When God Seems Distant

Sometimes God seems far away, hidden, even asleep.When we watch loved ones suffer the fearful onslaught of cancer; When we read of oppression, cruelty, torture; When heavy burdens weigh upon our weary shoulders; When bad habits and besetting sins won’t go away; When we struggle with loneliness and isolation; When the way seems too long, too hard, too steep – Then we wonder, Where is God? Does He not see? Does He not care? Yes, He knows, He sees, He cares. As when He allowed the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt to go on and on, and as when Jesus waited several days after He heard that Lazarus was ill before He went to Bethany, so now He has a purpose for His silence and apparent inactivity. Perhaps He means to turn our eyes away from this transitory world and towards our eternal hope. Perhaps He wants us to search out the root cause of our sinful actions. Perhaps He desires to show Himself the only true Friend. Perhaps He plans to rescue us from the jaws of death and demonstrate His mighty power through a miracle. Or maybe He intends us to enter into the sufferings of His Son Jesus, that we might more fully know Him. Whatever the cause, God will, in His time, arise. He does not forget the humble; He has seen our trouble and grief. He will act with power and with love. We can commit ourselves to Him, for He cares for us.

Morning Meditation

As a shepherd, David must have risen early every morning. Later, as king of Israel, he continued that practice. Each day brought so many tasks, and he faced so many enemies, that he started out by having an honest conversation with God.He knew he was speaking to his faithful Creator, Yahweh ("LORD" in the English translation), who would keep His promises. He bowed before the sovereignty of his divine King, and looked to Him for help. He faced his foes with the knowledge that God takes "no pleasure in wickedness"; evil men will not stand His presence, for He "will destroy those who speak falsehood,… the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." David knew that he, too, had sinned, so he entered God's presence "in the multitude of [His] mercy," with an attitude of reverent worship. He asked for leading into righteousness, for protection from his crafty foes, for joy in the Lord Himself. He closed his prayer with a confident affirmation that God would "bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield." God called David a "man after My own heart." Was it partly because this brilliant, capable man began each day by coming to his Lord with prayer and praise? Did David become the greatest king of Israel, and the most widely-read poet of all time, by devoting his first and best hours to God? Perhaps we should imitate his example and let God hear our voice in the morning!

Pleasure Forever

Earthly pleasures quickly pass. We soon forget the taste of a good meal, the sound of lovely music, the sight of beautiful scenery. Vacations, success in our work, reunions with friends, entertainment, even the joys of marital sex – all these provide ample delight, but the pressures of daily life soon bury happy times under a load of present obligations and obstacles.Nor do they satisfy our souls. That is why we are always seeking more. But God offers lasting pleasures. This psalm names a few of them: - Protection from all that would harm our souls (1) - Knowing God as our own personal Lord (2) - A perpetual source of goodness (2) - Fellowship with others who love God (3) - Satisfaction with our lot in this life (5-6) - Guidance and wisdom (7) - The nearness of God (8) - Absolute security and lasting stability (8) - Gladness and joy of heart (9) - Eternal life after death (10-11) - Fullness of joy in God’s presence (11). What a catalogue! And all these can be ours, for free, if we only come to God through faith in His Son Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (1; John 14:6). As we draw near to Him, we enjoy pleasures forever.

Fully Forgiven

These words waft a gentle breeze to a heart hot with the fever of guilt. They offer cool water to the soul thirsty for God’s love but despairing of His mercy.David knew the horror of sin; he had offended against a holy God and had reaped a bitter harvest. At first he refused to acknowledge his wrongdoing to God, so his strength slipped away because of his guilt. When he confessed his offense to God, however, he found mercy: ”You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (5). How could this be? How could a holy and just God forgive willful transgression of His commands, cover over our wrong, fail to charge our debt to our account? A thousand years later, the Apostle Paul explained this mystery: Believers in Christ are ”justified [considered righteous] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation [sin offering] by His blood, through faith” (Romans 3:24-25). In other words, sinners can be counted as righteous by God if they believe in Jesus, who suffered the penalty they deserve. Is this fair? Not if we look at our performance. If, however, we consider the infinite dignity of the Son of God who became a man, and reflect upon the infinite worth of one drop of His blood, then we can see the justice of God in forgiving sinners. He has punished their sin already in the agonies of Jesus on the cross. Jesus has paid the price to redeem us from the anger of our Creator and Judge. How blessed is the one who receives this free gift of God!

Self-Deception

The wicked man does not fear God. Why? Because he has deceived himself about his own sin.When he discovers his iniquity (wrongdoing), he flatters himself. That's how he also justifies his resentment towards others. Let's ponder this a moment. When someone - or perhaps our own conscience - points out something we have done wrong, we tend to make excuses: "I didn't do it." "Well, maybe I did do it, but I didn't mean to." "Anyway, it wasn't that bad - not half as bad as what someone else has done." "Furthermore, I had no choice; if I hadn't done it, I would have been ruined." "Besides, no one saw me do it." "I won't do it again." Or, "I've been like that since I was a child; there's no way I can change." "It felt so good; how could it have been wrong?" "It may have been illegal, but sometimes you just have to break the way for a higher purpose." "God will forgive; that's His job." God sees through this and comes to a different conclusion: We "do not abhor [reject, loathe] evil" (4). May God have mercy upon us and allow us to see our sin as He does - So awful that Jesus Christ had to die in order to purchase our forgiveness.

The Source of Great Joy

“God my exceeding joy “ – literally, “the gladness of my joy.”“Gladness” can also mean “feast” or “banquet.” In other words, a party! “Joy” can mean “turning around” with glee. Do you get the picture! God can be “the life of the party.” To draw near to Him is to approach the fountain of happiness, even hilarity. On the day of Pentecost, the Apostles were so filled with merriment by the Holy Spirit that others thought they were drunk, because the fruit of the Spirit includes joy (Galatians 5:22). Those who know God have their sins forgiven. They are assured of strength for daily life and provision for the future. They have an unshakeable hope, the certainty that they will live forever with Christ on a new earth pulsating with the immediate presence of God Himself. Those who trust in Christ – the light of the world and the truth of God in human form – enter into the holy, and therefore happy, throne room of God. From that vantage point, they see the world fully under the benign control of a loving Father and righteous Judge. In every person they meet, everything they see, they behold the beauty of God. No wonder the psalmist said to himself, “Why are you cast down [depressed], O my soul? … Hope in God!”

Renewed Motivation

Motivation matters. Fear and faith, love and hate, greed and generosity, duty and desire – all these fuel our actions. What we call motivation, the Bible terms “heart”. If we lose heart, then we have lost the drive to perform.Notice the logical (and emotional) progression in today’s text: First, we hope in God. We look to Him alone for recognition, for resources, for reward. We do not place our hopes in men to accept us or appreciate us. Nor do we expect complete happiness in this life; we set our hope completely on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13). Then, we resolve to do our duty. We stand firm against opposition, persevere despite obstacles. We hold fast to God’s promises and refuse to give in to laziness or despair. Finally, God fans the dying embers of our love into a fire of devotion to Himself and to His kingdom. He sends the wind of His Spirit to fill our sails and impel us forward. He adds fuel to the engines of our expectations. Just when we are about to give up, He descends with resurrection power to accomplish His good will in our lives

Uncovering Hidden Faults

Most of us don’t know ourselves very well. We aren’t fully aware of our good points. Even worse, we don’t realize the impression we are making on others. We also have faults hidden beneath the surface not only of the mask we wear in public but also of our own awareness.If we seek to know our hidden faults, God will show them to us. First, His word will expose sins we never knew we had. That’s one reason we need to read the Bible daily. He also uses people. When others react negatively to us, we need to ask why. Perhaps it’s not their fault; maybe there really is something wrong with the way we speak and act! We can also learn from our reactions to others’ faults. When you see something you don’t like in someone else, examine yourself. Most likely, your strong dislike of that person’s behavior reflects a similar error in yourself. Furthermore, our response to his offensive conduct may itself be offensive, and reveal some ugly trait deep inside us. Let’s ask God to show us our hidden errors, and then seek His forgiveness and His transforming grace in Christ.

Crime Does Not Pay

We break laws because we think we won’t get caught. If we don’t see a policeman, we exceed the speed limit or even run a red light. We don’t pay our taxes. We falsify documents. We cheat on exams. We lie to the government, our boss, our teacher, our spouse.Perhaps we escape judgment for a while. This gives us boldness to do it again. We see how many prosper while doing wrong, and we imagine that no one sees or cares. We are wrong. God sees, and He cares. He will not overlook our wrongdoing. Sooner or later, He will repay us. If He is being kind with us, He will allow us to suffer sooner rather than later He will send illness, or strife, or failure, or even the police. We will get caught. Then we can see our sin, repent, and receive God’s forgiveness (if not man’s). If we refuse to acknowledge our guilt and to turn from our wickedness, a terrible fate awaits us: Eternal punishment in hell. Now is the time to seek His face by humble admission of our guilt and sincere faith in His Son Jesus, who died on the cross in our place. Through Him we find forgiveness and the power to change.

Getting knowledge

Most of us desire knowledge. We have heard the sentence, “Knowledge is power,” and know its truth. Especially in today’s information society, to know is to earn and to win; ignorance brings poverty and loss.But most of us make two costly mistakes: We fail to seek the most important knowledge, and we do not begin our search in the right way. Because He created the world and sustains it by His power, love, and wisdom, we need to know God. Since all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge dwell in Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God, we need to know Him in order to know God. To know God, we must fear Him. He is holy; we are not. If we humble ourselves before Him and ask forgiveness, trusting in Christ, He will receive us. If we submit to Him with reverence and awe, and read His Word daily, He will guide us and instruct us. THEN only shall we attain to true knowledge and its sisters, wisdom and instruction.

Wisdom For Whom?

When we run into trouble, we naturally seek to know what to do. What a comfort to hear that “The LORD gives wisdom” (Proverbs 2:6)!But wait – there are conditions to this promise. One of them will challenge us to the core: God only guides the upright. In other words, if we are not determined to do what is morally right, then God will not grant us wisdom. You can see why this would be so: God Himself can do no wrong, so He would only tell us to do what is right and just. But if our hearts are not set on that path, we won’t be ready to receive His advice. In other words, unless we have resolved to perform our duty, no matter what the cost, then we will not be receptive to God’s leading into “paths of righteousness.” O God, change my heart so that I want what You want, and then enlighten my mind, through Jesus Christ, who walked the way of the cross in order to do Your will. Amen.

Protection from Sin

Do you find yourself committing the same sin over and over? Do you want victory over these bad habits, what the old theologians called “besetting sins”?The first step towards freedom from wrongdoing is to develop a healthy fear of God. If we fear Him, we shall not want to displease Him, nor shall we dare to risk His anger. “By the fear of the LORD [one] departs from evil” (Proverbs 16:6). But how can we learn to fear God? By receiving His words and storing them up in our hearts. “Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). Search the Bible to find passages that speak directly to your weak points. Memorize those verses and think about them often. When you are tempted, recite those words in your mind, and ask God to make them true in your life. In short, use “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” to gain the victory over Satan’s wiles (Ephesians 6:17). That’s what Jesus did (Matthew 4:4-10). O God, strengthen me by Your word, that I might fear You and know You, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Protection from Trouble

Have you been buffeted by troubles recently? Has illness laid you low? How about your work – is it going well? Are you getting along with others? Have you suffered financial loss?Perhaps God is testing you, to allow your faith in Him to shine more brightly and even to grow. Maybe He wants to increase your awareness of different types of pain, so you can sympathize with others. There could be other causes of your difficulties, too. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Here’s one possibility: God has removed His shield of protection from you in response to some sin. God will guard those who walk according to His will. As long as you follow His ways, you are, in a sense, immortal! That is, nothing can really harm you or prevent you from doing His will. Often His enemies tried to capture and kill Jesus, but God restrained them until the time had come. Paul suffered countless trials, but did not die until he had fully run his course. Let us all resolve to walk the narrow way, that we may more fully enjoy the protection of God!

Welcome Rebuke

Most of us don't enjoy hearing criticism. When others point out our faults, we tend to turn away. We want to justify ourselves, defend ourselves, explain ourselves. But that doesn't help our relationships with others. They feel frustrated because we won't listen to them.We tend to treat God the same way: We avoid His warnings against sin and resist confessing our wrongs to Him. In several chapters of Proverbs, God's Wisdom speaks. Since the New Testament says that "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" are hidden in Christ, we can say that these words in Proverbs come from Him. The pre-existent Son of God tells us that if we turn to His rebukes, He will give us His Spirit and the knowledge of His words. What a promise! We can have the very Spirit of God given to us, and understand His words, if we will only accept His "criticisms," confess our sins, and turn towards Christ in faith.

Actions Have Consequences

“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).This moral law applies throughout the universe. If we “sow to the flesh” by indulging our own pride and passion, we shall “reap corruption." As the first chapter of Proverbs warns, if we refuse to listen to God or heed His warnings, we shall suffer the consequences. When we are in trouble because of our sin, He will refuse to listen to us. He will allow us to sleep in the bed which we have made and eat the meal we have prepared for ourselves. Although His abundant mercy provides full forgiveness for all our transgressions, if we repent and trust in Christ, God does not usually suspend the rule that for every action, there is a corresponding reaction. Thus, if we neglect our studies, we won’t get high grades. If we eat junk food and do not exercise, our health will suffer. Pride and selfishness will deprive us of friends. Rebellion will invite punishment. Lies will breed mistrust. Greed will poison our minds and pervert our lives and leave us empty and unsatisfied. In short, “The wages of sin is death.” How careful should we then be! And how grateful that “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”