God is Not a Tame Lion

My family and I visited Custer State Park in South Dakota a few years ago.  It is located in the Black Hills, and the beauty of this natural landscape permeated each day of our trip.  Although the tourists had come out in full force to join us, we often found a spot here and there on our trip when it seemed to be just us and God's sprawling landscape.  It was truly a sight to behold.  

Custer Park contains one stretch of highway called the Wildlife Loop.  It is just what it claims to be: hundreds of acres of land dotted here and there with wild horses and bison.  As we traveled down this small highway, I could feel the anticipation from my family.  

"Would we see any wild buffalo today?" they commented from time to time.  As it happens, we were just about to give up after going around several more curves without seeing anything.  And then it happened.  Our SUV pulled over one last hill and we had to come to a quick stop - there were at least a hundred buffalo herded together across the road.  Cars were stopped all along the shoulder to take photos.  

I began to get nervous as one large bull crossed in front of us and started licking the hood of the vehicle a few car lengths away!  A mother and her calf came close enough to my daughter's side of the car that she could have reached out and touched it.  I motioned to her to roll up the window quickly.  For some reason the button didn't work right away, so for a few seconds I began to sweat as the calf came closer and the window stayed down.  "When would it's mother decide to step in and protect her baby," I thought to myself.  Finally, the button worked and the window came up.  Not long afterward, the herd thinned out, and we continued down the road and on our way.  

It didn't occur to me until later, a flimsy car window would have been no match for a charging buffalo anyway.  Although everything went well that day at the park, I'm willing to bet that from time to time, a tourist gets into trouble quickly.  It isn't a petting zoo.  Maybe people decide to feed the animals, or simply get too close.  Whatever the reason may be, it is by and large, an illusion of safety for those who visit the Wildlife Loop on any given day.  

When we shift to discuss spiritual matters, I find that many churches often talk very freely and comfortably about God.  In fact, maybe from time to time, we get a little too comfortable with Him.  This is easy to do, especially sitting inside of a nice, climate-controlled church building.  We tend to think that God must certainly see the world the same way we do.  But we don't know what it was like to be Moses up on Mt. Sinai as the Lord spoke to him in claps of thunder.  We will never know what it was like to be one of the Israelites who witnessed the parting of the Red Sea.  

Those stories have grown into comfortable children’s' fables and vacation Bible lessons.  But the fact remains they really happened, and so did other stories like them.  They depict God as mighty and Holy, and not someone you want to mess around with necessarily.

In the Narnia book series, author C.S. Lewis invents a protagonist named Aslan the Lion.  It is a direct connection to Jesus of Nazareth, couched ingeniously into a kid's novel.  In the books, Aslan is often seen protecting little Lucy, Edmund, and Susan from the clutches of the evil ice queen.  At one point in the book, Susan asks Mr. Beaver if Aslan is "safe" to hang around with.  Mr. Beaver replies by telling her, "Of course he isn't safe, but he is good.  He isn't a tame lion."

Lewis' implication here is that Jesus is good and he is loving, but we must come to him humbly and with awe.  God is sovereign above all things, and that includes us.  We cannot compartmentalize Him away into some kind of comfortable, fun uncle - any more than we can really control the weather.  It is God's Universe, we just live in it.

Jesus bridges the sin gap that exists between us and God.  Indeed, the Bible mentions elsewhere that to fall into the hands of the living God can be a fearful thing (at least without the covering and the blood of Christ).  Atonement is necessary in order for us to commune properly with God the Father.  Trusting Jesus in that way, allows the removal of barriers between an imperfect people and a Holy God. That is why we are “safe” with Jesus as our Lord. 

From time to time, my job as pastor required me to say unpopular things based on how I interpret the Scriptures.  Things that were often counter-cultural and politically incorrect.  When I needed to prepare something that I knew may draw rebuke from people, my mind went back to the command from James chapter 3, verse 1.  It says, "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."  

If I know what the Bible says, I need to preach it in just the same way ... I dare not test the Lord on this matter.  He is just and He is good, but He is not a tame lion.  It’s best I think, not to get too comfortable when it comes to the being who created everything.  Even better to trust in His son Jesus, who sacrificed himself such that we can have eternal salvation.  Now stop being comfortable, and start spreading the Gospel message.   

 

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When God Waves Back: A Christmas Story

Years ago, I remember attending my children's school Christmas music program.  At the time, I had two children in grade school and one hovering dangerously close to young adulthood.  They have all been a blessing to me, and I was looking forward to this event quite a bit.  As hundreds of us parents made our way into the crowded school gymnasium, I couldn't help but feel the joy and anticipation in the air.  We were lucky to find a place to sit on the high rise bleachers; it was a full house.  

A hush fell over the audience as the students began to file through the hallway and into the gym.  Dozens of parents extended their hands high, holding cell phones equipped with state-of-the-art cameras.  I did the same.  We must have looked like a sea of news reporters at a CNN conference where the president was about to come on stage.  Once situated on the risers, almost every child began scanning the crowd for familiar faces.  Looking for your parents and grandparents is standard fare at these events, and every kid is programmed to do this I think.  My youngest spotted me before I even saw him.  When I finally locked eyes, he raised his arm and began the ceremonial "Hello" wave.  I waved back, thus sealing our unwritten contract.

I have a feeling that deep down, no matter how old we are or where we come from, we all scan the audience from time to time, looking for a familiar face.  Why do we do this?  It is possible we need some type of recognition at our job, or maybe we need to be noticed by our peers.  Sometimes we may simply be double-checking that we matter enough for people to come out and watch while we go through life.  

I believe it’s a truism to say that most of us are seeking something or someone to wave at.  A familiar face in a crowded gymnasium if you will.  The reason we scan the crowd doesn't matter so much as the fact that we are born seeking after meaning in this life.  I was blessed also to have a Cub Scout den that knew this, and we put one of my boys through a 'God and Me' study unit years ago.  They were discussing John 3:16 and the boys were supposed to write what this phrase meant to them personally.  Many of us know this Scripture by heart: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  It is a familiar verse, but it is an important one.  

I looked over to see what my son had chosen to write.  This is what he said: "To help everyone who's being bullied.  And to make God feel happy."  This is an eight-year-old's stylistic interpretation of the famous verse in the Gospel of John.  I chuckled to myself when I read it.  If the concept of sin can be equated to being bullied, then he's nailed it!  But more than that, isn't John 3:16 an example of God acknowledging us?  It feels like He is waving back at us from the parent section in Heaven.  "I am here," He might say ... "and I love you."

Are we waving back at Him?  I sincerely hope so.  If the Bible is a novel about Salvation, then the Gospels are a love story.  They present us with a Father who attends all of our music programs and sits in the front row.  Who laughs when we laugh, and cries when we cry.  He waits patiently for us to find him in the parent section, and then waves when our eyes meet his.  He stays late after everyone has filed out of the gymnasium, and cares enough to pick up a copy of the playbill to post on the refrigerator door when He gets home.  It will remain there long after the Christmas concert is over.  

The children in our Cub Scout den had absorbed these Scriptural truths quickly.  They had wonderful, pure hearts.  We read things like John 3:16 out loud during the meetings.  They seemed to understand it inherently.  My hope is that we do also, and that we never stop scanning the parent section for God.  Always ready to wave back as soon as we lock eyes.  This is the type of Christmas holiday I wish for you.  One where we remember that the story of the baby in the manger equates to our personal lives in a very special way.  Maybe after you are done opening presents on Christmas morning, it might be time to recite some Scripture also.  How about John 3:16? 

 

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Essays for God by Jon Klaus

I'm excited to announce my new book Essays for God: An Anthology of Christian Writing by Jon Klaus.  It will be available on Amazon, Lulu, and Barnes & Noble.  Order your copy today!

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Our Current Spiritual Landscape

Our spiritual landscape is changing.  You can feel it in the air, and see it in people’s faces.  Our hearts are being hardened.  What was once familiar and comfortable, is rapidly starting to change and transform into something different.  This new landscape isn’t all negative by the way, God is still showing up today.  People are experiencing an awakening in many respects, due to the fact that we are now being forced to examine what we really believe.  The stakes are high.  In fact, I’ve never been more certain that belief directly impacts behavior.  What we once laughed off ten years ago, we may now find deeply offensive, and often this is the result of someone acting out what they deeply believe (it just so happens to be different than what we believe).  There has never been more of a need to both stand up for what we believe as Biblical Christians, as well as to extend grace to those who don’t espouse the same ideas we do.  The next few years will solidify what role the church will play in our ever-changing political and social climate. 

I often find myself repeating the mantra: “Give God an audience first, before you make up your mind about something.”  Take the time to read what the Bible actually says, prior to forming strong beliefs on certain hot button cultural issues.  Are we taking time to listen to Scripture, or are we collecting our beliefs based mainly on slogans or emotions?  When most people witness change occurring around them at a faster rate than they are comfortable with, the knee-jerk reaction is to resist.  Sometimes this is good, in the sense that we must cling to Jesus and the Gospel message no matter what.  But sometimes resistance to change can also be detrimental, such as when we stop ourselves from keeping an open mind and listening to other people’s thoughts and concerns.   

Our words have deep meaning and consequences.  I hear a lot of a priori arguments being made lately.  This term simply means that people hold to a belief that they consider to be true from the beginning, without necessarily backing it up with empirical data or evidence.  For example, we might conclude that a certain person or group of people are automatically ‘Godless’ or foolish, because they don’t hold the same core belief that we do.  Without ever really finding out what they think or believe; we simply categorize them immediately. 

I think this often leads to comments or arguments that begin with the statement ‘Can you believe how ignorant so and so is?’  We may be postulating the a priori view that what we hold as true, must intrinsically be true for everyone else, and we don’t need to look any further for evidence which may contradict what we already think.  This is a safe place to be philosophically, because it allows us to think that we are always right.  It’s a dangerous place to spend too much time though, because it doesn’t allow for adaptation or growth.  If our spiritual landscape is indeed changing, then we can choose to look at it from the perspective of listening to these groups we don’t agree with first, and then waiting for ways to interject God’s truth into the conversation once an opportunity avails itself.  It is this patient approach that is needed today.  It’s hard to evangelize while we are being defensive. 

Christian author and philosopher Greg Koukl is fond of saying that most people aren’t used to having their foundational core beliefs challenged, so when that happens, they react with anger and vitriol.  The conversation typically stops there altogether, or simply turns into more of a debate.  Both of these scenarios do not lend themselves well to changing hearts for Jesus. 

We need not compromise our Christian morals or values, but the current landscape seems to demand a different strategy for evangelism: listen first, speak second, and love regardless.  James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”  In this fashion, I believe we can win the person to Christ, even if we lose the argument.  We can plant the seed of Christian truth, and then step back and let God do the watering. 

 

 

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God's House of Grace

The longer I live, the more I see the necessity for grace.  Not just the need for us to show pardon to each other, but also the various ways in which God's grace works within our personal lives each day.  I see God's hand in the lakes and ponds around the county, in the sky on a placid summer day, in the woods, and most certainly in ourselves.  As author C.S. Lewis once said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."  And God's grace must surely be among the things we see by the light of Christ.  

According to Wesleyan tradition, there are three kinds of grace.  The first of these is something known as Prevenient grace.  This is the type of God's presence that engulfs us from the very beginning, surrounding us even when we don't realize that we need Him.  It is something that is freely given from the Father, without an expectation that it will be reciprocated.  The way I tend to think of this concept is that it exemplifies a situation where we need help, and God provides.

The second type is called Justifying grace.  This is where we get help.  It is that action from God which allows for the pardon of sin.  It is at this point we are confronted with a choice I think - do we choose to follow God and accept Jesus, or not?  We have the ability to ignore or respond at this point.  If we are wise and accept the gift  Jesus is offering, our sins are nullified, and we have the assurance of salvation and life everlasting.  

The third type of grace is Sanctifying grace.  This is where we are able to give help.  I tend to think of sanctification as a process which extends over a lifetime.  It is that time frame where God works on us in little ways here and there in order to make us more holy, just like Christ.  It is sometimes a painful process (like when we must actively repent from the hold that sin has on our life).  But it is often a great joy also, as it allows for opportunities where we can use the things that God has done in our lives to help edify and build up other people.  God saved us, now we work to help move others toward an understanding of the Gospel message.  This is no small thing.

I have often heard where people have compared these three types of grace to a house.  The front porch of the house is where a person first arrives.  They may choose to stay on the porch, or to gather up the courage to actually knock on the front door.  You made it this far, right?  Might as well knock.  This is Prevenient grace in action.

The foyer of the house is analogous to a person coming inside to stay a while.  Salutations have been exchanged between the visitor and the homeowner at this point, and it is time to come inside and take your jacket off.  There may be a coat rack, or even a comfortable bench perhaps.  The point is that we made the choice to enter, and the owner has accepted us inside.  Now the real learning can begin.  This is justifying grace.

Finally, as we are given a tour of the house, the new arrival is subject to Sanctifying grace.  Full access has been granted, and we may roam freely.  In this manner we get to know the floor plan really well.  The furniture, the window treatments ... all become familiar territory.  And then the really good news strikes us: if we want, we may seek to invite other people into God’s house as well.  If we are courageous enough in fact, we will ask them to stay a while.  This is Sanctifying grace in action.

As you can imagine, God's spiritual house in this story is well built.  A large open front porch, a spacious entry way and foyer, followed by several master bedrooms and a large living area and kitchen.  It has central heating and cooling of course ... no window air conditioners or space heaters for God's dwelling place.  But if we decide not to enter, we may find ourselves back in a dilapidated one room studio apartment in no time.  Cold showers and backed up plumbing will be the order of the day.  Hopefully we are invited back to the large house again, and the sooner the better!

It seems then, that God is interested in us responding to His grace very much.  No one stays 'lost' unless they want to.  No one simply loiters on the front porch forever, or stays content shouting through a backyard window unless they choose to be there.  God invites us in, and we had better seriously consider obeying that request.

We have the freewill to choose otherwise, of that I'm sure.  We humans are often a bit silly, and full of pride.  We act in peculiar ways.  At times, if it were up to us, I think we would rather run things ourselves.  To stay outside on the front lawn instead of coming inside.  In fact, I think we tried that once; I remember an ancient story about a garden, a serpent, and two disobedient people deciding to do something similar.  Look how things turned out for them.  Better to go inside God’s house I think - don't you?

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Living with The Gospel Effect

 The Gospel message about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is just as important now as it was two-thousand years ago.  During this time of uncertainty in the world, I have learned a couple of things.  First, people need each other.  No matter how technologically advanced we get, we still have a deep desire to be in relationship  with others.  I have also noticed that trials and difficult times really do build character, and can also be redeemed by God for our spiritual growth.  Keeping both of these things in mind, the idea of the 'Gospel Effect' (the notion of the work that Jesus does in our hearts and minds) has become paramount.  

When I was younger, I worked countless part time jobs.  I started working in a grocery store when I was fourteen, and I've been working ever since.  As such, I've had the opportunity to work with a variety of people and personality types over the years.  I will never forget one young man in particular.  Bill and I worked together at a video store.  Week after week, we shared time in the trenches together, helping hundreds of people rent movies (you wouldn't believe how crowded those little stores would get on the weekends).  I remember him as being very secular-minded, and constantly on the go.  No time for church, but rather, it was on to this tournament or that event.  He was always busy; always moving.

I had lost track of Bill over the years, until one day I saw him at a local supermarket buying groceries.  We were both adults at this point.  We were a little older, and maybe a little wiser.  We talked for about half an hour.  He spoke about teaching an Alpha class, which is a series of Christian seminars typically hosted by churches.  Bill spoke also about the love of Jesus Christ, and the effect it had on him.  I could hardly believe my ears.  Not because he wasn't worthy of a Godly life, but because it was a night and day difference.  If you had placed the Bill of today in a room with the Bill of twenty years ago ... there would be two very different portraits.  The Gospel had changed him.  God had redeemed his soul and transformed his heart.

So, I want to talk about a particular story relating to transformed hearts.  It is often known as the Parable of the Leaven.  This teaching from Jesus occurs both in the book of Matthew and the book of Luke.  It is very short, but as you can probably guess, also very profound.  Matthew 13:33 says, "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."

From this concept, I believe we can take away two points in particular.  First, much like leaven (or yeast), the kingdom of heaven can take some time to develop and mature.  We ought not apply today's fast paced, technology driven lifestyle to the Gospel Effect.  Not always anyway.  When the Spirit of God begins a work in us, it often starts slowly and might be barely noticeable at first.  Maybe my friend Bill was aware of how God was changing his heart over time, but maybe not.  Most certainly his wife noticed, not to mention the change I saw in him that day at the store.  

Second, I believe we can take from this teaching that the kingdom of heaven starts from the inside and works its way outward.  Like leaven that permeates through an entire package of dough, Jesus begins working inside of a person's heart and mind.  The changes are often not obvious from other people's perspective, until the overflow of God's love begins to come out of that individual through the words they speak and the things they do.  At the end of that twenty-year time period, Bill's born again heart was very prevalent to me.  God had started a work in him years ago, and now he was teaching Christian classes himself!  Leaven may start small, but the end result is irrefutable.  

We are sometimes impatient with God, aren't we?  Instead of waiting for the dough to rise, we might decide that a trip to the fast-food restaurant is a better idea.  We drive up to the window, hand our money to the employee, and off we go with a bag full of junk food.  Quick, easy, and also not very good for us.  

By contrast, if we wait on God and allow the leaven time to work through the dough, the end result is impressive (and much better for us than spiritual junk food).  It goes without saying then, that God probably has to wait on us a good portion of the time also.  The Bible says He is infinitely patient with Israel, and with us as well.  And if we stop to think about things for just a moment, we can see how true this is.  How many times have you and I failed to meet God's holy law?  More than a few times I would suspect.  If you disagree, stop reading this immediately and turn to the ten commandments in the Old Testament.  Go down the list with each one, and apply it to your own life.  Humbling, isn't it?

Little doubt that God is the very embodiment of patience and love.  I often see this truth wherever I look.  My advice is this: allow God's Holy Spirit to make little in-roads into your life.  Give this Gospel Effect time to take hold, and work in you from the inside out.  Who cares if other people around you notice a change immediately or not.  Your sanctification walk is between you and the Creator.  Revel in that intimate time together with God; Jesus died on the cross so that you could have it.  So don't waste it.  

Sooner or later, those around you will notice the end result.  You will have your own supermarket meeting epiphany, just like Bill and I.  

 

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Jon Klaus Testimony

I was blessed to give my faith testimony last week on our church podcast.  Click the link below to listen:

 Jon Klaus Testimony

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Are Modern Day Prophets Real

Who are we listening to when it comes to ingesting spiritual truth?  It's an important question, and an issue that has a lot to do with discernment.  I want to begin by quoting Scripture from the book of Hebrews.  Chapter 1:1-2 says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe."   

We know from the books of the Old Testament that God did reveal Himself and His instructions to the minor and major prophets of the time.  Take for example the books of Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jonah.  All of these historical accounts contain depictions of the Lord informing His followers what to do in order to stay connected to Himself.  Most of the time, the stories follow an arc that goes something like this: God warns Israel to repent or face judgement, Israel may or may not listen, and then God follows through.  It's a lot like how a loving parent disciplines their child.  Sometimes the kids listen, but often they don't.  When the Israelites did listen, God relented from the chastisement.  When they didn't ... punishment eventually followed.  

In the later days, Jesus became the vehicle for God's atonement and grace.  We know the story well.  Christ endured horrific punishment, died for our sins on the cross, and then rose again to bridge the gap between a sinful people and a Holy being.  This offer of love and forgiveness still stands today.  

Notice what Hebrews says in particular - Christ serves as God's mouthpiece for us today.  Where God spoke through prophets in the past, He later sent His son to grant us revelation through the recorded parables of the Bible.  This is what we read today, and what we discuss in churches two-thousand years later.  It's quite an amazing feat, I must confess my amazement every time I think about it.  A narrative written so seamlessly over the span of thousands of years; and it all flows together so well.  

Now please understand that I am not a cessationist.  In other words, I do not believe that all supernatural miracles and events ended with Jesus and the apostles, never to occur again.  I think that through prayer and fasting, God heals people and grants miracles even today.  Scripture says that believers will go on to do "even greater things" in the eras following the Resurrection.  

But I do want to offer a warning for Christians in the present time.  Our current technology has made it increasingly convenient to spread ideas and discuss important concepts.  Religious discussions are no different.  Most of the time, I'm fully on board with this reality.  The Internet is a great way to bridge the generational gap, as well as transcend the physical boundaries of geography.  But it also allows for a new fad that I refer to as the Modern Day Prophet.  Essentially, this is a group of people on YouTube or some other facet of the Internet, who set themselves up as God's mouthpieces.  They provide hours and hours of instruction and guidance to a multitude of vulnerable listeners.  But it remains to be seen whether or not it is good guidance.  Often it isn't.  

You will hear them say things like, "The Lord spoke to me in a dream last night, and this is what He wants us to do."  Or perhaps something such as, "God showed me what is going to happen next month."  The wording can differ, but you get the idea.  

The consequences are real for following false prophets and false teachers.  Many have lost their retirement savings as a result of listening to these people.  And some have even lost their lives.  

I believe that this is where we need to be really careful, and listen with ears to hear.  Jesus is God come in the flesh, for whom it has been appointed heir of all things (the Alpha and the Omega).  His red letter words in the Bible are the ones we need to be listening to on a regular basis.  This isn't to say that people today cannot be in spiritual communion with the Lord, or that they never have legitimate visions - but when they claim to be speaking on behalf of God, things can become problematic quickly.  

Remember also that Scripture says if a self-proclaimed prophet gets even one prediction incorrect, then they aren't a prophet of God.  This is common when it comes to the so-called modern prophets of our day.  They tend to excuse or explain away situations where whatever it is they predicted didn't come to pass.  It happens with such frequency that it is almost laughable.  This means that they are playing a different kind of game, one in which good people can be led astray.  Instead, turn your time and attention toward the Bible and Godly pastors who are willing to preach the truth.  This type of spiritual leader is becoming more and more rare, so if you find one, hang on to them for dear life.  Our salvation can depend on it.    

Elsewhere in Hebrews it says, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."  Many Bible scholars refer to this passage - and many like it - as a  foreshadowing of the Messiah.  In the same way that this specific order of priesthood was eternal, so Jesus is the eternal savior.  If he can save someone back then - he can save you and I today.  It's a promise that never expires.  

It is always better to seek counsel through Scripture than through one of the  talking heads on television or YouTube.  Things tend to go better that way for everyone involved.  

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"Hell is tolerant, they take everyone. Heaven isn't, you need Jesus to get in."

- Mark Driscoll

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God's Suffering Servant

We are no stranger to the notion of suffering.  As I write this, our generation has come out the other side of a worldwide pandemic, we are standing precariously close to the possibility of a third world war, and natural disasters continue to strike our country regularly.  I think it would be safe to say in general, that we are beginning to lose any false sense of security.  You know what I mean; that little voice in your head that says things like, "that stuff only happens to other people in other countries."  They do happen to us, and in our own country as well.  So the time has come to grapple with the reality of suffering, at least from a Biblical sense.  I say a Biblical sense, because this subject so often lends itself to asking the tough question, "why do bad things happen to good people?"  Let's tackle the issue right here and now.

I won't spend too much time on the nuts and bolts theological explanation of suffering.  I believe that the Bible has  clearly laid out the story of how sin entered into an otherwise perfect Garden of Eden.  Once man decided to disobey God all those thousands of years ago, subsequent populations have had to struggle with famines, illness, and death.  Life wasn't originally meant to be this way, but we sinned through Adam and Eve, and now we exist in the aftermath of that rift.  

In addition to this spiritual argument, we also have at our disposal the book of Job in the Bible.  I find this to be far more compelling in it's treatment of the human condition.  Namely, because God actually answers Job at the very end of the book.  What an incredible sneak peek we have from our Lord regarding how and why human beings go through trials and difficulty!  Not so much from an immediate gratification perspective, but more so from the standpoint that a good and holy God would even take the time to answer us at all.  

As some of you know, Job was stricken with all manner of calamity during his life.  Scripture says that he was covered with sores, and that he lost livestock and even his family.  At one point, Job's wife implores him to "just give up, curse God, and die" (Job 2:9).  I would imagine that was quite the dinner table conversation.  Throughout the book, Job pleads with God for answers.  He essentially makes the argument that since he is a righteous man, he therefore doesn't deserve to be punished or to suffer.  Job's friends give him some really rotten advice, except for Elihu, who actually seems to defend God rather than blame Job.  

Job makes a handful of proclamations regarding his terrible situation.  Often, he simply laments because he doesn't have anyone on his side.  There seems to be no one who can advise him clearly, or who can suffer with him.  And here lies the real thrust of my point.  Jesus is in fact our representative before God.  He was God's suffering servant, and the only person ever to have walked the Earth who was holy enough to offer himself as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).  This is exactly what Job was hoping for.  The future Messiah was exactly the type of consoling friend that Job had longed for from God.  He didn't know it at the time, but mankind's atonement for sin was slated to enter onto the global stage a couple thousand years later.  Who would have suspected that a carpenter from Nazareth could change the course of human history?  

As we read the different ways in which the book of Job foreshadowed the coming of Christ, keep in mind that this account was written two-thousand years before  Jesus was born.  In fact, some say it is the oldest book in the Bible.  

Job 9:32-34 says, "He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.  If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more."  Tell me this doesn't sound like a plea for the atonement and the covering of Jesus.  The perfect penitent, ready to sacrifice himself for our sins.  

Job 17:3 says further, "Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.  Who else will put up security for me?"  In the New Testament, we are in fact introduced to the idea that no one is holy or righteous enough to meet God's pledge head on.  We do in fact need an intermediary to fill in for us instead.  Christ alone puts up "security" for us in God's eyes.  This is the only reason that Christians today can approach the throne of God boldly in prayer and supplication.  

While this foreshadowing is fascinating in it's own rite, what I think is more applicable for us today is the fact that only through God's suffering servant, can we have any kind of peace.  God eventually answers Job and his friends at the end of the story, but what He says isn't necessarily comforting.  The Lord reminds them that they are not God, and only the real God is sovereign and righteous.  Essentially telling them, "Who are you to judge me and tell me that you shouldn't ever suffer?"  Point taken; we are not God.  

But we also need to remember that He knows our pain and our struggles on a personal level.  Jesus is one part of the Holy Trinity - he is God's son.  So in effect, we have a savior that knows what it's like to struggle, feel physical pain, and be humiliated.  Re-read the account of his crucifixion if you need to.  My point is simply that our God is no stranger to illness and death.  He is not aloof or uncaring, as some have described Him to be in the past.  When we cry, so does God. And when we feel joy, so does He.  

And some day, if we are saved and have taken Jesus up on his offer to accept the grace of salvation - we may finally get specific answers to our questions about suffering.  But at that point, I suspect it will no longer matter.  Because we will be in the presence of His true love and perfect grace.  As Scripture says, "No eye has seen what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor 2:9).  And He does love us.  

So be at peace, even if it's impossible to do so in the human sense.  We have a God that has suffered on our behalf, so that someday we won't have to.  Until that time, get on with living, so that you can help other people know and understand God's love.  Doing so may just help you heal as well.  Sacrificial love has a way of doing that.    

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Listening for God's Truth

It is so very, very easy to become distracted in our culture today.  We often spend much of our time going back and forth to activities for our children (or grandchildren).  We spend time trying to keep up with the Joneses, keeping our house clean, trying to be a good employee, etc.  It is no wonder that many of us don't have much time leftover to delve into spiritual things or Biblical truth.  In fact, I think it is much easier to come home after a long day and drop into bed exhausted, relieved just to be home.  We can wait until Sunday morning to hear about God; or so we think. 

I will always remember one evening in particular; a memory that sticks out in my mind so much that I enjoy recounting the story to this day.  I was at a function organized for some of the children in the community out at the local country club.  It was set up in order recognize achievement - and they always had a free meal.  Parents would bring with them loads of food and plenty of desserts.  This particular evening was no different, there were tables of treats as far as the eye could see.

It was also not uncommon at these events for the parents and caretakers of the children to be distracted for short periods of time, often helping with the food and the event itself.  Out of the corner of my eye I noticed one young child walking back to his assigned table with a full plate and a beverage.  This is normal at a banquet of course, but as I took a closer look, I noticed that his plate was stacked high with donuts, brownies, and cookies.  I had to sit down because I started laughing so hard.  It was evident that mom and dad were not paying close attention.  The young man saw his chance at culinary freedom, and loaded his plate accordingly with whatever he wanted.  I can't imagine the sugar rush that must have transpired shortly thereafter.

As we all know, donuts and brownies taste good, but they aren't good for us.  Quite the opposite in fact.  The trade-off for our momentary joy is usually a feeling of fatigue that soon kicks in, and another four-hundred or so calories that stick to our bodies.  The rush is short lived - not to mention the feeling of guilt that rears its ugly head later.

And I believe it can happen just the same way when we turn the discussion toward spiritual things.  When we are tired or distracted, it is easy for the bad things to sneak onto our plates.  It is easy to put God and the Bible fairly low in our daily hierarchy, isn't it?  After all, many of us are on the go from the moment we get out of bed to the time we cash it in for the night.  It is only natural that our plates are full of junk food.  We've no time for anything else.  But is this really true?

We load up with a quick bit of political correctness here, maybe a dab of lukewarm spirituality there.  But nothing that will give our souls the protein we need in order to stay healthy and fit.  Instead, we often ingest things that give us a quick rush of satisfaction, followed by fatigue and unnecessary calories.

I think it is important to ask the question, “Are we taking time to listen for God’s truth?”  And it is a good idea to ask it of ourselves at every step throughout our lives.  Are we really listening?  We have only a short time here on this planet.  Are we filling that time with spiritual truths from God, or with worldly wisdom that sounds good at the time, but doesn't really keep us full?

Author and philosopher C.S. Lewis once wrote that human beings are built to run only on God, and nothing else.  He goes on to say further, that all of human history is the long, terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.  There is a lot of truth to this statement, especially when we see so many people settling for pseudo-spirituality and half-truths.  Is a culture where we deny our own gender, redefine marriage, and put our freedoms ahead of unborn children really what God would endorse?  It’s something to think about. 

So what is the answer to this dilemma?  I believe the solution is literally at our fingertips - recorded in the actions and words of Jesus himself.  God has generously related them to us in the pages of the Bible.  We must keep digging into what Christ said and did.  We must bring our full intellect - with all of our doubt and certainty, joys and struggles - to an understanding of Scripture.  Watching the news media won't get us there.  Reading and studying only secular writing and philosophy isn't enough either.  We must begin to fill our “dinner plate” with the right food, and the sooner the better.  With the correct spiritual diet, I am betting the distractions will slow down.  Maybe they will even transition from a loud roar for our attention, to a small trickle as we begin to allow God into our busy lives.

I wonder about that little boy and his heaping plate of treats from time to time.  It brings a smile to my face whenever I think about it.  I am sure that at some point, mom and dad probably noticed what had happened.  They most likely took it upon themselves to admonish and correct the young man.  If we are lucky, God will do the same for us.  It is no good sitting down to a meal with the wrong type of food.  Fortunately for you and me however, there is usually a grocery store with a fresh produce section just around the corner.  If we listen to our bodies closely enough, we will know when it's time to change our diet.  That time is probably as soon as possible. 

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