We also exult in our tribulations

Why would we ever rejoice or exult in our tribulations? That seems absurd from every human angle. But that's what Paul says in Romans 5:1-5:

¹Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ²Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (ESV)

It is obvious to rejoice in the fact that we as believers have access to God's grace and continue to stand in His grace. As Schreiner puts it, "Those who scorned God's glory (Rom 1:21-23) and have fallen short of it (3:23) are now promised a future share in it." This hope (ejlpivV) isn't a desire that something might happen—biblical hope is a sure confidence, a steadfast confidence in the promises of God. And in this case, it is the sure confidence that we will not be punished by the wrath of God because we have peace with Him, and that someday we will have the glory that Adam forfeited restored to us.

But why rejoice in our sufferings? Again, Schreiner says, "This is an astonishing statement since future glorification is prized precisely because afflictions are left behind." And since Schreiner understands this so much better than I, and since he says this so much more eloquently than I ever could, here is Schreiner's explanation of Rom 5:3-4:

"…The logical chain in the argument leads to the conclusion that afflictions end up producing hope. The reason that believers exult in afflictions, then, is that they conspire to produce greater hope. But how can afflictions beget hope? The chain of reasoning in verses 3-4 provides the answer.

"First, afflictions produce endurance. Those who undergo troubles are toughened up, so that they are able to withstand the storms of life. We have our first clue as to how troubles can spawn hope, since Paul often connects endurance with eschatological hope. Second, endurance produces tested character (dokimehvn). The word dokimhv is not found prior to Paul, but it is clearly related to dokivmion (testing, James 1:3; 1 Peter 1:7). Elsewhere the term involves the validation or proof of one's character (2 Cor 2:9; 8:2; 9:13; Phil 2:22). After one endures many difficulties, a strength of character develops that was not present previously. Such tested character in turn generates hope. Why does tested character spark hope? Because moral transformation constitutes evidence that one has really been changed by God. Thus it assures believers that the hope of future glory is not an illusion. There is a pattern of growth in the here and now, however imperfect, that indicates that we are changing. Believers, then, become assured that the process that God has begun He will complete.

"…The parallel with Romans 8:28-39 is crucial here. Those who are justified will assuredly be glorified; nothing will separate believers from the love of Christ… [But] this assurance, as Romans 6 will show, is no ground for moral laxity."

I know that's a huge quote, but it really encouraged my heart, and I hope it encourages you as well!

Just some thoughts from Amy Carmichael…

Now that the Christmas rush is over, I feel like I can finally start the vacation part of my Christmas vacation! I'm back into reading A Chance to Die, Elisabeth Elliot's biography of Amy Carmichael. I love how Amy Carmichael refused to dress the gospel up with gimmicks or special presentations—she wanted the gospel to be preached and JUST the gospel!

"Saral [an Indian woman who became Amy's helper] came one day with an idea for drawing the women to hear the Gospel. She would teach them to knit with some pink wool she had been given, 'and they will love me more and like to listen when I talk about Jesus.'

"Amy could not say yes to that. She explained that the Gospel needed no such frills. It is the power of God for salvation. Saral protested that there was nothing in the Bible which bore upon pink wool and knitting needles. Indeed there was—Zechariah 4:6, 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.' There was no need for tricks which might open houses—houses were open. No need for methods of helping to humanize and fill bare and empty lives—'these women have a full day's work.' To try to help God with pink fancywork was, she felt, plain unbelief." (pg 126)

Yet Amy also did everything in her power to become completely Indian, insofar as it was not sinful. She studied and learned the language, she wore Indian clothing, and longed to live among the people, rather than removed from them in missionary houses that were overtly English and well-to-do (I'm still in the earlier years of her ministry). I love that Amy made this distinction and how she stuck with it, even when no one else around her carried these same convictions.

The Sovereignty of God in Pain & Suffering

These photos from The Boston Globe's "Big Picture" section broke my heart. It's times like these when it would be so easy to shun God. It's human nature to see these horrendous pictures and automatically question, "WHY, GOD, WHY?!" in essence demanding an answer from the Creator of the heavens and earth. I'm not trying to diminish the pain and suffering these individuals and their families are going through—they are absolutely suffering, in a greater way than I have ever experienced. But the question that arises is: "Is God sovereign or good?" thus making individuals choose between the two, as if they are mutually exclusive options.

I am certainly not the first to propose this, and I know I will not be the last, but the right question to ask is, "Can it be shown that God is both wholly good and absolutely sovereign?" I firmly believe with all my being that the answer is a resounding "YES!" But before I attempt to spew out everything I've been learning going through the Desiring God National Conference, 2005; James with my Bible study methods class; my discipleship counseling class; and the Old Testament with my Old Testament survey class, I need to (1) finish my homework [lol] and (2) think of a structured, concise, and compelling way to answer this question, both for my own heart and anyone else out there listening to my ramblings J

However, for those who absolutely cannot wait, a few great places to start searching would be:

• James 1:1-16
  
• Job 42:2
  
• Genesis 50:20
  
• Psalm 145:9, 17
  
• 1 Corinthians 10:13
  
• Romans 8 (especially vv. 18-25, 28-30, 31-39)
  
• Desiring God 2005 National Conference—a series of 8 messages about the sovereignty of God in suffering.
  
• "Four ways to measure the love of God in the scream of the damned"—sermon by John Piper during Resolved Conference 2008.
  
• Christ and Cancer—sermon by John Piper to his congregation.
  
• "Helpful things: Pastors who love their people"—a blog post by John Knight, a man who encountered unbelievable suffering, and was personally encouraged by Piper and the rest of the congregation. Knight includes in his post the letter of encouragement Piper wrote to him and his wife.
  
• And finally,
  
• "A Testimony to God's Goodness in Disability and Suffering"—a blog post linked to another blog post by an individual with spina bifida, someone who certainly knows firsthand of the suffering that disabilities bring.
  

 

My goal is to blog at least once short post per week on this subject… whether that goal is realized or attained is another matter entirely.

 

PS—if you haven't looked at the "Big Picture" link mentioned above, you really ought to. They will set you thinking!

“What Does It Mean?” vs. “What Does It Mean to Me?”

"...In many situations, however, it is extremely important that we search for the author's meaning because of serious negative consequences that will come if we misunderstand or intentionally ignore the meaning the author intended. For example, one of the most common literary texts in America is the big word STOP painted on the red octagonal signs at many street intersections across the country. If you choose to, you can follow a reader response approach and interpret the text to mean: 'slow down just a bit, look for cars, and then speed on through the intersection.' The police, however, believe strongly in authorial intent for the determination of meaning, so they will respond to your interpretation with a traffic ticket and a fine."

Lol.

So it seems that our culture is not as postmodern in its practice as it is in its thinking. That's somewhat encouraging…

Seasoned with Salt

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

I have always (I think) admired the sort of people that can easily and instantly turn a silly or frivolous conversation toward the things of God, and have always wanted to be able to do that. But it isn't easy, at least at first, to be that intentional and that focused… I know for me, it's easier when I am meditating on what I'm learning either from church, or from reading books, or studying God's Word, but sometimes it's still hard! So when I came across these great questions from a blog I follow, I thought I'd share them with everyone; they'll help me for sure!

Questions for Biblical Fellowship

(from http://www.girltalkhome.com/blog/hospitality-questions)
1. What is one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year and what are you doing to this end?
3. Who is one person you would like to spend time with asking questions about their relationship with the Lord?
4. What is one new way you could help strengthen the church?
5. What is one thing you could do to improve your prayer life?
6. What habit would you most like to establish this year?
7. Who do you most want to encourage this year?
8. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?
9. In what area of your life do you most need growth and what will you do about it?
10. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year?

Come Quickly!

Pondering the first moment I see Christ

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

I'm still musing over death and dying, and eternity as a whole. Basically, I can't wait until I see Jesus face to face! It's not about how cool heaven will be (Revelation 21:21, 22:1-5, etc). It's not even about all the awful things that won't be in heaven—fear, suffering, pain, sadness (Revelation 21:4). I can't wait to finally "praise the One who paid my debt and raised my life up from the dead" with every fiber of my being, for the rest of eternity. I can't wait to finally savor Jesus Christ, and to embark on a never ending journey in knowing how infinitely worthy He is of all praise, honor, and glory. I can't wait to finally see the lion-like Lamb, the lamb-like Lion; Jesus truly is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies! (Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ)

What will happen the first time I see Christ? My heart yearns for that moment, but my mind can barely begin to comprehend it; how can I even dare to imagine it?! I wish I could see Jesus face to face now, then come back and live the rest of my short life here on earth (Job 7:7, 7:16). That way, perhaps after seeing Christ in all His glory, I would have the boldness I need to make every moment count for Him… I would understand how beautiful Christ is and how despicable and worthless sin is (Jeremiah 2)! An eloquent preacher (whose writing style you may recall) said it this way, "Resolved: to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do if I had already seen the happiness of heaven and hell's torments." (Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards)

Here's a song that talks about how wonderful it will be to finally see Christ, for the first time ever. It's called "Arrived" (by Enfield).

Watching and waiting our whole life through
For the moment when we arrive in glory
We'll be standing before His emerald throne
Oh, what a day it will be

All tears are gone and suffering ceased
Perfect new life, no earthly strife
When we finish the race, run to His embrace
Oh, what a day it will be

When we've arrived, stunned and surprised
All things resolved in the blink of an eye
No more distractions, no sin left to fight
First glimpse of Jesus, and faith becomes sight

Feel the ground shake, hear thunder roll
See lightning strike and seraphim fly
All amazed we will fall, yet the Father will call,
"Stand, I've made you my own."

A choir with angels, martyrs and saints
Singing His praise with no end to the days
Shouting, "Holy! Holy! Holy!" to Almighty God
Oh, what a song that will be

When we've arrived, stunned and surprised
All things resolved in the blink of an eye
No more distractions, no sin left to fight
First glimpse of Jesus…

When we've arrived, stunned and surprised
All things resolved in the blink of an eye
No more distractions, no sin left to fight
First glimpse of Jesus,
First glimpse of Jesus,
First glimpse of Jesus,
And faith becomes sight

Just Some Thoughts on Death

"She came when we were freezing, but she left us burning up!"

Sometimes I think about the songs I want played at my funeral. I know that SOUNDS morbid, but I love thinking about how fleeting this life is and how permanent eternity is; it's like a wake-up call for my soul! Jonathan Edwards said in one of his seventy resolutions, "Resolved: to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death" (Resolution #9). And Jonathan Edwards is certainly someone I want to emulate!

One of the songs that I'd like to have played at my funeral is "Amy's Song" (by Switchfoot, off the New Way to be Human album), with the hopes that at my death my friends and family would think of it as "Amber's Song"… that the way Amy lived would be the way I lived my life too. Here are the lyrics:

Amy's gone

And time rolls on

How far? how fast? how long?

 

The last time we saw Amy

She was headed for the shore

Fighting off the volatile gray skies

 

She said now begins forever

And that no one knows their time

We bid farewell not knowing

That might be our last good-bye

 

Amy was a fighter

She cut like Casius Clay

She burned like a fire

Despite these rains

 

Where time was a question

She only knew one song

She's singing, "how far, how fast, how long?"

 

Salvation is a fire

In the midnight of the soul

It lights up like a can of gasoline

 

Yeah, she's a freedom fighter

She's a stand up kind of girl

She's out to start a fire

In a bar code plastic world

 

Amy was a fighter

She cut like Casius Clay

She burned like a fire

Despite these rains

 

Where time was a question

She only knew one song

She's singing, "how far, how fast, how long?"

 

When everything stops moving

And I stop to catch my breath

And ride my train of thought

All the way around

 

My thoughts return to Amy

And the fire she's begun

She came when we were freezing

And left us burning up

 

Amy was a fighter

She cut like Casius Clay

She burned like a fire

Despite these rains

 

Where time was a question

She only knew one song

She's singing, "how far, how fast, how long?"

How long, how long, how long?

 

The last time we saw Amy

The last time we saw Amy

Yeah, the last time we saw Amy

The last time we saw Amy

Yeah, the last time we saw Amy

 

I want to start that kind of fire! The kind that leaves others burning with passion for Christ long after I'm gone, so that each person God uses me to influence would be used of God to influence myriads more souls. I know I've got a long way to go, but I'm not giving up!

So I guess thinking about death ultimately leads me to think of two things:

1. How I live my life will determine how I die, and the kind of impact and legacy my life and death will leave.
   
2. How GLORIOUS it will be to finally gaze upon the face of my Lord, Savior, and TREASURE, Jesus Christ!!!