Reassurance for the anxious ∙∙

Reassurance for the anxious ∙∙

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. – Psalm 94:19

Psalms 94:16-23

 16 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

 17 Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of death.

 18 I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.

 19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

 22 But the LORD is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.

 23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them.

Have you ever had a fellow worker defend you when you made a mistake or your performance was subpar? Perhaps, in doing so, they put their own reputation at risk. They even defended your lapse to a customer or even management. They shielded you from criticism. Perhaps they even took responsibility for your mistake.

If this has happened in your life, it probably made a profound and lasting impression on you. Trust was affirmed, and your bond strengthened.

Who supports you when you need it most? Who has your back? For every child of the King, the answer is wonderful.

“God is an ever-present comfort, even when our emotions bounce off the wall, and our hearts zigzag in a thousand directions. God wants to calm our anxieties, but even before that happens, He comforts us in our distress” (Stanley).

Many of our enemies are inward, harmful negative attitudes and emotions. Anxiety, fear, and uncertainty about the future or the present become our adversaries. They grip us. Fear and anxiety are like muggers lurking in the dark, waiting to strike and harm us.

They pounce without warning. Our feelings go into overdrive. We begin to churn inside, and our rational thoughts are smothered. Our anxious thoughts explode within us. Any contentment or sense of assurance and safety vanishes. Negative thoughts overwhelm us.

There is tremendous news. As children of the King, we have the opportunity to switch gears. Our Father is ever present, tenderhearted, and lovingly concerned about us.

We have total freedom to share our anxious thoughts and feelings with Him. In some marvelous way, we are able to have a catharsis. We calm down, become centered, and return to tranquil thankfulness.

REFLECT & PRAY

In the midst of our anxiety, the Father’s consolation produces joy to lighten our burden.

Father thank You that we can pour out our hearts to You, sharing our negative thoughts and emotions. You know our thoughts before we say a word. You know where we are coming from. You respond by pouring out lovingkindness and sweet comfort.

INSIGHT

Psalm 94 models how we can pour out our hearts to the Father. The psalmist is in great anguish. His emotions are raw. His thoughts are running wild. He laments, pours out his heart, and seeks the Father’s protection and consolation. Those who seek to harm him are close by. But wonderfully so is the Father. He is present to console and comfort. The psalmist asks a rhetorical question.

Psalms 94:16 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

Who has his back? The psalmist exclaims in beautiful Hebrew poetry, which will be heard for millennia to come.

Psalms 94:17-19

 17 Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave.

 18 I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.

 19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

The Hebrew word translated as comfort or consolation is tantrum. Tanchummeans to reassure or console. The root’s origin seems to reflect “breathing deeply,” hence the physical display of one’s feelings, usually sorrow, compassion, or comfort (TWOT).

Psalm 94 laments the present reality that the wicked are in control and oppress the children of the King. They have no fear of the Father. At the same time, Psalm 94 recounts the Father’s greatness and omniscience. The psalmist praises the Father as he recalls the Father’s steadfast, loyal love (hesed).

There’s something wonderful concealed just below the surface. On the one hand, the Father is revealed in all His greatness and power. He can come to the aid of all children of the King. But on the other hand, His comfort effervesces with sweet cheer. The Father’s comfort is like a soothing touch.

The Hebrew of Psalms 94:19 reads, “When my worries are many within me, your comforts cause my soul to delight” (UBS).

Not only are children of the King upheld by the Father’s steadfast love amid their adversity, but their anxiety is exchanged for a sweetness of solace and heartfelt gladness. “From my sinful thoughts, my vain thoughts, my sorrowful thoughts, my griefs, my cares, my conflicts, I will hasten to the Lord; he has divine comforts, and these will not only console but actually delight me. How sweet are the comforts of the Spirit!” (Spurgeon).

Imagine for a moment a traveler lost and alone in a desert, parched with thirst. He is desperately seeking water to quench it. A stranger finds him and provides the necessary refreshment. But instead of water, the fluid is the most marvelous, best-tasting nectar he has ever tasted. His thirst is quenched. But remarkably, his anxiety is replaced by the delightful sweetness of the delicious nectar.

As the children of the King, we can experience a total paradigm shift. Rather than being shackled by bitter cares and anxiety, we are offered sweet solace in our adversity. We can see our present circumstances as an opportunity for personal growth in our spirit. It is, in fact, part of the Father’s child training and discipline.

Psalms 94:12 Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions.

For each child of the King, the question becomes, “What am I supposed to learn from this, and how do I respond properly to Your gracious intervention?”

The Father’s omnipotent kingship guarantees His final victory over all who oppose Him, even if they are members of His own people (who ought to have acknowledged His rule!). It is always worth being on Father’s side (ESV).

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© Dr. H 2024

Safe in the Father’s hands ∙

Safe in the Father’s hands ∙

Humans plan their course in their hearts, but the Lord establishes their steps. – Proverbs 16:9

2 Kings 8:1-6

 1 Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the LORD has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.”

 2 So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

 3 After the famine ended, she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land.

 4 As she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had just said, “Tell me some stories about the great things Elisha has done.”

 5 And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land. “Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son – the very one Elisha brought back to life!”

 6 “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.

After three days of relentless rain, the ground was thoroughly soaked, a common occurrence in Chris’s area that barely registered on his radar. With the weather clearing up to a sunny morning, Chris was going about his usual routine, gearing up for work. He was ready to head out after tending to his morning necessities and enjoying breakfast. Chris pulled the car out of the garage and realized he had left his cell phone on the kitchen table. Leaving the car idling, he stepped back inside to retrieve it. In that brief moment, a startling crack and a massive thud echoed; a large tree had toppled over, crushing his running car beneath. Had Chris not returned for his phone, he would’ve been flattened inside the now squashed car.

Could this have been a divine intervention, sparing Chris’s life? Was this delay orchestrated for a reason? The answer is a resounding yes. There are no coincidences in the kingdom of God; nothing happens by chance. The Father still had plans for Chris on Earth, but His dream and purpose for Chris had not been fulfilled. Throughout history, there are numerous accounts of such divine interventions in the time-space continuum to accomplish His greater purpose.

It’s important to distinguish between being providentially hindered by the Father and procrastination. Procrastination stems from delaying, postponing, or putting off something. It is often self-defeating, leading to self-sabotage and adverse outcomes. Unlike divine delays, which serve a higher purpose, procrastination usually brings about more harm than good, with any immediate gains overshadowed by long-term repercussions.

Every moment is in the Father’s hands in the grand tapestry of time. He has the authority to influence, shape, and control history and turn it as He wishes. “Life is never an unbroken string of joyful blessings and extraordinary miracles. We live on a fallen planet where bad things happen. Yet God calls us to trust Him with the end of the story as well as its beginning” (Stanley).

REFLECT & PRAY

Our lives are better off in the Father’s hands than in our own. We can trust the Father as the superintendent of all of the moments of our lives.

Father thank You. Help me to be Your faithful servant and trust You for all the seasons of my life.

INSIGHT

The Father is always at work. He has actively intervened in human affairs throughout history to accomplish His purposes. In fact, He is orchestrating history. The Father invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

The Father is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He does not ask us to dream our dreams for Him. He does not invite us to set magnificent goals and then pray that He will help us achieve them.

When He approaches us, He already has His own agenda. He desires to get us from where we are to where He is working. He leads us from being self-centered to being God-centered. When the Father reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity. When He reveals His work to you, that is the time to respond to Him (Blackaby).

This is precisely what happened to the woman whose son the Father had resurrected through the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37). After the resurrection, a famine occurred in the land, and she left the country. When the famine was over, she returned. She went to the king of Israel to beg him to get her land back.

The Father had been behind the scenes at work all the time, orchestrating these events. At the very moment, the king of Israel conversed with Elisha’s servant, Gehazi.

2 Kings 8:5 Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land. “Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son – the Very one Elisha brought back to life!”

This little cameo provides a glimpse behind the scenes of the Father working to accomplish His purpose. You can’t make this stuff up. Her request was granted.

As children of the King, we don’t know what He is up to or what the next episodes of our lives will bring. However, what we possess is immensely more valuable: a relationship with the King Himself, who has revealed His heart and loyal love towards us. Because of the Father’s gracious kindness and omnipotent power, He can transform any circumstance for the good of all children of the King.

What is the Father’s motivation? He delights in guiding the children of the King to the best possible outcome of their lives, showcasing His deep commitment to their well-being.

Psalms 37:23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Proverbs 16:9 In their hearts, people plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

As children of the King, we must take this by faith and trust in the Father and His good intentions for us. Our goal should be to follow His plan rather than make our own plans independently.

Proverbs 19:21 You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.

Proverbs 20:24 The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?

“The surprise comes in discovering that in the realm of planning daily activities, where humans believe they are in control, God’s will is most intimately at work. God works through the mental processes of human thought to bring about his desire.”

“Such an arena of God’s activity appears insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But if the search for wisdom is an activity of the mind, then it is in the mind of human beings that God is most directly active. Through human thought, which fears the LORD, the individual is brought into an encounter with the divine. Humans think God directs. Even when plans are meant to do harm, God uses them to bring about good (cf. Genesis 50:19-20)” (Bland).

Beneath the surface is a delicate equilibrium between divine intervention and human effort.

The LORD arranges the course of one’s life. Every action falls under the Lord’s watchful guidance and superintendence. “Though a person might map out their road meticulously, the execution of such plans hinges on their alignment with the Father’s plan and intentions. “It’s a misconception to believe in having absolute autonomy, to dictate outcomes in every scenario without bounds, aiming to actualize one’s desires . . .” (Waltke).

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© Dr. H 2024

A lamp to my feet ∙

A lamp to my feet ∙

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. – Ps 119:105

Psalms 119:106-114

 106 I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.

 107 I have suffered much, O LORD; restore my life again as you promised.

 108 LORD, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations.

 109 My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions.

 110 The wicked have set their traps for me, but I will not turn from your commandments.

 111 Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.

 112 I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end.

 113 I hate those with divided loyalties, but I love your instructions.

 114 You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.

In ancient times, electricity remained a mystery, its potential untapped. Electric lighting, as we know it today, was lacking. Instead, throughout the Mediterranean region before the time of Christ, they used terra-cotta oil lamps.

Clay lamps are among the most common pottery pieces found by archaeologists in Mediterranean dwellings and tombs dating from 1500 BC to 800 AD. These lamps, simple and economical to produce, served as portable light sources akin to candles or modern flashlights. They held significance in religious rites and were commonly found in burial chambers.

The traditional lamp design in ancient Israel featured a small bowl with a pinched lip to hold a flax wick, resembling a flattened teapot. These lamps were typically filled with olive oil, which was plentiful in the ancient Near East and made excellent fuel for lighting.

Exodus 27:20 Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.

In Hebrew, two terms are employed to denote a lamp or lampstand. The primary word for terra-cotta lamps is “ner,” appearing 49 times in the Old Testament.

The second term, usually translated as lampstand, is “menorah.” A menorah typically refers to a seven-pronged candlestick or lampstand. The Father instructed Moses to position a menorah in the holy place of the Tabernacle. This term occurs 42 times in the Old Testament.

REFLECT & PRAY

“Left to ourselves, we often don’t know which way leads to life and which way ends in death; we remain in the dark. But God’s Word provides us with a searchlight to cut through the darkness and lead us to safety” (Stanley).

Father my desire is to pursue You wholeheartedly, with all of my heart, soul, and mind. I aim to embody the teachings and truths found in Your Word.  I want to get this right, but I know I will make missteps and fail. Guide me one step at a time along the path You have chosen for me.

INSIGHT

But there is more!

During nighttime journeys, individuals would attach small lamps to their feet to illuminate their way. The lamp could only provide enough light for only one footstep at a time. This modest illumination revealed only the immediate path beneath their feet rather than being able to see the whole route in front of them. With each stride, the light advanced, allowing travelers to see just one step forward into the darkness, guiding them gradually on their way.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

This provides a beautiful word picture of how the Father leads and guides each child of the King. A lamp to my feet means “a light that lights up the path I walk on” (USB). We walk by faith and follow the Word of God. Each step we take in obedience illuminates the next. Eventually, we arrive at the destination the Father intends. When David composed the Psalm, the Scriptures available to him were primarily the Law of Moses. The Torah served as a guide for ethical decisions and provided information to help discern the will of the Father.

“Two familiar biblical images combine in this verse: life is a path, and God’s Word is the light that helps us follow the right path” (Wiersbe).

The Word of God provides light for the path of life. The Psalm is written in Hebrew poetry, which rhymes ideas rather than sounds. My feet and my path are synonyms referring to the psalmist’s conduct, that is, his behavior and way of life.

We inhabit a world often shrouded in darkness, where it’s commonplace for individuals to navigate through the shadows, growing used to the absence of light. However, Lord Jesus Christ emerged as the light of the world, offering illumination so that we need not tread in obscurity. The Father empowers us to walk in light by engaging with and adhering to the Word. Step by step, the Father faithfully leads us through His Word.

Matthew 7:7-8

 7 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.”

“But I believe that the desire to please you does, in fact, please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me on the right road, though I may know nothing about it.”

“Therefore, I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone” (Thomas Merton).

Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.

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© Dr. H 2024

Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful ∙∙

Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful ∙∙

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

Philippians 3:7-10

 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.

 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

 9 and become one with him . . .

 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.

In the early 1970s, amidst the Vietnam War, a narrative unfolds about a young man being drafted. While completing his enlistment documents, he encounters a question that asks, “To whom do you owe your highest loyalty?” His answer was the “Triune God.”

This answer puzzled the Army recruiter. He was unfamiliar with the “Triune God.” Consequently, the draftee was brought in for an interview for further questioning. The reviewers were suspicious because of all the antiwar fervor in the country at the time. The location was California. All kinds of new religious movements were emerging. Recruiters were wary, suspecting he might be part of some oddball religious cult run by demagogues. The interview shed no light on the situation, and the recruiter remained perplexed. Ultimately, the young man received a 4-D classification, a religious exemption from military service. Instead of joining the armed forces, he dedicated his life to missionary work serving the “Triune God.”

Semper Fidelis is a Latin phrase that means “Always Faithful” or “Always Loyal.” It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps, usually shortened to Semper Fi.

Another U.S. Marine credo is “For God, Corps, Country.” Their core values are Honor, Courage, and Commitment. They stand for freedom and liberty in service to God, the Corps, and the country.

For members of the Marine Corps, their commitment to the Corps is second only to their faith in God. Being a Marine transcends mere occupation; it is a mental attitude and a way of life. The moment they are honored with the title “United States Marine” marks the beginning of a new life. Being a Marine is their identity for the rest of their lives. There is no such thing as an ex-Marine. It is not considered a job. Once a Marine, always a Marine.

Putting the Corps before country means you will never do anything to dishonor the Marine Corps, not ever. Because of their honor, sense of duty, and loyalty, as the Marines serve the Corps, they also serve the country.

Marines take oaths to both the Marine Corps and the United States of America, but their allegiance to the Corps takes precedence. This preference stems from the bond with fellow Marines, who become their family. In the heat of battle, this brotherhood matters most; they advance together towards danger, ensuring no one is left behind. When the bullets start flying, they are there for each other. The country is not of utmost concern.

“American by birth, Marine by choice” (USMC slogan)

REFLECT & PRAY

It is not difficult to say that we have faith. Talk is cheap, but being ready and willing to die for our faith is entirely different.

Father how I wish I could be like Paul and the three Hebrew young men. Please help me to get my priorities straight, be faithful, and be prepared to lay down my life.

INSIGHT

The three Hebrew young men explicitly declared their allegiance to the God of their fathers. In the face of a horrendous death by fire in a blazing hot furnace, their highest loyalty was to the Triune God. They refused to compromise or capitulate and become like everybody else. They stood firm in their faith and would not bow down before, serve, or worship a graven image. In the face of certain death, they were resolved to stand firm and die for their beliefs.

Daniel 3:16-18

 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.

 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Holding steadfast and true to their beliefs, in unwavering loyalty to their Father God, the heroic three prefigured the courage and devotion of what would one day be the United States Marines. They were always faithful and never backed down. They mirrored the core values of the Marines. They were Semper Fidelis, which in Hebrew is tamid aman; tamid means always, and aman means faithful.

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

“Paul was not afraid of life or death! Either way, he wanted to magnify Christ in his body. No wonder he had joy!” (Wiersbe). Paul deeply reflected on and contemplated the meaning and purpose of life. Paul tells us what both living and dying mean to him. It all boiled down to one simple sentence, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He finds himself in inner conflict and ambivalence, caught between the importance and benefit of his earthly mission and the allure of everlasting fellowship and intimacy with Christ.

Paul says, “To me,” that is, “According to my own experience” (UBS) or “As I see it” (Goodspeed). He answers the unspoken rhetorical question, “What does it mean to live?” (UBS). His answer is one word: “Christ.” “Life to Paul has no meaning apart from Christ. His life is not his own; it is totally devoted to Christ (Galatians 2:20)” (UBS).

The original Greek formulation of this profound statement is notably terse, somewhat abrupt, and pithy. It consists of two nouns and two infinitives functioning as nouns.

It is terse yet remarkably enlightening. It is challenging to fully convey its powerful essence in English translation: to live Christ, to die gain. The literal Greek phrases and translations are below.

To zen Christos – to live Christ: to apothaneins kerdos – to die gain

No doubt, this was the maxim by which Paul lived. But there’s more.

“The telescope brings distant things closer, and the microscope makes tiny things look big. To the unbeliever, Jesus is not very big. Other people and other things are far more important. But as the unbeliever watches the Christian go through a crisis experience, he ought to be able to see how big Jesus Christ really is. The believer’s body is a ‘lens’ that makes a ‘little Christ’ look very big, and a ‘distant Christ’ come very close” (Wiersbe).

“Paul’s only reason for existence is that he may spend his life in that glad service, and death for that cause will be the crowning service” (Ralph P. Martin).

Wesley, in his hymn, O Thou who camest him from above, got it right:

Ready for all Thy perfect will, My acts of faith and love repeat,

Till death Thy endless mercies seal, And make the sacrifice complete.

When you find yourself in challenging, complex, or even life-threatening situations, what comes into your mind first?

To what or to Whom do you owe your highest loyalty?

Paul answers in one word: Christ.

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© Dr. H 2024

Is everything upside down? ∙

Is everything upside down? ∙

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. – John 15:18

Luke 6:22-36

 22 What blessings await you when people hate you, exclude you mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.

 23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets the same way.

 27 You who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.

 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.

 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.

 30 Give to anyone who asks, and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back.

 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

 32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!

 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!

 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

 35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.

 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

The phenomenon of refraction leads to an intriguing fact about human vision: everything we see is initially perceived upside down. This might lead one to wonder, why, then, does the world appear right-side-up? The answer lies in the incredible capabilities of the human brain. The brain receives the inverted visual information and almost instantaneously processes and flips it, presenting us with a coherent, upright view of our surroundings. This process is so seamless that we are unaware of the initial inversion.

This raises a philosophical question: if our perception of reality is constructed by our brains, how can we be sure of the true nature of the world around us? Is seeing believing, or is believing seeing? It brings to mind the concept explored in the 1999 blockbuster film “The Matrix,” where the reality perceived by humans is actually a simulated construct, far removed from the true state of their existence. Rather than living in freedom, they are being controlled by machines. They are unaware that the world in which they live is not actually so. Rather, it is merely a computer simulation.

In a similar vein, the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ often present a perspective on life that seems counterintuitive to our natural instincts and societal norms. The standards He delineates seem incongruent and at odds with the reality of life as we know it.

The Lord Jesus Christ said He was the Truth. His teaching regarding how we are to live and act is seemingly upside down – turning conventional wisdom on its head. His teachings challenge us to adopt attitudes and behaviors that conflict with the realities of our everyday existence.

His thinking appears contrary to what we ostensibly know and is impractical. He advocates for kindness, forgiveness, and selflessness, even in the face of adversity and ingratitude.

As children of the King, what sets us apart? It is our call to stand out, to be the salt and light in our somewhat bland, darkened world.

Just as our brains reconcile the inverted images captured by our eyes, embracing the Lord Jesus Christ’s teachings allows us to navigate the complexities of life with a perspective that may seem inverted. We are encouraged to interact with others and approach situations in ways that defy conventional expectations, prioritizing the needs of others and serving selflessly without complaint.

As children of the King, we must be beacons of light and hope in a world that often embraces contrary values.

“If the Father were not kind to the unthankful and evil, where would any of us be? The Father will always judge sin, but He most desires that we turn from our sin and come to Him” (Stanley).

REFLECT & PRAY

As we look out and observe, what do we see, the world as it appears to be or the world as it really is?

Father I recognize that my opinions and inadequate understanding often come from my limited and wounded heart. May I begin to see things as they really are and stand firmly upon the Truth of Your Word.

INSIGHT

Whether we like it or not, there is a natural, deep-felt antipathy between the children of the King and the children of the god of this world.

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

James 4:4 Friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

At first glance, the world’s response to the Lord Jesus Christ is bewildering, if not inexplicable. How could so many not recognize and value His sheer goodness and immeasurable worth of the Lord Jesus Christ? Why would the world harbor animosity towards those who follow Him, the children of the King?

The answer is simple: the Lord Jesus Christ exposes sin. Just as sunlight uncovers stains and flaws that are overlooked in dimmer light. His presence casts light on the world’s sins, previously hidden in shadows.

People prefer darkness rather than light. When the light of the world made His presence known, folks opted for darkness because darkness concealed their sin. But there’s more. Not only do they prefer darkness, but they also hate light.

John 3:19-20

 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

Christ’s words and deeds expose the evil that lurks within people. His presence reveals their sin as deliberate and inexcusable. The veil of ignorance is lifted, leaving no room for excuses.

John 8:12 I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.

How deeply tragic! People fall in love with the darkness of sin and rebel against the light. When the light appears, they scurry away, like cockroaches when a light is turned on. They flee from light, having become accustomed to the darkness. This adaptation to darkness is reminiscent of the fish found in Mammoth Cave, which, over time, have lost their eyes entirely, leaving behind only empty sockets where vision once was.

There are two Greek words for evil in these verses. The first is poneros, which means wicked, evil, bad, base, worthless, vicious, or degenerate. The English word pornography is derived from this term.

The second is phaulos. It is more insidious than mere wickedness. The English word paltry comes from this word. It means lacking in importance or worth, trivial, petty, careless, thoughtless, indifferent, inferior in quality, ordinary, meager,or measly.

But there’s more. Darkness is indeed a spiritual reality. It is a place, a kingdom controlled by the enemy. The two driving forces of darkness are mediocrity and degenerate wickedness.

“The men who followed Him were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same” (Billy Graham).

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© Dr. H 2024