In Praise of God

Isaac Watts (1674-1748), who wrote  such beloved hymns as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Joy to the World,” also wrote hundreds of hymns which are virtually unknown.

Three of his lesser-known hymns are based on the well-known Psalm 23…and each one is a precious reminder of the wonder of having the Lord God as our Shepherd.  Below are the first stanzas from each of these three hymns.  Given the uncertainty of the world in which we live, and both the physical and spiritual needs we all have, these are stanzas well worthy of our contemplation!  I have bolded the wording which has had the greatest impact on my heart today. The phrase in italics comes in a close second.  The result:  Greater stillness of heart and trust in God’s care.

My Shepherd is the living Lord; Now shall my wants be well supplied; His providence and holy word Become my safety and my guide.

My Shepherd will supply my need, Jehovah is his name; In pastures fresh he makes me feed, Beside the living stream.

The Lord my Shepherd is, I shall be well supplied; Since he is mine and I am his, What can I want beside?

With spring Bible study classes complete and conferences past, I have recently had some time to spend in the works of some of my favorite Puritan authors.  Upon reading portions of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs, I was once again struck by this thought which I had long ago marked in the margin.

 “It is a saying of Luther:  ‘The sea of God’s mercies should swallow up all our particular afflictions.’  Name any affliction that is upon you:  there is a sea of mercy to swallow it up.  If you pour a pailful of water on the floor of your house, it makes a great show, but if you throw it into the sea, there is no sign of it.  So, afflictions considered in themselves, we think are very great, but let them be considered with the sea of God’s mercies we enjoy, and then they are not so much, they are nothing in comparison.”

How grateful I am for these faithful believers who have come before us, and for God’s grace in preserving their thoughts…for a heart such as mine in a time such as ours!

Yesterday was a wonderful day. . .so wonderful that I’ve had a hard time deciding which was the REAL highlight of my day: reuniting with some of our church family from South Carolina, hearing RC Sproul and Mark Dever speak, or noticing some lilies of the valley (our wedding flowers) blooming out my window!!

Jeremy and I have been married 12 years and I’ve tried growing these flowers before, and it has just never worked. We’ve lived seven different places, and this location is, by far, the worst location of those seven, when it comes to nature (we are in the city in a tiny apartment). But outside my little kitchen window I can see a mass of these beautiful flowers, just growing wild on a CLIFF pushing through wild ivy and other stuff!  It feels like a special gift straight from the God who made me and knew I would see it as a personal gift from HIM (Matthew 6:25-34).  RC Sproul and other great men spoke to over 7,000 people today, BUT God, HIMSELF speaks straight to me. . . how can that compare???  My heart worships more humbly tonight.

As I have lately been studying, meditating, and teaching on spiritual comfort, questions regarding the reasons for trials and troubles (whether big or small) have repeatedly surfaced.   As I have searched out answers, one question has occupied my thoughts more than others:

How much does our sinful pride necessitate trials and troubles in our pursuit of Christ-likeness?

In other words, how successful would we be in putting pride and self to death if we did not have trials and troubles to attack our pride, humble us, and drive us to God for help and comfort?

Thomas Charles (a preacher in North Wales in the 1770’s) writes,  “The cross, which we must expect to meet daily in the way, will hurt nothing but sin and self:  and surely we would not wish to spare them.  I hope it is our happiness to think, that God is against them, and has determined their destruction in his own way.  Blessed be the Lord, there is a world where righteousness only dwelleth, and where sin and self shall no more trouble us for ever!”

I don’t know about you, but I do not often meditate on the necessity of trials in life.  But it does make sense.  If trials were not needful for His people, God would surely not cause or allow them.  He does nothing without reason and He does nothing that is not for the good of those who love Him.  So although they can be grievous and heart-rending, sometimes to the extreme, I am thankful for trials, not only because they do indeed “hurt” sin and self, but also because they drive us to God, who is the God of all comfort, and there is no better place to be than utterly and totally dependent upon Him! (2 Corinthians 1)

Recently, a couple of people have mentioned that I seem pretty content in my current life situation. (I am, among other things, single.) I think that contentment is something that all people struggle with, and I’m not sure why it seems more often to be considered a single person’s struggle. Either way, I’ve been thinking about contentment and ways, by God’s grace, to pursue contentment. The following idiosyncratic list is not at all comprehensive, but I hope it suggests some good places to start thinking about contentment. I’ve provided a few Scripture references, too—again, not comprehensive, but some good places to start thinking.

I’m going to divide this up into concepts and applications. The concepts can be applied in any situation, but my applications will relate specifically to my life and to contentment as a single student (since that’s what I know!). I hope the specifics may be helpful, though, as you think about contentment in your own circumstances.

Concept 1: Vocation
Vocation, in the original sense of “calling,” is one of the sweetest and most contentment-generating concepts that I know. The idea that God has specifically called me not only to live as a believer, but also to live in a specific place, and do specific things, is so comforting. It means that wherever I am, I can live to honor God and fulfill His purpose for me. Even if things aren’t going the way I would choose, I know that God is in control, and as long as I am seeking Him, He will order my life according to His plans (Psalm 37:4-5, Prov. 16:9, Col. 3:18-24).

Application 1:
Some aspects of God’s calling for me may change, while some do not. God has called me to be, among other things, a Christian and (for now) a student.  As a Christian, He calls me to hear His word, pray, meet with other believers, and participate in a local church body. As a student, He calls me to do my homework, participate to the best of my ability in classes, and pursue my work with diligence.
He also calls me to use my time at school to serve others, demonstrating love and humility to fellow Christians and to those at school as a reflection of what Christ did for me (Phil. 2). In His graciousness, He has given me a real love both for the church and for academics, so that He has not only equipped me for these vocations, but actually has given me a true enjoyment of them. However, even at times when I don’t feel that love or enjoyment, I am comforted to know that God has put me here and will use my obedience and diligence to produce lasting results for His kingdom (Eph. 4:1, 2 Tim. 1:8-14, Eph. 5:15-16, Phil. 1:6).

Concept 2: Fallenness and Depravity
“What?” you say, “I thought this was a list of good things!”
Stay with me: The Bible teaches that all have sinned, and that the world and all people are subject to the curse that followed Adam’s sin. (God also calls all people to turn from their sins, trust Christ, and find redemption and salvation in Him by faith, Rom. 1-6.)
Knowing what I do about fallenness and depravity DOES help me to be content, because I understand that when my life situation is not what I would desire…guess what…no one else’s is either!!! Until Christ returns, pain, sadness, longing and suffering are not just part of my own experience. They are part of everyone’s experience.

Application 2:
Thanks in large part to my mom’s ministry teaching and counseling women in our churches, I grew up with an understanding that…to be frank once again…people have lots of problems. Women have lots of problems. Married women who wear cute clothes and have nice houses and adorable children have problems. Sometimes, they have life-alteringly difficult problems. It took a number of years of thinking this through, but I have, I believe, truly accepted the fact that wearing cute clothes, getting married, living in a nice house, or having adorable children will NOT alleviate my problems. In fact, these tend to cause their own problems.
Jesus said that each day has enough trouble of its own (Matt. 6:34). If, by His grace, I can deal with the problems inherent to a single student who has a roommate and an apartment, then I am thankful. If, at some point, He chooses to let me deal with another set of problems, I will work to handle those in a way that pleases Him.

Concept 3: Blessings
The Bible teaches that God gives us many good things to enjoy (Matt. 7:11, Jas. 1:17). Because life changes so quickly, the things I am able to enjoy now are not necessarily going to be available for me to enjoy throughout life. So…I seek to make the most of my time by really trying to see the best in my situation and to love being in this stage of life (Ecc. 2:24, 3:13, 5:18, 1 Tim. 6:17).

Application 3:
Just a few of the blessings that I truly enjoy as a single student are:

• A flexible schedule: This means that I can meet people for fun or for ministry at varied hours, often shifting my study schedule in order to make time for other things.
• Food: Within reason, I can pretty much eat what I want, when I want. Pancakes at midnight? Cereal for three meals in a row? I work to be healthy, but I love the flexibility to eat in or eat out, cook or have leftovers, as it fits my life.
• Travel: I can pick up and leave for a weekend with very few problems. This allows me to have relaxing car time, to visit friends, and to see new parts of God’s world.
• Convenience: I can arrange my room (and much of my house—being thoughtful about my roommate of course) in ways that make sense for me but might not if I had a family. I keep notebooks in my pantry for easy access, have stacks of library books on the floor, and keep craft projects out in my room. It’s a little thing, but it’s nice.
• Sound sleep: It is rare that anything wakes me up in the middle of the night. Right now I do not have children who need me or a husband who snores. I am totally appreciating this while it lasts!!!
• Being in a learning environment: People at a university are generally open to ideas. I love learning new things on a daily—hourly—basis. I also love the opportunities that this allows for me to share with others about my own faith in an open setting.

Concept 4: Specific provision of God
God provides for His people, and in each situation, I see how He has specifically given me everything I need in order to serve Him (Matt. 6:25-34, Phil. 4:18-20).

Application 4:
I think that, as a single person, I see this in particular when God fulfills for me the roles that I generally think of a husband as fulfilling: financial provision, protection, etc. It is a blessing to see God work out my life in a way that allows me a safe place to live, money to use, and others to care for me when I’m sick or need help. God cares and provides, and I am thankful (1 Pet. 5:6-7).

Concept 5: An eternal perspective
This life is just the beginning, and the trials here are temporary. I am working for the Kingdom. The work I do here matters and will have lasting results. I am part of something so much bigger than myself, and by God’s amazing plan and amazing grace, I will enjoy not only the fruit of my labor, but the whole of His Kingdom (Hebrews 10:36-12:3).

Application 5:
Whatever I do as a Christian, single student MATTERS. It really does. I need to write my papers, do my reading, meet with friends over coffee, cook my dinners, go to church, encourage my roommate, call my mom on the phone…all not just because they are part of my life, but because they are for the greater purpose of pursuing God—knowing Him and enjoying Him forever!

Ultimately, contentment is a blessing of God, but we are also responsible to do things that foster contentment. Then, as we seek Him, become more impressed with His glory, and learn to trust His wisdom, we will be increasingly able to say with Paul that we have learned to be content (Phil. 4).

Over the last few weeks I have been surrounded by grief.  This weekend I have listened in shock to a woman who escaped very recently from Iraq, after having suffered through the unjust imprisonment of her husband, the looting of her home, threat of death, loss of family with no hope of returning to be reunited with many of her family members.  She describes the scene to me of hearing the screams of families being killed around her in her apartment complex in Baghdad. . .her neighbors on both sides, killed by terrorists.  Though she is now in America, I grieve for her soul, loyal to a false god, her eyes yet unopened to the truth of the gospel.

A friend, who is younger than me, has been told that she will live the rest of her earthly life in chronic pain (at best), one friend has a terminal illness that could end her life before most would expect, and she grieves that she will most likely bear no more children, and I have wept with a woman who was confronted with the sin of homosexuality.

Last year I grieved through a separation from my husband due to a military deployment.  Trusting God to make good out of what I saw as evil has been a hard work of obedience: even after he has returned, I still struggle.  This weekend, as Jeremy and I were given the opportunity to meet and begin building a relationship with a refugee family from Iraq, in a matter of twenty minutes or so, the eight months our family was separated began to make sense.  I step back, and suddenly 2008 looks so different to me!

So what is the difference between someone who struggles in agony under suffering and one who is still in agony but endures it with grace?

An understanding of redemption.  When God rules a heart, he rules a life and asks us to hold comfort with open hands.  Sometimes He gives the gift of comfort, but sometimes He does not.  This is for our good and His glory, of course.  So, when I take my comfort so seriously that I chase it at the expense of God’s priorities, God’s will and God’s glory, often the result will look like an adult temper tantrum.  Just like a toddler, we ask “why,” sometimes we even punish those around us with our bad attitudes, ungodly and unkind treatment of them, some of us even throw a physical fit, shouting and demanding our way.  Though we frown on this behavior in children, we excuse and justify it in ourselves as we shake our fists at the Holy God who gave us life in the first place!

Am I trusting in the grace of the One who saved me, the One who is sanctifying me, and the One who will call me home to Heaven…or am I trusting my heart, myself, my plans, my, my, my?  If I step back and gaze at my circumstances with eyes and heart that hope ultimately only for heaven and in the glory of God who is carrying me there, suddenly, everything is different.  When I back up from my daily pursuits and ask God how HE sees the things I have been spending the most time on, often, they are revealed as worthless.  The life-altering concept of the heart is that of obedience: are we willing to trade our priorities for God’s, our desires for His delights, our glory (ouch!) for His glory, and ultimately, our end (which is death, if we are without Christ - and this is proved by how we spend our earthly lives, 1 John says) for His end, which is heaven for those are given eyes to see their sin, and who place their faith, by God’s grace, in the blood Christ poured out for them on the cross.

What am I willing to trade for the glory of God?  My plans, my ideas, my comfort, my money, my very life?  Do I realize that the trade is actually unfair?  What God has in store (here on earth AND in heaven) for those who trust Him far outweighs whatever I throw away!

This I  know: better is one day in your (God’s) courts than a thousand elsewhere (Psalm 84:10). . .God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. . .God’s ways are not ours (Isaiah 55:8), no ear has heard, no eye has seen the things God has planned for those who love him (1 Chronicles 2:9).  Though we suffer for a while, these things produce growth and maturity in us now, and an eternal weight of glory (1 Peter 1:6-9).  What will I do today to walk in submission to the glory of God?  What comfort will I lay down today for the joys of willful obedience to the One who obediently laid His very life down for my own soul?

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.

Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Once God has spoken;
twice I have heard this:
that power belongs to God,
and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man according to his work.

Ps. 62:8-12

I have recently been reading a great book that I would like to recommend.  Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns is  loaded with Scripture and excellent teaching from God’s Word.  If you are struggling with bitterness or forgiveness because you feel you have been wronged, I strongly recommend that you read this book right away.    Even if you read this book just to be better equipped to help others, you will probably discover that you have learned something to benefit yourself as well.    This book is helpful for day to day, minor issues as well as large, life-consuming problems.

Brauns defines forgiveness as “a commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated.”  He goes on throughout the book to break this down and help you “unpack forgiveness” by explaining biblical truth about God’s forgiveness and your responsibilities as well as offering practical helps for dealing with your thoughts and feelings.  Brauns also uses examples of real-world situations to help put personal situations in perspective.

While Unpacking Forgiveness is instructional, it is also comforting.  One reason I enjoyed this book is because the writing style is very conversational.  The author deals with a heavy subject in a way that is manageable; I felt as if he was helping me through a difficult problem with compassion, and yet he wasn’t letting me off the hook for my responsibilities.

I resisted reading this book, which a friend had recommended to me, because I thought I would be loaded with guilt, and I thought I already knew what the Bible had to teach about forgiveness: forgive because you have been forgiven, and if you have been offended follow Matthew 18.  Yet Brauns unpacks many more truths that are worth discovering.

While reading this book, there were times I put it down for a couple of days to think about about what I had read and really process it.  Nevertheless, it is generally an easy read, and I learned a lot.  It is also filled with practical application.  I can truly say that reading this book and applying it changed my thinking about forgiveness and helped me deal with an ongoing issue.

In my next post I will share some points from the book on dealing with bitterness and how to stop thinking about an  issue that is consuming your thoughts.  Stay tuned…

Crossbearing.  Truthfully, it’s not something which comes often to mind . . . but I know it should.

Matthew 16:24  Then Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

 

Mark 8:34  And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

 

Luke 9:23  And He said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Recently, I have been powerfully reminded of Christ’s call to crossbearing as I have been reading Walking as He Walked by Joel Beeke.  While this book has been greatly encouraging, it has also been exceptionally convicting.  Beeke’s thoughts on crossbearing have huge implications for marriage, parenting, discipleship, hardships…and all of life!  For instance, he says:

“We want to be smooth and sanitized Christians–not cross-carriers.  The cross is an offense to us.  The cross gets in our way.  To take up Jesus’ shame, Jesus’ cross, and to follow Him is against our nature.  It spoils our plans.  It breaks our selfish utopias.  If forces us to set priorities in our lives.  It brings us face to face with our selves and with God.  The cross exposes us to who and what we are.”  (page 11)

“Crossbearing is for your benefit; it is your Father’s gift to you.”  (page 19)

“…remember, He [Christ] has measured out your every cross.”  (page 22)

“Your future is not here, your life is not here, your joy is not in this world.  You were redeemed for a better world, and this life is but the preparation by which God prepares you to be with Him.”  (page 22)

“When you murmur and chafe and rebel against your cross, you are not following your Master.  You are denying your discipleship.”  (page 25)

In the midst of the busyness and uncertainties of life today, I am thankful to Dr. Beeke for prompting some much needed self-examination.  My fervent prayer is that I would not murmur or chafe against my Lord, but willingly, and gratefully, let Him prepare me to live with Him for eternity. . . in whatever way He determines is best!

The older I get, the more I notice that life’s changes and uncertainties increase with every passing year.  Now whether they actually increase, or simply seem to (because I don’t have the rest or stamina I used to have???), the result is the same:  I continually face the daily/hourly/moment-to-moment challenge of glorifying God in times of change and uncertainty…and even in the fear which too often accompanies such seasons.

And so, I have recently been thinking about contentment.  This evening, as I began reading chapter 11 of The Art of Divine Contentment by the Puritan Thomas Watson, he immediately brought to my attention a most wonderful and encouraging insight, quite worthy of further meditation.  In the excerpt below, I’ve emphasized the thoughts which stood out so strongly to my heart.

“A contented Christian carries heaven about [with] him: for, what is heaven, but that sweet repose and full contentment that the soul shall have in God?  In contentment there are the first fruits of heaven. There are two things in a contented spirit, which make it like heaven.

(1.) God is there; something of God is to be seen in that heart. A discontented Christian is like a rough tempestuous sea; when the water is rough you can see nothing there; but when it is smooth and serene, then you may behold your face in the water. (Pr. 27:19) When the heart rageth through discontent, it is like a rough sea, you can see nothing there, unless passion and murmuring; there is nothing of God, nothing of heaven in that heart: but by virtue of contentment, it is like the sea when it is smooth and calm, there is a face shining there; you may see something of Christ in that heart, a representation of all the graces.

(2.) Rest is there. O what a Sabbath is kept in a contented heart! What a heaven! A contented Christian is like Noah in the ark; though the ark were tossed with waves, Noah could sit and sing in the ark. The soul that is gotten into the ark of contentment, sits quiet, and sails above all the waves of trouble; he can sing in this spiritual ark; the wheels of the chariot move, but the axle-tree stirs not; the circumference of the heavens is carried about the earth, but the earth moves not out of its center. When we meet with motion and change in the creatures round about us, a contented spirit is not stirred nor moved out of its center. The sails of a mill move with the wind, but the mill itself stands still, an emblem of contentment; when our outward estate moves with the wind of providence, yet the heart is settled through holy contentment; and when others are like quicksilver, shaking and trembling through disquiet, the contented spirit can say, as David, “O God my heart is fixed:” (Ps. 57:7) 

What is this but a piece of heaven?”

While Watson’s thoughts have both excited and encouraged my heart, they have also added a wonderful implication to 1 Timothy 6:6–

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”