I do not know his name, and I did not feel moved to even make eye contact with the older man sitting across a very narrow aisle from us in the Johnstown Burger King. All the same, the not-quite-encounter seems to have been pivotal to his day. That's the vibe I got.
We had left two daughters with Grandma for the day, having arranged that she would drive them back home in time for barn chores with the hired man. Then we continued on the familiar annual journey, to leave two more of our children at DEC camp, Pack Forest near Warrensburg.
This time we chose to vary the route by taking in a tour of the Saratoga National Historical Park, going over the top-notch visitor center, and the drive-through tour of the battlegrounds. We have been teaching about the Revolutionary War part of New York's history last school year, and I'd gone over it with the oldest two girls several years before. The time was ripe to see where it all happened over two centuries ago. The day was a muggy, hot one, and it struck my imagination that the atmospheric conditions illustrated the tensions that erupted on this rolling farmland nestled in a bend of the Hudson River, when Redcoats and their Loyalists clashed with Patriot Freedom-fighters, and were defeated. The land, too, was embattled: crops were dug up to feed armies, fences used for firewood, fields of maize reinvented as burial sites. Now it is all waving grasses, wildflowers, and trees who are grandchildren of the originals. Monuments, an original farmhouse, and posts marking the lines of entrenchment are familiar to the wildlife, as are the cars passing through, pausing to explore here and there.
Rain began to fall as we left the park, and moved along the road to see the Schuyler House, home of Johannes and Catherine. It is a lovely colonial dwelling, the third edition to stand on the site, after the first two burned down. We had a short but informative private tour, but while the daughter who so loves history was full of excitement/nervousness to get to camp, she was holding back her normal enthusiasm, and this infected our son, as well, anticipating his first-ever time at camp just an hour away.
And then we finally left two more children, and turned towards home with just two little boys in the van, and great spaces where all the luggage and lunch gear had been. Two little boys and a long ride home, and we found ourselves winding endlessly around Great Sacandaga Lake at 40 miles per hour, for what seemed like an hour itself. When we were nearly at the end of that phase, I couldn't help bursting out, "Are we EVER going to get out of camp country?!"
By the time the boys were getting tired of each other and we were getting tired of them, it seemed a good idea to stop at Johnstown, stretch the legs, use the facilities....might as well eat supper, too. So there we were.
Daddy ordered, I took the little men to wash up, and we prayed at the table before the food came. I'd chosen the closest 4-seater booth, and this older customer, almost done with his meal, was within arm's reach, alone. Landon said the little blessing, and we handed out burgers and fries and juice boxes. From there it just kept getting better. "Mama," queries Jonathan, munching a full cheek of burger, "why do you have fwee boys?" I felt, rather than directly saw, the man's attention intensify. It was partly for his sake, now I think of it, that I replied to Jonathan, "Why, to balance the three girls." The boys tried on their paper crowns, and discovered the sheets of sticker gems, with which the crowns were embellished even before the first helping of catsup was used up. I noticed that there were no more peripheral glimpses of our neighbor making eating motions. I wondered to myself why he would linger in this place, right under the radio loudspeaker playing muzak from the 70s and 80s. While Jonathan proclaimed himself and his brother to be Kings of the World, I was reviewing the day thus far, of a gradual splitting-off in different directions, the steady reduction of a family of eight to half our normal size, and a deepening sadness. There sits this old guy, obviously listening and loitering.
It came to me, all in a moment, that he might be getting something very different out of my day. A little boy thanking God for food, onion rings being shared, juice boxes being traded unselfishly, little witticisms and familiar giggles exchanged...all of this for the observer undoubtedly spoke of family coming together, hanging in, and carrying on. I said as much to my husband after we left, for he tends to observe the same things and appreciate them, without the analysis (that being my department).
So it's alright with me, if that fellow took with him a living-color picture of a family: two parents who enjoy eating and talking with their children, two blonds with great big blue eyes and aspirations to share the paper crown throne. The world has gone crazy, but just maybe, for him, a few monuments still stand who are grandchildren of their originals.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Already Provided
Now that we have settled the matter of "making God move" by concluding that faith is a matter not of making God move, but of getting ourselves ready to see how God moves...let us consider the following:
Not a Comparison
Luke 11:5-8 "And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in the bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him an many as he needeth."
If you have ever labored under the misunderstanding, or the incorrect teaching, (as I have, both) that Jesus is describing how God is talked/badgered/persuaded into giving you what you need if you only keep asking long enough...happily, you can drop that right now!
In the sketch Jesus describes a friend who, though he is able to meet the need, will do what is needful more to be rid of a pest, than for the sake of friendship. This sort of 'friend' is friendly out of convenience: even if you feel certain of his receiving you at any hour, you will find that there is a cut-off. Sometimes a friend can let you down.
This does not fit the character of God at all! The Father who so loved the sin-rotted world, that he gave His only begotten Son to redeem it. The God of provision (Jehovah-jireh), who sets up camp around us who trust in Him (Psalm 34:7), the Lord who will never leave or forsake us, out of whose mighty hand nothing can snatch us.
God does not need the importunity, to meet your need.
I John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
One more time, God. is. love. and this is not a sometime, business-hours thing. To say that God is love is to say he embodies the concept of serving, saving, helping, encouraging, giving. There is never a question of God's willingness to love you.
Furthermore, any person who does attach conditions or caprice to serving another (aside from proper discernment), is not imitating Christ. The Apostle John is very firm on the point that an inability or unwillingness to love - an absence of loving behavior - betrays the absence of actual relationship with God. Because by extension, if God dwells in your heart, He shapes your heart so that people can see Him in you.
The Opposite
Luke 11:9-13 "And I say unto you, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.' If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
God. is. willing. to meet your needs! He will always supply what is appropriate, when and where it is needed. We do not need even to be too specific in our requests, since for all we know, God may have a better idea! "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to His power, which is at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20)
Notice how Jesus gives an authoritative prediction of how God responds to our faith. Ask, and God will give. Seek, and He will reveal it to you. Knock, and it shall be opened. Notice, too, that more than food, clothing, and shelter, ("the Father knows you have need of all these things" - Matt. 6: 32) God gives His Holy Spirit. And just how much good is the Holy Spirit to your empty stomach or your freezing body? It is a matter of priority, focus, and resulting perspective. The Holy Spirit's job is to guide you into all truth. He is the source of all wisdom. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter, and He intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, making up for the prayers we cannot even express in times of extreme spiritual travail. After all, your immortal soul and its equipping for eternity are of far greater import than the daily needs of the temporary flesh...and God has promised to supply those, anyway, just to keep testifying of His love for us. (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19) He will not refuse to satisfy your hunger for wisdom, discernment, or knowledge of Himself, any more than he would refuse to rain bread on the dessert to feed the children of Israel, or to multiply several loaves and a couple of fishes into a hillside feast for thousands.
Confident and Consistent - Directing Angels
Matthew 18:10 "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
Notice, "No man has seen God," (John 1:18) but the angels do. They behold him.
In the larger context of Matthew 18, the disciples wanted Jesus to tell them who could qualify for the highest eschelon in God's kingdom. Always one to deal with the first thing first, Jesus replied, in effect, that they needed to be more concerned with getting in! But granting that admission, the answer turns out to be, humility. This is the 180-degree opposite of pride. It is pride that goes before a fall, be it Lucifer or Adam. The humility of Jesus removed the curse from us, therefore whoever is the most humble will be the greatest in heaven. In my mind, I think the implications of being "greatest in the kingdom of heaven" may have to do with the depth of appreciation and comprehension of the glory of God, rather than with an amount of glory (greatness) accrued to ourselves. I think that the depth of our humility here and now will have a bearing on the depth of our experience hereafter.
Meanwhile, the angels (Gk. "messengers") await God's orders on our behalf - and the cries of the children, the weak, the needy always get a direct link to God, through their humility. If you wonder why I am bringing humility into this exegesis so prominently, it is because Jesus has just commanded us not to despise 'the little ones' (whether little in stature or is status)...and that means, "rather, look upon them as examples, for in response to their humility, God will despatch the angels."
Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
The word, 'ministering', is the Greek word from which we get the English 'liturgical', meaning, 'functioning publicly, beneficent, ministering.' To 'minister' is 'to attend on, to aid.' As children of God, the King of the universe and whatever lies beyond (think of it!), we are royal heirs. This verse points to the royal retinue all lined up to attend us, to aid us in our walk, until we are fully in God's presence.
Real Effort
We are sure that God is a good, loving and provident God. We are certain that he is well-equipped to minister to our needs. With God taking care of so much, where does our real effort need to be directed?
Hebrews 4:11 "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."
God has a great sense of humor in the way He inspires this verse: 'labor' and 'rest' are patently antithetical, of course...but it is a true labor for us to take our own hands off the helm and trust in God's guidance.
Labor, in the spiritual sense, is about unbelief. It is about distrust. It is about pride. Read any account of Jesus speaking to the Pharisees, and you'll see the faults he could find with all their self-righteous labors. Labor, in the physical sense, is about doing what is necessary. Plant vegetables to feed your family, study to pass a test, look both ways before crossing the street. But you cannot just put in a few more hours at the office or on the assembly line, in order to enter into the rest that Jesus portrayed. You have to stand still, to sit still, to be still while you pray, while you read, while you listen. To do that constitutes labor, does it not, in a society that mandates, go! go! go!
I Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
Here on the flip side, Paul tells the truth: the grace of God begets, aids, and abets meaningful labor, and then multiplies the labor. "By the grace of God..." Paul says, "I labored more abundantly [than all the other disciples]." Grace was the fuel of all Paul's labor. By His grace, God called Paul, commissioned him, and sustained him ("My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor 12:9). In thirty years of serving Jesus Christ, Paul learned what it is to first be loved by God, and to love Him in return. He learned to trust God, and to be entrusted by Him. In other words, Paul was humble, submitted to God's direction, dependent on God's provision, and in the end he was surpassingly effective - all as he was at rest, acting on what God had already provided, living the peace that passes all understanding.
Not a Comparison
Luke 11:5-8 "And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in the bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him an many as he needeth."
If you have ever labored under the misunderstanding, or the incorrect teaching, (as I have, both) that Jesus is describing how God is talked/badgered/persuaded into giving you what you need if you only keep asking long enough...happily, you can drop that right now!
In the sketch Jesus describes a friend who, though he is able to meet the need, will do what is needful more to be rid of a pest, than for the sake of friendship. This sort of 'friend' is friendly out of convenience: even if you feel certain of his receiving you at any hour, you will find that there is a cut-off. Sometimes a friend can let you down.
This does not fit the character of God at all! The Father who so loved the sin-rotted world, that he gave His only begotten Son to redeem it. The God of provision (Jehovah-jireh), who sets up camp around us who trust in Him (Psalm 34:7), the Lord who will never leave or forsake us, out of whose mighty hand nothing can snatch us.
God does not need the importunity, to meet your need.
I John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
One more time, God. is. love. and this is not a sometime, business-hours thing. To say that God is love is to say he embodies the concept of serving, saving, helping, encouraging, giving. There is never a question of God's willingness to love you.
Furthermore, any person who does attach conditions or caprice to serving another (aside from proper discernment), is not imitating Christ. The Apostle John is very firm on the point that an inability or unwillingness to love - an absence of loving behavior - betrays the absence of actual relationship with God. Because by extension, if God dwells in your heart, He shapes your heart so that people can see Him in you.
The Opposite
Luke 11:9-13 "And I say unto you, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.' If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
God. is. willing. to meet your needs! He will always supply what is appropriate, when and where it is needed. We do not need even to be too specific in our requests, since for all we know, God may have a better idea! "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to His power, which is at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20)
Notice how Jesus gives an authoritative prediction of how God responds to our faith. Ask, and God will give. Seek, and He will reveal it to you. Knock, and it shall be opened. Notice, too, that more than food, clothing, and shelter, ("the Father knows you have need of all these things" - Matt. 6: 32) God gives His Holy Spirit. And just how much good is the Holy Spirit to your empty stomach or your freezing body? It is a matter of priority, focus, and resulting perspective. The Holy Spirit's job is to guide you into all truth. He is the source of all wisdom. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter, and He intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, making up for the prayers we cannot even express in times of extreme spiritual travail. After all, your immortal soul and its equipping for eternity are of far greater import than the daily needs of the temporary flesh...and God has promised to supply those, anyway, just to keep testifying of His love for us. (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19) He will not refuse to satisfy your hunger for wisdom, discernment, or knowledge of Himself, any more than he would refuse to rain bread on the dessert to feed the children of Israel, or to multiply several loaves and a couple of fishes into a hillside feast for thousands.
Confident and Consistent - Directing Angels
Matthew 18:10 "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
Notice, "No man has seen God," (John 1:18) but the angels do. They behold him.
In the larger context of Matthew 18, the disciples wanted Jesus to tell them who could qualify for the highest eschelon in God's kingdom. Always one to deal with the first thing first, Jesus replied, in effect, that they needed to be more concerned with getting in! But granting that admission, the answer turns out to be, humility. This is the 180-degree opposite of pride. It is pride that goes before a fall, be it Lucifer or Adam. The humility of Jesus removed the curse from us, therefore whoever is the most humble will be the greatest in heaven. In my mind, I think the implications of being "greatest in the kingdom of heaven" may have to do with the depth of appreciation and comprehension of the glory of God, rather than with an amount of glory (greatness) accrued to ourselves. I think that the depth of our humility here and now will have a bearing on the depth of our experience hereafter.
Meanwhile, the angels (Gk. "messengers") await God's orders on our behalf - and the cries of the children, the weak, the needy always get a direct link to God, through their humility. If you wonder why I am bringing humility into this exegesis so prominently, it is because Jesus has just commanded us not to despise 'the little ones' (whether little in stature or is status)...and that means, "rather, look upon them as examples, for in response to their humility, God will despatch the angels."
Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
The word, 'ministering', is the Greek word from which we get the English 'liturgical', meaning, 'functioning publicly, beneficent, ministering.' To 'minister' is 'to attend on, to aid.' As children of God, the King of the universe and whatever lies beyond (think of it!), we are royal heirs. This verse points to the royal retinue all lined up to attend us, to aid us in our walk, until we are fully in God's presence.
Real Effort
We are sure that God is a good, loving and provident God. We are certain that he is well-equipped to minister to our needs. With God taking care of so much, where does our real effort need to be directed?
Hebrews 4:11 "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."
God has a great sense of humor in the way He inspires this verse: 'labor' and 'rest' are patently antithetical, of course...but it is a true labor for us to take our own hands off the helm and trust in God's guidance.
Labor, in the spiritual sense, is about unbelief. It is about distrust. It is about pride. Read any account of Jesus speaking to the Pharisees, and you'll see the faults he could find with all their self-righteous labors. Labor, in the physical sense, is about doing what is necessary. Plant vegetables to feed your family, study to pass a test, look both ways before crossing the street. But you cannot just put in a few more hours at the office or on the assembly line, in order to enter into the rest that Jesus portrayed. You have to stand still, to sit still, to be still while you pray, while you read, while you listen. To do that constitutes labor, does it not, in a society that mandates, go! go! go!
I Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
Here on the flip side, Paul tells the truth: the grace of God begets, aids, and abets meaningful labor, and then multiplies the labor. "By the grace of God..." Paul says, "I labored more abundantly [than all the other disciples]." Grace was the fuel of all Paul's labor. By His grace, God called Paul, commissioned him, and sustained him ("My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor 12:9). In thirty years of serving Jesus Christ, Paul learned what it is to first be loved by God, and to love Him in return. He learned to trust God, and to be entrusted by Him. In other words, Paul was humble, submitted to God's direction, dependent on God's provision, and in the end he was surpassingly effective - all as he was at rest, acting on what God had already provided, living the peace that passes all understanding.
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