trusting God

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh
and a refreshment for your body.

Proverbs 3:5-8; NRSVue

A mentor and good friend, my senior in more ways than one often tells me something like, “Trust God,” although the way he expresses it seems better than just that. The words you hope go deep down into your soul, your very being, and change you, a likely gradual change with many fits and starts, steps forward and a step or two back. It seems to us as humans that life is up to us. We either make it work or not, do the right thing or fail to do it. But the wisdom of Proverbs has a different take on this.

First, the necessity of a wholehearted, unreserved trust in God. Well, what are we going to get perfect in this life (or I wonder myself, in any life, for that matter)? We should never look for some kind of perfection in trying to “trust and obey.” It should be a commitment. Something like, “God, I really don’t get this well. It doesn’t jive with my experience. But I’m committed to it, entirely so, as much as I know how, only through your grace and help.” Something like that.

The next word is just as important, because when push comes to shove, we just naturally go to our default. We’re not to lean or rely on our own insight. It seems like some serious unlearning is likely in play here for most of us. I will grant exceptions, like in the case of my wife, who has the most wonderful, childlike (not childish) faith in God. For whatever reasons, although I think I’ve made significant progress, I still struggle in my faith. I like to understand just how things work and lacking that, I find it hard to trust. It seems to me that I have to accept that there’s something of mystery, mysticism, just not being able to grasp exactly all that is at play here, God’s ways, so that I have to trust both the process and outcome that is in God’s hands, and that, in spite of the inevitable mistakes I’ll make along the way.

Next is the word that we’re to, in my words, look to God in all of our circumstances, with the promise that God will make straight our paths. The NET footnote (verse 6) is helpful here. I think the NIV and NLT are also helpful here.

in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:6; NIV

Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:6; NLT

Acknowledging God means to depend on, trust in, and be obedient/submissive to. I like the idea in the NLT of seeking God’s will in all we do, but I admit, I’m a bit skeptical of the rendering suggesting that God will show us which path to take. Maybe that is the case in the sense that as we apply wisdom, we can make a good, reasonable decision at that moment in time, the process not free from trial and error, and never infallible. And as it says elsewhere in Proverbs (11:14; 15:22), not apart from the wise counsel of others. At the very least, God will honor our full commitment to trust and obey God, insofar as we understand that.

The final word here is to not be wise in our own eyes, but to fear God and turn away from evil, with the promise that as we do so, we will be refreshed in body and spirit. I do experience something of this, even if not as much as I should, due to my all too often weak faith. No matter what hangs over my head, or what lies ahead, I can find something of God’s rest.

As my brother, friend and mentor keeps reminding me, “Trust God.” Yes, it may seem trite, something many of us have heard in some form or another since our childhood days in Sunday School. But it can make a world of difference, the difference we definitely need.

avoiding burnout (in for the long haul)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2; NRSVue

I’m a morning person and ordinarily get tired by evening, frayed at the edges, ready to turn in. They say in my own way of expressing it, that the brain wears down by the end of the day, and with proper rest is rejuvenated at the start of a new day. That lines up with my own experience, how I feel, though I enjoy evenings when I feel quite well. Ironically, I can wake up after the night’s sleep after that, and not feel well. Exceptions to the rule.

There’s no doubt that the wear and tear of a day and of a lifetime can make a difference we don’t want. And we read about burnout in all kinds of vocations. The demands, difficulties, disappointments, discouragement and more pile up and we can feel pressed down under it all.

There’s no greater or we can say more challenging call than that of following Jesus. If we think it’s just an individual call to us, then that makes it not only all the more challenging, but next to impossible. There might be exceptions dues to extreme situations, but we were never meant to live this life alone. With the good, that has been one of the not good, even great curses of the Enlightenment modernistic heritage we have inherited as westerners and Americans, the overemphasis on individualistic autonomy and freedom. No, we’re not meant to pull up our bootstraps and make it on our own. We need others, we need each other along the way, a community. And this is no less true “in Christ” in which we live as Christ’s body in the world, each part having their function and calling, but not independent of the whole.

The writer to the Hebrews expresses our life together in terms of a marathon race. It’s not a sprint, although there may be those instances when we need to run hard. But it’s more like a well-paced, wise, thoughtful run in which we take the long view. We’re in this life of faith for the long haul, so we have to “run” accordingly. That means we’re going to have to look to Jesus, eyes fixed on him, get rid of what weighs us down and the sin which is never far from us, and keep on keeping on. Day after day, hour after hour, even minute after minute.

We want to do those things which are helpful to us in this. I listen a lot to classical music, which is just something I’m used to after doing so for many years. My wife and I go on daily walks (when the weather permits). We enjoy nature and special places (not enough, the latter). I enjoy coffee in the morning. And just to be in Scripture in all simplicity, for some time now returning again and again to the book of James. And in most simple prayer.

My own goal is to get better at this. I think I am doing better than in the past, though most of that is in the awareness that yes, I need to slow down, do this in community in Jesus, and keep on doing the very basics required to run this marathon well. Still learning and grateful to be doing so. With a good wife fully committed to this, also.

faith, in the real world

Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity.

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:8, 13-14; NRSVue

Yesterday I talked about Peter walking on the water. Our pastor mentioned how that Matthew passage has been an encouragement for her to step out of her comfort zone, a helpful thought in applying that Scripture passage. I wonder in the story how Peter must have felt afterwards. But living with Jesus during that time was astonishing. Peter had tried, had stepped out of the boat onto the water like his Master, but ultimately failed because he took his eyes off Jesus. That can teach us both possibilities and humility. But above all, faith. Keep looking to Jesus no matter what else. If you look squarely at the “what else” and no longer at Jesus, you won’t make it. I would like the idea of straddling the fence so to speak, looking at both. After all, you have to deal with the real world, fair enough? The entire book of Ecclesiastes is about that.

But straddling the fence has the idea of holding on to your options, of not being committed to going either way. It seems like Peter’s full attention was to be directed to the Lord, and if he gave even so brief a moment to the turbulent waters, that focus would be gone and with it his faith.

I don’t know. I wish I had a better answer on this. But I do write out of a commitment to Christ and Scripture as God’s Word along with the apt word spoken or given in season as God’s Word. And I also write out of experience. That’s where we live, not sitting by a desk cramming our head with facts. I am like many, I want to solve the problem, and I want to do so now. I don’t think that’s necessarily bad in and of itself except perhaps for the wish to get it done right away, but the issue here which I’m concerned about is an issue of faith. There may be many problem solvers in the world, but there doesn’t seem to be that many Christ-followers.

Ecclesiastes as a whole does take a rather dour look at life. After examining all of life “under the sun,” the verdict is that it’s all vanity, fleeting, meaningless. But at the same time, the Teacher says, it seems to have its place, a time for everything, but not to be taken with any ultimate seriousness except as it might impinge on obedience to God. Also, one is to accept the full enjoyment that comes with life. What ends up being ultimate in Ecclesiastes is to fear God and keep God’s commandments in light of God’s judgment to come.

Life is what it is. It has its good, bad, beautiful and ugly. There’s no sense trying to escape, because there actually is no escape from it and suicide is not something that should ever be considered. In the midst of the hard parts, we need to be committed to keeping our eyes on Christ. We should beware thinking that this means we’re escaping the real world and real responsibilities. No, in the midst of it all, God is present to give us the needed wisdom we’re lacking.

So maybe we can settle in on something like this: God is present in Christ to help us in the real world. We’ll just have to make the best decisions we can, steeped in prayer, and in it all, try to keep our full attention on Jesus. Easier said than done, but that seems to me to be an important part of our calling in Christ.

taking one’s eyes off/keeping one’s eyes on Jesus

Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-33; NRSVue

The account of Jesus walking on the water is included in three of the gospels: Matthew, Mark and John. In Matthew, we have the interesting addition of Peter coming to the Lord from the boat to walk on the water himself. Whatever we might make of this, it surely is a teaching tool for our lives, or I am supposing such. If it was possible for Peter, then it’s possible for us.

It had been a busy time: Jesus with the disciples had just fed the five thousand men along with women and children starting with just five loaves of bread and two fishes. Afterwards as he was sending the people away, he directed the disciples to immediately get in a boat on the Sea of Galilee to head to the other side. Then he prayed. Meanwhile a storm hit the lake.

And what does Jesus do? He starts walking on the water, catching up with the disciples who were having a hard time making headway due to the storm. Naturally they were scared, thinking it might be a ghost. But when Jesus called out to them, telling them it was he, Peter spoke up. If it was him, that Jesus should tell Peter to come out to meet him walking on the water. So the Lord told Peter to come.

So Peter gets out of the boat and in boldness walks on the water. Walking toward the Lord, eyes on the Lord. But Peter takes his eyes off the Lord and directs his gaze at the waters on which he is walking and notices how turbulent they are and becomes afraid. And at that moment he begins to sink into the water and cries out to Jesus for help. Jesus grabs him and remonstrates him for his little faith and for doubting. And when they step into the boat, the storm ceases accompanied by the confession of the disciples that Jesus truly is the Son of God. It is one of those wow, miraculous stories in Scripture, but surely it has something to teach us.

True Christianity is a faith commitment to Christ. One is committed by faith and baptism to follow Jesus in the Jesus community. And while it is a group endeavor, it certainly includes each of us as disciples or followers, yes even imitators of Jesus. And always with the caveat that our faith and allegiance is uniquely set on Jesus, to him alone as Lord and Master, Teacher, Instructor, our Savior and the Savior of all.

But why in this story would Jesus walk on the water? That might seem over the top. Christianity is not known to be a walking on the water faith. Not literally, but figuratively there is surely something important for all of us here.

Yes, Jesus is the one who leads and does what he does. And I take it that Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a storm towards his disciples who were struggling in their boat and written down in Matthew’s gospel account is meant for us in our personal and collective lives in Christ.

We come to Christ in faith, intent on following, and we’re inspired at times to take risks, to act boldly. But we learn sooner than later that we have a tendency to fall back into our old ways. We take our eyes off of Christ and look squarely at our circumstances and we’re overcome. Our faith begins to flag, to tank, and we begin to sink into anxiety, fear, or whatever the experience may be.

Life is not a bed of roses, nor a nice quiet calm sea, with maybe some nice waves for surfers. It can be quite unpredictable, stormy. I wonder what the disciples were thinking having been directed by Jesus into the boat only to encounter a storm which must have made them wonder if the Lord knew what he was doing. And right after the feeding of the five thousand! But they were soon to learn something which would become embedded in their hearts and minds for meditation and life.

I still, even after all these years as a Christian do not know how to straddle some of the difficulties and especially some of the enigmas that come my way with a steady faith in Christ. It’s not like I don’t have faith anymore once the bad things hit, but it’s more like I’m too often no longer acting on it. I get my eyes off the Lord and onto circumstances, and I indeed sink and often can’t get out. Unlike Peter, it seems like I’m underwater, somehow sustained by God, but I evidently didn’t even have the faith to cry out to the Lord to save me, to experience his hand in doing so, then to get into the boat and see the storm cease. If I ever get there, maybe I’ll write a book on it, or a chapter in a book.

At least this account gives us a glimpse into what I think is possible for us in this life, not that we’ll get it perfectly. But God is present in Jesus to help us through the great troubles of life in a way which will give testimony to the uniqueness of Jesus as the Son of God and help us, as well as draw others to him.

faith, trusting in God, not a mere, empty platitude

Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-33

Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

John 6:28-29

In the Christian faith, there is something required on our part: faith, trust in God. We find that requirement all throughout scripture, and perhaps especially marked in the New Testament. It is a faith which looks to God, seriously to God, and trusts one’s life and every detail of life to God. And with the distinction in the New Testament to have faith in the one God sent, Christ.

I know for myself that while I basically live in this faith, nevertheless I can find it slippery quite often. Like Peter in the above passage in Matthew, I so easily take my eyes off of the Lord. Only by remaining fixed on Christ can we walk on the waves of life, right through the places where otherwise we would sink, or likely never tread. Or as in the John passage, trying to do the works of God on our own. Not. Not really. What is required of us again is faith, trusting in God.

This is something to enter into and put into practice day after day after day after day. No matter what the circumstance, what we’re going through, whatever it might be, and I mean whatever. Most all of that is okay, but what is needed and indeed required of us is simply faith. That means not looking to and depending on ourselves, but on God. God’s faithfulness, the faithfulness of Christ. That God will see us through come what may. And then we’re enabled to follow Jesus.

what does it mean to be Christ-like?

…it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher…

Matthew 10:25a

Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

Matthew 9:13a

Lately we’ve been considering what Christian should mean and that Christ-in-us is the heart of this. But what does it mean to be Christ-like?

While I believe it’s important that we as individuals and especially together remain in the entire Bible (including the Apocrypha), I doubt that there’s anything more profitable in scripture than carefully going over the gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, considering everything and with a focus on Christ himself, the one we’re called to follow, to imitate. All else must be seen and understood in that light.

Christ-likeness is many things, a life and practice in all the will of God. That is both individual and communal, separate and together both. None of us is Christ, nor all of us together. And yet we are individually called anointed ones, essentially little christs in John’s first epistle, and we collectively called the body of Christ. So in a true sense, when people see us they should see Christ. But honestly, what do they see?

Even with our inevitable faults and sins along the way, if we are sensitive to the Spirit and above all seek to live in love, humbly confessing our sins along the way, and seeking to live in harmony with other Christ-followers, as well as in deep humility before and with everyone in the world, then people will “see” something they won’t be able to put their finger on, well beyond merely us. Somehow the real Christ will be present, yes, even in us. Christ-likeness in the world looks like, or we should say comes out of this perhaps more than anything else.

That said, we need to make it our life-long study and prayer to be like Jesus in all of life: in the trials, good times, all the time. And a large part of that, as Jesus pointed out from the prophets, is to be people of mercy with each other, and with the world. When people think of us, think of Christians, they ought to be drawn, not because they’re drawn to us, not at all, but because they’re drawn to Christ-in-us. Because we have the aroma of Christ. Some will hate that, but many will be drawn to it to sit at the feet of the One whom our hearts are set on.

 

keeping your eye on Christ means what?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

We’re told in Hebrews to keep our eye on Christ as we run the race set before us. The thought quoted above is that Jesus is the pioneer as well as perfecter of faith, I think as much in setting us an example as in helping us in the way Christ opened. For many of us this amounts to our own spiritual growth and witness to others, and that pretty much sums it up. But considering the context of Hebrews 11 and the witnesses of faith there, of course culminated and we can say completed in Christ and Christ’s example for us, I think there’s much much more.

In the way of the cross, the way of love, we have much to do in what we’re supposed to be and what we actually are, yes, in this life. Often I hear and read the thought that we’re not to look at the things that are visible, but what is not seen (Paul) and that we’re to set our heart on heavenly things, not earthly things (again, Paul), as if all that matters is heaven someday for ourselves and everyone else, and this world, its problems and tragedies are secondary, and hardly worth considering, certainly not worth dwelling on in comparison to the big call. Many of you will recognize that given the passages from Paul, that’s a misreading of him.

I dare say that this flies in the face of the biblical witness, of God’s love and what that amounts to and means for us, and not the least- the callings we can find even perhaps beyond the humdrum job we feel stuck with, callings not only in but for this life. We need to be about finding God’s will and living in that will fully, a will that will be for the temporal as well as eternal good of others in the love of God and neighbor. And yes, definitely within that witness will be the sign and hope of a better world to come when at long last all conflict and war will cease and all people will flourish in community together as sisters and brothers, one family of God.

the faith that will see us through

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

We’re told after the long line of witnesses to God’s faithfulness in Hebrews 11 that we too are in this train, and that we are to see it in terms of a race, more like a marathon, ongoing in this life to the end. So we would do well to settle in and see all that comes, the highs and lows, mostly humdrum, and whatever it might be, as in some way all a part of that.

Jesus is our example, indeed exemplar, the one who shows us the way. Through all the nooks and crannies of life and experience, we need to settle in, essentially as witnesses of a faith with which we will go through everything in life, a faith that will see us through to the very end. Yes, through everything.

So let’s settle in come what may, and learn to run it well. Individually yes, but also with others. In and through Jesus.

don’t go there

And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

2 Corinthians 2:11

It’s always important to look at the context of any particular passage, and the above passage is no exception. It has to do with an issue in the church involving one who needs the kind of help that only the church can give them. The person does respond to the church’s action with Paul’s help (some interpretation, here), and now Paul presses home the need to move past that, not as if nothing happened, but in a wise way in which the person knows they are fully accepted and loved.

Just the same, we can still pull something out of the above thought. Our spiritual enemy is out to trip us up wherever and whenever it can. Yes, at opportune, strategic times, as well. They know our weaknesses, what pushes our buttons, and indeed are active in setting us up for “the evil day” as well. We don’t want to be people who focus on the spiritual enemy. But as we seek to keep our attention on the Lord, we do need to be aware of what they can be up to, so that we can begin to sense and discern that in our lives, as well as in the lives of others so that we can pray for them.

All that said, this simply means that we need God’s help to refuse to take the bait, the allure the enemy drops or sends our way. We need discernment to understand when this is taking place, and to understand how this is developing. And how we may be unwitting accomplices in it.

Don’t go there! Yes, resisting that will amount to resisting the devil. As we seek to keep our attention fully on the Lord, that we may be led by him in all of this. This is a step of faith which may not be easy, in fact will likely be hard, being counterintuitive to us, since we have given into it so many times before. But as we take that step and follow through, God will help us in this. In and through Jesus.

This podcast from Tim Gombis, “Faith Improvised,” only 36 minutes in length (finish it, to get the benefit) was helpful to me on this subject, certainly applying on a host of issues.

what does it mean to really be a believer in Christ?

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?

James 2:1

It was said somewhere recently that many today simply call themselves Christians with little to next to no understanding of what that really means. And one well respected writer, Dallas Willard refers to “bar-code Christianity” by which he means that people say a prayer or whatever to make sure they’ll get into heaven, but their lives are essentially unchanged, or at least there’s no intent to be followers of Christ.

James implies in his words here that to “really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ” means much more, and certainly includes not showing “favoritism.” To believe in Christ then is not just passive as in receiving something, but it’s also active, doing what we believe such faith calls us to do. Just as James says in this very same chapter of our Bibles, it is a faith that proves it’s alive by its works.

Faith in Christ then is looking to Christ, beginning to take in what Christ is, and being changed accordingly. Lives changed, actions impacted. So that we want to live according to God’s will in revealed in Jesus, yes, “in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.”

In and through Jesus.