God's A Stranger

One of the most pious and devoted Jewish Theologians asked the question, “Who are you?” when he encountered God.  I imagine Saul (who we now know as the Apostle Paul) was filled with shock and horror when he found out it was Jesus that he was torturing.  In some way, we should identify with Saul.  Let me explain.

When we read the Bible, it’s easy to know where God is because the Scriptures tell us things like, “God said,” “God sent,” and “God did…”  Sometimes we get uncomfortable and squirm by God’s behavior.  Other times we are horrified and even appalled by God’s responses in Scripture.  When we look at terrible things that are happening in the world, and even what’s happening in our lives, some of us are reluctant to attribute it to God.  Indeed it is a sobering and shocking thought to consider God is involved in the chaos and turbulence in the world.  Yet, whether God sends, or allows turmoil, the Bible also declares that God is sovereign.

I think that our response should shift from “Why is this happening?” and “Why is this happening to me?” to “What are you doing, God?”, and ultimately to, “Who are You, God?”

We can know the Bible.  But that doesn’t mean that we know God.  Surely the Jewish scholar Saul knew scripture and thought he was doing God’s work and will.  Yet when God appeared to him, all he could do was muster a bewildered, “Who are You, Lord?”  The Bible is not only a vehicle to reveal or tell us about God, but it is also God goading us into conversation with Him.

Understandably, if we hear the audible voice of God, we might wet ourselves.  On the other hand, God visibly journeyed with His people for 40 years and lamented that they still didn’t know Him (Psalms 95:10).

God wants to be known.  He’s close and involved and desires a relationship.  That’s one of the things that James tells us when he says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).

Over and over, Scripture admonishes us to seek Him and come to Him.  One of the consequences of entering into His Presence is His peace (Matthew 11:28-30).

When was the last time you had a conversation with God?  When you spoke to Him, did you expect an answer?  Do you talk to God only when you have big decisions to make?  Are you okay if His answer is in conflict with your desires?

When we think about our lives, and the world around us, remember what scripture says.  Jesus tells us that we will have trouble in this world (John 16:33).  Peter tells us not to be surprised when it happens (I Peter 4:12).  We quiet our hearts by knowing God.  Take a lesson from Jesus’ disciples as they were in the midst of a storm.  While they struggled with the winds and the waves, they were terrified by what they thought was a ghost.  They did not recognize the One who sent them.  Yet when they cried out, Jesus quickly identified Himself and said, “Don’t be afraid.”  After Jesus said this, He climbed into the boat and there was peace (Mark 6:45-51).

The repeated message of scripture is, “Immanuel—God with us.”  The sovereign God who created the Universe wants to do life with us (Matthew 28:20).  Isn’t this Good News?

As we head into this “New Year,” let us remember to “acknowledge Him in all our ways” so that “He will direct our steps.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Alien

A Japanese man befriended me while I was at the University of Kansas.  Sometime after he introduced himself, he asked me about my ancestry.  He was shocked when I told him I was Japanese.  He then told me about the group of friends he hung out with.  It was an international blend of students—Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese among them.  I found out that I was a subject of their discussions as they were trying to figure out where I was from.  In my head I could hear each of them say, “He’s not one of ours…He’s not from around here…”

I don’t remember the city or island that my Japanese friend was from, but the way I walked and my mannerism was not like a Japanese person.  It didn’t help much when I told him I was Okinawan.  But I get that.   Growing up in Hawaii, the majority of the population was Japanese.  Whenever we saw someone who came from Japan we knew that he or she was not “one of us.”  Without hearing their speech we could tell by the way they walked, dressed, and moved that he or she was not “local.”

Shortly after this experience, I moved to Connecticut and have been here ever since.  It’s been over 40 years now, but I am frequently reminded of that experience that I had in Kansas.  The reason I remember that experience is because I am often reminded that I am an “alien.”  It doesn’t matter where I am in this state, someone will come up to me and start speaking in Spanish.  When I was younger, I put people in their place by saying, “Whatcha’ talking about, man?”  These days I respond with, “Excuse me, I didn’t understand…”

Robin thinks I may look Mexican.  Others think I look like I am from South America.  Someone said I look like an Eskimo.  Someone once asked me, “What tribe are you from?”  Regardless of what people think, it reminds me that I am different.  I used to be offended, but now I’m okay with it.

I’m okay with whatever people think because I am reminded that I am an alien, pilgrim, or stranger here and my “citizenship is in heaven” and I “eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Philippians 3:20).

No matter what people call me or who they think I am, I know Who I belong to.

 

Retirement

As the news of my retirement has been made known, I marvel at the responses I’ve been getting.  For a few years now, people have been asking me, “When are you going to retire?”  When I answer, “When I reach my full retirement age,” they just shake their heads and sigh.  Now, when they hear I’ve retired, a few immediately ask with concern, “Is this a good thing?”  I am amused by these seemingly paradoxical responses.

Whatever the immediate response has been, I am consistently congratulated for my achievement.  Up until this morning, my retirement was not a big deal.  I thought of it as part of the circle of life.

As I’ve been treasuring the responses, I’ve also been reflecting on why I feel and think the way I do.  I’ve come to the conclusion that my attitude might have its roots in how I’ve looked at my day to day struggle in the context of my ultimate goal.

For sure, these past eight years have not been easy.  Every day I was challenged physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  Every day I would evaluate myself: “Am I performing well?  Am I giving it my best shot?  Do I have the right attitude?  Am I pleasing to God?”  On some days I did well, while on other days, not so much.

There were quite a few days that I drove up into the parking lot of my job, parked the car, and sat there in silence.   Almost every time, I had the same thoughts.  I felt like a boxer who had fought for 9 rounds and the bell sounded for the 10^th.  The question that raced through my mind was, “Do I answer the bell by standing up or do I throw in the towel?”  The answer was always, “Okay, God let’s do it!”  Then I would turn off the key, get out of my car, and head for the building.

At the end of each workday, after I got into my car and sat down, I would be amazed and ask myself, “How did I get here?  How did this happen?  How was this even possible?  How was I able to finish this day?”  After hearing myself say this, I would self correct and say, “Thank You, LORD for Your grace and Your strength.”  I was grateful that I was still standing at the end of the battle, yet I understood that there was another one coming.

It is in this context that I view my “retirement”—one chapter is over but a new one is beginning.  To be sure, there is a finish line, but retirement is not the goal of following Jesus.

Almost every day I hear myself echoing Paul’s words, “I have fought the good fight.  I have finished the race.  I have kept the faith.”  I am not bragging when I say these words.  I have not always been successful in running the race that has been laid out for me.  In fact, there have been times that I have failed miserably.  Yet, I can with confidence repeat Paul’s words and claim them as mine.  I can do this because of what Paul said after, “I have kept the faith…”

Paul said, “Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness…”  Paul doesn’t stop there and this is not the goal of Christian life.  Paul continues, “…which the LORD, the righteous Judge will award to 

The objective is not to own a piece of heavenly real estate.  The destination is not a mansion.  The trophy is not celestial bling.  The goal is to see God.  He’s the prize.  He’s the reward.

Paul tells the Romans that all of creation is in labor, waiting eagerly for the birth of that day.  It is in that day that God will reveal His children and together they will share His glory (Romans 8).  Isn’t that just like a good dad—wanting to gather his kids together to celebrate?  Don’t you yearn for that day too?

Suffering

 

“Why do we suffer?” is a question that is as old as humanity.  Another question that has been asked along with it is, “If God is so good and powerful, why does He allow us to suffer?”  While we may have spent a lot of time thinking about answers to these difficult questions, I think that the Bible has a very simple answer to them—we suffer because God suffers. 

We often picture a God who is big and strong; nothing can hurt Him.  Yet, on the pages of the Bible we see a God who experiences pain.  In fact, in the first few pages of Scripture, God looked at humanity and it “grieved Him” because humanity was not pursuing Him (Genesis 6:6, KJV).  The Message Version says it this way: “it broke His heart.”  The book of Hosea also has a good description of what God looks like when we are not seeking Him.

Since we were made in the image of God, it makes sense that we have the same kinds of qualities or characteristic as our Maker.  If we didn’t experience pain and suffering, we could not know God intimately.

On the cross, we see a man who has been rejected, betrayed, violated, and abandoned.  On His face we see the pain and suffering of man and God.  From His lips we hear God’s heart, “Father, forgive them…”

It should be no surprise that whenever the church comes together and have communion, that we remember Jesus’ words, “Do this in remembrance of Me…”  This is a time to remember hurt and brokenness.  However, in this time of agony, it is also a time to remember the love and the gift of God.  This is why in the midst of our distress and despair we can sing with Paul:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. (II Corinthians 1:3-5)

Soap Operas

When I was a kid, I might have found soap operas interesting because there was a lot of drama going on.  However, as I grew up I found that I could miss an episode or two or even a month of programs and still follow the story line.  These days, the day time soap operas is now on prime time television and have been renamed, “Reality Shows.”

There must be a large audience for these types of programs since more and more of these programs are showing up.  I avoid these kinds of programs because life is filled with drama.  It’s been my experience that the more you know about a person’s life, drama is the norm for many.  The older I get, the more I am resolved to live a simple life rather than living life from crises to crises.

Yet, how does one do this since life itself is filled with drama?  One marriage counselor had this advice, “If you want to get out of a hole, ditch the shovel.”  Great saying, right?  That will stop you from going deeper, but that still leaves the problem of the hole.  How do we get out of the hole?  Listen to the words of the One whom the Bible calls our Savior:

Come to Me, all you who are wary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.  –Matthew 11:28-30

I would think that in this drama, chaos, and stress filled days, an invitation to finding peace would be desirable—very desirable.  This is what Jesus offers.

Wisdom From Solomon

2020 was a very strange year to say the least.  Covid-19 has stopped many of us from going places, doing things, and seeing friends and family.  Many of us are looking to 2021 hoping for a return to normalcy.  I think that for many of us, 2020 was a wasted year.  I mean, whenever something interrupts our lives, don’t we hear, “I don’t have time for this!” “What’s the point?”  “Why are we doing this?”  “Why bother?”  This is why I am reminded of Solomon’s words, “Meaningless!  Meaningless!  Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

 I suspect that many people think that Ecclesiastes is a very depressing book.  It’s probably because Solomon is so candid about life.  If we were talking to Solomon today, we would be asking him, “Why are you so negative?”  Yet, if we listened to Solomon, we’ve probably observed or shared an experience (or two) with him.

 God seekers should find a lot of comfort in Ecclesiastes, even though the book paints a very grim and sobering picture of life.  The reason why we should find comfort in its pages and solace in spite of the reality of this life is because Solomon gives us the answer to the meaning of life—it is in God Himself!  As we enter into the New Year, read through the book of Ecclesiastes and look for the Presence of God.  In the midst of the mundane, the chaos, the injustice, and the senselessness ask yourself, “Where are You, God?”  See if He won’t answer you.  Here are my questions and how Solomon answers them:

 How can I make sense out of life?  How can I find meaning, satisfaction, and happiness in this life?

 This is from the hand of God.  To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26).  This is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 3:13). 

 Life is so unfair.  Can there be justice?

 God will call the past to account (Ecclesiastes 3:15).  God will bring into judgment…every deed (Ecclesiastes 3:17).

 How can I be content with my lot in life?

 This is a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).  God keeps [us] occupied with gladness of heart (Ecclesiastes 5:20).

 Life is so hard.  How can I resist and overcome the attractions and temptations of life?

 God does it so people will fear Him (Ecclesiastes 3:14).  The man [or woman or child] who pleases God will escape (Ecclesiastes 7:26).

 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Ecclesiastes 13:13-14).

Why Should I Let You In?

John’s lesson on The Lord’s Supper this past Sunday reminded me of something that happened between my friend Eric and me years ago.  I remember asking him, “If you stood at the gates of Heaven and God asked you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?  What would you say?”  I must have sounded like a jerk because I remember asking him these questions repeatedly.  Finally he answered with his animated manner and Ghana accent, “I’d look around and when I see Jesus, I’d point to Him and say, Ask Him!  He will tell You!”

Eric’s answer opened my eyes to see that our connection to God revolved around Jesus.  Now when I read scripture, Jesus is the lens that I view Scripture and it helps me see scripture more clearly.  One area that has become plain to me is the connection between Jesus’ parables about salvation and Himself.

In the parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), I used to think the main idea was about the virgins, the oil, or about being ready.  What used to go unnoticed was the Lord’s statement, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.”  I still don’t understand everything about this parable.  But what has become abundantly clear to me is the fate of the virgins that were late was dependent on what came out of Jesus’ mouth.

This same troubling statement has made the parable that Jesus told in Matthew 7:21-23. It’s the one that our LORD says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father…”  When I try to define what the will of God is, my answer doesn’t sound too different than what the people in the parable were using to justify themselves.  Then I hear Jesus’ disturbing statement, “I never knew you.”  This is the same indictment given to the goats in Matthew 25:31-46.

For years what Jesus said was disturbing, but what Eric told me was liberating.  Eric pointed to the relationship he had with Jesus.  Isn’t this the assurance that Scripture is pointing to:

For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

—John 6:40

Isn’t this what Paul said,

I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.  –I Timothy 1:12

I have come to the conclusion that if Jesus doesn’t speak for me, I don’t have a prayer.