary. Rather than save money, we buy with credit. Rather than invest in relationships we take costly shortcuts. Patience is a nuisance. Waiting…why would anyone want to wait? We prefer to find a way to satisfy our desires immediately. As a result we choose our own desires instead of the plan of God. Both Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs are connected with King Solomon. Ecclesiastes ends with a summary statement to “fear God and keep His commandments”. Song of Songs begins with an invitation to a kiss and a description of the delightfulness of love. It’s a beautiful reminder that is reinforced throughout Scripture that discussions about love, sex and desire are connected with a fear of God and a reverence for His commandments. Discussions about love and desire are not taboo in the Bible. But, those discussions do not occur apart from the context of God’s good plan for our lives. For example, the significant consequences of King Solomon’s sinful choices are recorded for our consideration. God created us and I certainly believe that God understands our desires and our passions. But, God does not abandon us to be ruled by our desires. Thankfully, we have received guidance and grace from God.

Questions for Life

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of every human being

The comments of the “teacher” in Ecclesiastes raise some important questions. To begin with, the teacher asks about how to measure the value of day-to-day labors in life. I have to say that I can’t argue with the need to raise good questions about what matters most in life. Thankfully, Ecclesiastes also provides some good answers. The brief summary statement at the end brings me back around to two straightforward guiding principles for life. First, I should fear God. That brings me back to a daily awareness and acknowledgement that there is only one God. God is great and worthy of all that I am. My knowledge of God evokes a sense of awe and humble recognition. Second, I should keep His commandments. There are so many reasons why obedience is essential. Keeping the commandments of God will never tip the scales in my direction when it comes to deserving the grace of God. But, it will always demonstrate what it means to respond to His mercy and grace. Furthermore, it is always the best course for my life. The two work together to yield an accurate perspective for life. Fear the Lord and keep His commandments. As I began to reflect on Ecclesiastes, I found myself asking some questions of own. These questions remind me how easily my perspective can become distorted if I drift from my fear of the Lord and my faithfulness to His commandments. 

• What if life is more about trusting God than receiving answers to all my questions?
• What if life is more about worshiping God than getting what I want from God?
• What if life is more about savoring God's grace and comfort than being delivered from my discomfort   
• What if my “duty” in life is defined, as the "teacher" in Ecclesiastes suggests by whether or not I fear God and keep His commandments?

The Meaning of Life

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.

“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

Ecclesiastes 1:2

According to the opening verse in Ecclesiastes, these words belong to “the teacher”. It’s a tough way to start a book in the Bible. My reaction is made even tougher when I consider that the “teacher” is described as the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Immediately, I begin to consider the perspective of Solomon, a man of great wisdom and understanding. So, what should I make of the redundant message about the “meaninglessness” of life? Most approaches to Ecclesiastes begin with the summary statement at the end of the book. Accordingly, the conclusion of the matter is to “fear God and keep His commandments”. I breathe a sigh of relief when I read the end, but it hardly answers all my questions about the cynical tone of the preceding material. Oddly enough, my questions about Solomon’s existential experiment and commentary are best answered by a question. Is there a way to interpret Ecclesiastes in light of the Gospel? I believe there is. Jesus asked the question, “what good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) What is the answer to Jesus’ question? It’s meaningless. It’s all meaningless. Jesus asked a second question, “What can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mark 8:37) I see evidence all around me everyday of what people are willing to exchange for the health of their soul. After reading the words of Jesus, the survey of life contained in Ecclesiastes takes on new level of gravity. A soul that fears God and keeps His commandments is a healthy soul.

A Discerning Heart

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.

Proverbs 18:15

I love to learn. I have enjoyed reading since I was a small child. I’m thankful for my appetite to acquire knowledge. That may be why this Proverb grabbed my attention. For a short Proverb, this little verse packs a powerful punch. It’s a great reminder to me. Take care of your heart! After all, a healthy heart is a catalyst for acquiring knowledge. Cultivating a discerning heart is an intentional process. God has created us with a heart with the capacity to do “good” or “evil”. Even my pursuit of knowledge can be tainted with selfishness. As I have revisited the wisdom of the Proverbs, I have come to recognize the relationship between an understanding heart and my respect and reverence for God. The repeated reminders in Proverbs are helpful. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. That recognition connects my “heart” with my “ears”. How do ears “seek” out knowledge? I think the Proverbs help us understand that ears that seek wisdom and knowledge are attached to a person with a heart that belongs to God and a willingness to listen to God above all else.