Life is hard. Life brings pain. Moments of happiness and joy fade quickly when darkness comes. When life is hard God calls out to his people, his voice remains strong and sure. It is in this setting that David writes Psalm 27. David has known joy and victory. But he has also known the despair of failure and agony. Some of this has come from the betrayal and manipulation of those closest to him. Some has been self-inflicted. David hears the call to doubt God. He hears the taunts of his oppressors. He hears that he is mocked and his God is mocked. He is tempted to believe that God is unfair. There is a taunt — “God, are you […]
Godward Orientation
188 posts
In our deepest sadness we are rescued by joy. Joy has to do with the reality of God. Joy transcends the moment and extends into eternity. Joy does not fade but endures. Joy alone makes sense of the pain of life. Joy is the certain knowledge that what is unseen is more vast than what is seen. Joy is the fuel of hope. Joy means your circumstances are opportunities to honor your God. Joy is the evidence that you are never truly lost. Joy means you are not limited by a sin-cursed world. Joy means that you can love when you are hurt. Joy means that you can live for God when death surrounds you. Joy is knowing that God […]
God is special simply and profoundly because he is God. He is unsearchable. He turns to no one for help or advice. He is in no one’s debt. No one calls him to account. All things are because he is. He died for the unworthy, the unlovable, the ungrateful. He became sin so that his people would live. He is three persons and one God. It is this special God who sent his Son to die for me because it pleased him to do so. He is my Shepherd. I have no needs. He is my savior, I have no words. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his […]
Life can be crushing. People will turn evil. Madness will come. Hurt will run deep. And yes, even worse, our own sins find us out. Where do you go, when the lights go out? Who is there to bind the wounds of your heart? There is a river that runs from life through death to life again. It is the river of hope and strength when all else seems lost. One hell-bent man can bring a nation to its knees. One angry burst of words can send a relationship over the edge. One lost moment of anger and lust can devastate the soul. Where do you go, where do you flee, where is there peace, where is there hope? There […]
Today I am reposting the letter my wife, Ruth, wrote to our church about her response to what was most important to her once she was diagnosed with brain cancer. My prayer continues to be that I would embrace these priorities as my own. I pray that for you as well. Here is the letter written April 25, 2010: “Twenty-five days ago, on the first day of April, God got my attention with a malignant brain tumor. It’s been quite a month, and now I’m on my way to surgery, tomorrow morning. You all have been wonderful to us, loving and helping us in many ways, and we are very, very grateful for our church family. But what I want […]
Disappointment, frustration, bitterness, sadness, hurt: these are words that all too frequently describe our relationships, especially with people we love. Why is that? Perhaps the most common reason is that you are asking people to do what only God can do. When people occupy the place in your life that God has reserved for himself, you will find disappointment and frustration. No one can bear the weight of being your God except God. When you place your spouse, your children, your parents, your close friends, anyone in the role of being your satisfaction, your affirmation in life, hard times will follow. No human can bear that weight! Safety and security are found only in God. Listen to the words of […]
Indulging sensual desires has become an entitlement for young people. The message is loud and persistent: You can have it. You can have it now. You deserve it. Advertising that targets our nation’s youth is built on these three components of youthful desires or lusts. A cultural shift has occurred. It is one that is based on gratifying youthful desire. Having sex outside of marriage is the new social normal. Virginity is an indication of a dysfunctional personality. The notion of drinking responsibly doesn’t mean restraint, it means finding a designated driver. Products from hamburgers to whatever are sold with one message – you deserve this. Against this rising tide, a plea that says “don’t do that!” comes across as […]
God is good because of who he is. He is not good because of the beauty of nature. He is not good because of who is or is not the president. He is not good because I am happy with my circumstances. He is not good because I deserve it. He is not good because I have good health. He is not good because I live in apparent safety compared to others. He is not good because it is a beautiful day. God is good simply and profoundly because his own being and character defines goodness. God is good even when our lives are torn by despair. God is good when a storm brings destruction. God is good when the […]
A judgmental spirit towards people is a dangerous thing. It leads to doubt, mistrust and broken relationships. However, there is another form of judgment that is far more destructive: the practice of judging God. When you begin to question God’s faithfulness, when circumstances are not what you wanted, you are actually judging God. When your general response to life is that life is a bummer or you live with constant disappointment, you are judging God. Why? Because the Holy Spirit says that God is causing all the events in your life to work together for your good. So, when you look at life and fail to see God’s goodness, even in the painful things, you are judging God. You are […]
Would you go to church if: you couldn’t go to the mountains, you couldn’t go to the beach, you couldn’t go on vacation, if the weather is not too bad, if your favorite team is not playing on TV, if you don’t have tickets to see your favorite team play, if this weren’t your only chance to catch an important film or fine arts performance, if the weather is too rainy for a hike or picnic, if you weren’t too tired, if you weren’t feeling bad, if you didn’t have yard work to do, if you didn’t have an important book to finish, if things were going better at work, if you didn’t feel so far from God, if you […]