Mary's Magnificent God - Part 4

Few songs are worth pondering line by line, stanza by stanza, but The Magnificat is such a song. When the angel of the Lord told Mary that she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah, she worshiped God with a song of praise (Luke 1:46-55).

In the first stanza she expresses personal gratitude.

In the second stanza, she enlarges her perspective.

In the third stanza, she exults in God’s grace toward the humble.

In the fourth and final stanza, Mary emphasizes God’s faithfulness:

He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his offspring forever. (Luke 1:54-55)

Perhaps you’re thinking, “What does God’s promise to Israel have to do with me?” The answer is everything, if you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior! Scripture says,

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
(Gal. 3:7-9)

If you’re a believer in Christ, God’s promises apply to you! God helps his people! God remembers his mercy! He keeps his word! “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him [Jesus, the Son of God]. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Cor. 1:20).

Do you realize the awesome privilege that is yours in Christ? Mary did! That’s why she magnified the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior! As noted in the ESV Study Bible, Mary’s testimony shows that “God uses people who are not great in the world’s eyes to work his great purposes on the earth.”

God blesses his people
not only with eternal life in heaven,
but also a life of significance on earth.

In his book, The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren states,

Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.

Trusting God completely means having faith that He knows what is best for your life. You expect Him to keep His promises, help you with problems, and do the impossible when necessary.

Isn’t that precisely what we see in the life of Mary? Here’s the point:

Mary’s magnificent God is our God
who has done great things for us.

“The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad” (Ps. 26:3). The humble heart responds to God’s greatness in exultant worship. Mary exhibited such worship. Do we?

Because Mary’s God is our God, her song can be our song.

Mary's Magnificent God - Part 3

“Extraordinarily fine, superb, noble, great, of exceptional beauty and size.” Such words are used to define the term magnificent. Yet they all fall short of capturing the infinitely immense grandeur of God.

That’s why to really appreciate The Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46-55, we must consider the words of Scripture itself. That’s what we’ve been doing the last couple of days as we have pondered Mary’s song, one stanza at a time.

In part one, we saw how the first stanza expresses Mary’s personal gratitude to God (Luke 1:46-48).

In part two, we saw how the second stanza reflects her enlarged perspective of the Almighty (Luke 1:49-50).

Today we come to the third stanza of Mary’s song, where she presents a striking contrast between God’s treatment of the proud and humble. Luke 1:51-53 says,

He has shown strength with his arm;
He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted those of humble estate.

In the previous verse Mary proclaimed, “[God’s] mercy is for those who fear him, from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50). Now Mary proves her point by showing what God has done in times past. If you read through the Bible you will see that the actions of God described in Mary’s song are consistent with what God has done throughout history. God fights for his people. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:7).

C. S. Lewis wrote,

In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that — and therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison — you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud, you cannot know God. A proud man his always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you can’t see something that is above you.

Scripture warns, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). Pride led to Lucifer’s fall from heaven and Adam’s fall into sin. God has demonstrated this principle since the dawn of creation.

After the birth of Jesus, when Joseph and Mary brought him to the temple, a godly old man named Simeon blessed them, saying to Mary, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of man in Israel” (Luke 2:34). Those who were arrogant and rejected Christ would be punished. Those who humbled themselves by repenting of their sins and entrusting themselves to Jesus would rise and be blessed.

John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 5:22 says, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.” One day you will stand before Jesus and give an account of your life here on earth. What you do with Jesus now will decide what Jesus does with you then. As one song writer put it,

What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be.
One day your heart will be asking,
“What will He do with me?”

When we consider the wrath of God that will be poured out on those who reject his Son, it should make us all the more grateful for the mercy that we have received through Christ. The late theologian Carl Henry once said,

How can anyone be arrogant
when he stands beside the cross?

When we consider the price that Jesus paid to save us from our sin, we should forever live in humble gratitude and service to the one who loved us and gave himself for us (Gal. 2:20).

Alas, and did my Savior bleed,
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Was it for sins that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown
And love beyond degree!

My God, why would You shed Your blood
So pure and undefiled,
To make a sinful one like me
Your chosen, precious child?

Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut His glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For man, the creature's, sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
’Tis all that I can do.

(Isaac Watts, 1707)

Mary's Magnificent God - Part 2

Years ago Elton John sang, “When all hope is gone, sad songs say so much.” But songs of praise say so much more, especially when composed on the very pages of Holy Scripture!

Such is the case with the Magnificat - Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46-55. It consists of four stanzas. We looked at the first stanza in yesterday’s post. In these opening lines, Mary expresses her gratitude to God for his grace.

As Mary continues to ponder God’s greatness, her perspective widens. This is evident in the second stanza.

Stanza Two:
Enlarged Perspective

In verses 49-50, Mary testifies,

For he who is mighty
has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy
is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.

The first part of this stanza reinforces the theme of the first stanza, that God has shown favor to Mary. He who is mighty has done great things for her! In his commentary, R. C. H. Lenski points out, “God’s might is never merely quiescent, like that of a mighty king who is sitting and doing nothing; his might is ceaselessly active.” Yes, God’s power is always at work!

God is not only mighty, but he is also holy. Mary readily asserts, “And holy is his name.” In ancient times, a person’s name was reflective of his character and reputation. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches….” Why? Because it is more precious, powerful and enduring. Mary uses the word “and” to connect God’s might to his holiness.

The psalmist testified,

Your righteousness, O God,
reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
- Psalm 71:19 -

The answer is: nobody. God alone is perfectly righteous in every way.

But there is one more character quality of God that Mary highlights. In verse 50 she declares, “And his mercy is for those who fear him.” The word “mercy” emphasizes human misery and the impulse to relieve it, which results in gracious action.

That’s the heart and soul of Christmas. On account of our sin, we all deserve God’s judgment. In our natural state, we are guilty, condemned, and unable to rescue ourselves.

But God, being rich in mercy,
because of the great love
with which he loved us,
even when we were dead
in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ –
by grace you have been saved.
- Ephesians 2:4,5 -

In her song of praise, Mary connects God’s mercy to his holiness, and his holiness to his might. It’s amazing to see how all three of these attributes came together in the virgin birth. God revealed his might through the miracle of the virgin birth, and God retained his holiness through the manner of it. Earlier in this same chapter, the angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). God in his holiness separates the conception from sin, yet God in his mercy provides the conception for sinners!

That’s what makes the doctrine of the Virgin Birth so critical to the Christian faith. Do we serve an awesome God, or what? He is “holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!”

“And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation” (v. 50). God’s mercy is available to all, but it is applied only to those who revere him for the mighty, holy, and merciful God that he has revealed himself to be in Scripture. When Jesus was born, a multitude of the heavenly host praised God and said,

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those
with whom he is pleased!
- Luke 2:14 -

With whom is God pleased? Those who take him at his word and worship him accordingly. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

God said, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:11). God did great things for Mary, and the good news is that God will do great things for you! Go to him in faith, believing all that he has revealed himself to be. “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:39).

Everything we have read to this point in Mary’s song of praise should cause us to believe God’s Word, bow in reverence before him, and be filled with gratitude for all the great things he has done for us.

But God’s mercy becomes all the more apparent when it is contrasted with his judgment on those who do not fear him. We will look at this contrast in the third stanza of Mary’s song tomorrow.

Mary's Magnificent God - Part 1

December is here, and with that comes the singing of some of our favorite Christmas carols. One of the best Christmas hymns of all time was sung by Mary, the mother of our Lord. Historically it has been referred to as Mary’s Magnificat [song of praise].

This song, recorded in Luke 1:46-55, is a marvelous expression of praise. It teaches us a vital lesson:

The humble heart
responds to God’s greatness
in exultant worship.

Mary’s song consists of four stanzas. There is a logical flow which makes them easy to remember.

• In the first stanza, Mary expresses her personal gratitude to God, rejoicing in all that he has done for her.

• In the second stanza, Mary’s spiritual perspective widens as she considers that God’s “mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”

• In the third stanza, God’s mercy becomes all the more apparent when seen in contrast to his judgment on those who do not fear him.

• In the fourth stanza as Mary affirms that God’s mercy is the fulfillment of his promise to his people throughout history.

As we survey this beautiful song over the next four days (one stanza per day), may the Holy Spirit stoke the embers of our hearts until we are white-hot with worship.

Stanza One:
Personal Gratitude

And Mary said,
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
- Luke 1:46-48

Mary’s song is intensely personal. “My soul…my spirit…my Savior.” Jesus stated, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). The essence of worship is not the externals — such as a state-of-the-art sound system, a large choir, or an impressive band or orchestra — but the heart and head. “Spirit and truth.” The words of Mary’s mouth expressed the truth that had taken hold of her heart.

Although Mary’s song was intensely personal, it was not self-focused. Instead, Mary made much of God. “My soul magnifies the Lord.” In the Latin version of Mary’s song, the word “magnifies” [magnificat] appears first, which is why this song came to be called the Magnificat. The word magnify means “to make large.” Of course we don’t make God large. He is infinite by his very nature — beyond all human measurement or calculation!

We don’t make God large in terms of his person, but we do make him large in terms of our perception. Sadly, our tendency is to magnify people and make too little of God.

Our tendency is
to magnify people
and make too little of God.

Consider what the Roman Catholic Church has done to Mary. They teach that Mary was conceived immaculate and was therefore sinless. But Mary herself said, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Mary herself recognized that she was a sinner in need of the Savior. An angel declared to Joseph, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Mary goes on to say in Luke 1:48, “He has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” The verb “looked on” means to notice. Mary was amazed that God took any notice of her at all. Mary’s ancestor David said something similar in Psalm 8:

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Both David and Mary were blown away by the fact that God would even notice them, let alone care for them.

Are you blown away by that thought? Mary knew that she was a sinner who did not deserve God’s favor. That is why she rejoiced so greatly when she received it.

In fact, Mary concludes verse 48 by saying, “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.” The word “behold” is a signal word. It is meant to grab people’s attention. Mary says, in essence, “Look! What God has done for me will never be forgotten!” Mary makes it clear that she is not the blesser, but the one being blessed.

We have good reason to admire Mary, but we have no cause to worship her. Mary’s soul magnified the Lord, and so should we. Her spirit rejoiced greatly in God her Savior, and so should ours. God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), the Fount of every blessing. The most wonderful gift of all is Jesus.

When it comes to personal gratitude, Mary is a good model for us. May we pray, as George Herbert did,

Thou that hast given
so much to me,
Give one thing more:
A grateful heart.

Prince of Peace

A few years ago, Forbes magazine published an article titled, “The Top 8 Things People Desperately Desire But Can’t Seem to Attain.” Peace was #4 on the list. Happiness was #1.

Did you know that the Hebrew word for “peace,” shalom, conveys both of these qualities? It speaks of tranquility, well-being, wholeness, safety and security. All of these blessings are wrapped up in the word shalom.

Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote,

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace [Shalom].”
- Isaiah 9:6

In our three previous blog posts, we explored the meaning of the names Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father. Today we’ll focus on the fourth title:: Prince of Peace.

The night before he died on the cross, Jesus told his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

When someone is about to die, he usually writes a last will and testament in which he leaves his money and possessions to his loved ones. That’s what Jesus does here. But what he gives his followers is something that money can’t buy: peace.

He says, “Not as the world gives do I give to you.” The Pax Romana (“Roman peace”) was brought about by a brutal sword, but that peace wouldn’t last. Jesus brought peace by the blood of the cross – by suffering and dying as a sacrifice for sin – so that we could be reconciled to God and have a peace that lasts forever. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

Once we’re at peace with God,
we can experience the peace of God.

Inner peace is the primary quality that Jesus emphasizes in John 14:17, for he says, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Our hearts have a natural bent toward worry and fear. However, Jesus says, “Don’t let your heart go there.”

Worry and fear are unauthorized areas for the Christian. We must deny our hearts access. The promises of God are protective barriers for our hearts. When we lay hold of God’s promises through prayer, God’s peace prevails. Scripture says,

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7 NLT)

The disciples needed to hear this, because they were constantly preoccupied with themselves, which never brings peace. But as we focus on Christ, he gives his peace to us freely as a gift. “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matt. 7:7).

We can experience peace because Jesus has provided it for us. He has promised it to us — and God always keeps his promises! Since that is true, let us resolve to do three things:

1. Rejoice in God’s provisions! Through Christ, you have pardon for sin! You have the power to obey God’s Word! You have his Holy Spirit living within you — your heart is his home! You have all the promises of God at your disposal, and the peace of God that lasts forever. So rejoice!

2. Make Jesus’ pleasure your passion. Stop being preoccupied with yourself. That never brings peace. Instead, “find out what pleases the Lord” (Eph. 5:10) and “make it [your] aim to please him” (2 Cor. 5:9). The psalmist wrote, “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble” (Ps. 119:165).

3. Choose faith over fear. Scripture says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.” Picture that “no access” sign. Get control of your heart. Don’t let it venture into the unauthorized areas of worry and fear. “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Pet. 5:7 NLT).

In her classic book, Streams in the Desert, Mrs. Charles Cowman wrote,

Two painters each painted a picture to illustrate his conception of rest. The first chose for his scene a still lake among the far-off mountains.

The second threw on his canvas a thundering waterfall, with a fragile birch tree bending over the foam; and at the fork of the branch, almost wet with the cataract’s spray, sat a robin on its nest.

The first was only stagnation; the last was rest.

Christ’s life outwardly was one of the most troubled lives that ever lived: tempest and tumult, tumult and tempest, the waves breaking over it all the time until the worn body was laid in the grave. But the inner life was a sea of glass. The great calm was always there.

Even when the human bloodhounds were dogging him in the streets of Jerusalem, He turned to His disciples and offered them as a lasting legacy, “My peace.”

Rest is not a hallowed feeling that comes over us in church; it is the repose of a heart set deep in God.

Everlasting Father

Recently our daughter gave birth to a son. A year ago we knew nothing about him because he didn’t exist. He hadn’t been conceived, and no one could guarantee that he would be conceived.

Such was not the case with God’s Son. Centuries before Jesus was born, God guaranteed that he would come — so much so that he announced it as if the Messiah’s birth had already happened. It was as good as done.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:6)

Each of these titles tell us something significant about the Son of God and why he is such a precious gift to us. We have already seen how Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor and the Mighty God. Today we’ll consider how Jesus is our “Everlasting Father.”

What it does not mean:

When Scripture refers to the Messiah as the “Everlasting Father,” it does not mean that the Messiah is God the Father. Scripture teaches that God is a Tri-Unity. That’s what the word Trinity means. There is one God who consists of three co-equal, co-eternal Persons. The following diagram helps helps to clarify the personal distinction yet essential unity between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

As you can see, the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God.

• But the Father is not the Son, and the Father is not the Spirit.

• The Son is not the Father, and the Son is not the Spirit.

• The Spirit is not the Son, and the Spirit is not the Father.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all God, but they are all separate Persons with respective roles and functions.

Since that is true, what does Isaiah mean when he says that Jesus is our “Everlasting Father”? That’s a good question!

What it does mean:

The Hebrew word for “father” [אָב] has many nuances. Two of these meanings in particular reflect Jesus’ role as the Messiah.

1. Head of household

   Earlier in Isaiah’s prophecy he refers to “the children whom the Lord has given me” (Isa. 8:18). The author of Hebrews applies this statement directly to Jesus, after referring to him as “the founder of [our] salvation” (Heb. 2:10, 13).

   When predicting the sufferings of the Messiah, Isaiah says, “it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand” (Isa. 53:10).

   Through his redeeming work, Jesus became the “founder of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). We are his spiritual offspring. He is the head of the church (Eph. 5:23), the household of faith (Gal. 6:10). In this sense Jesus Christ is our “Everlasting Father.”

2. Benevolent Provider/Protector

   This is the second way in which the Hebrew term “father” can be used. We see this in the case of the Old Testament saint Job, who testified, “I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help” (Job 29:16).

   Is not Jesus the ultimate example of this? “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Ephesians 5 says that Jesus “nourishes and cherishes [the church], because we are members of his body” (Eph. 5:29-30). Just as we naturally love and take care of ourselves, so Jesus loves and takes care of us. Because this is true, the apostle Paul confidently assured his fellow believers, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

   Jesus not only provides for us, but he also protects us. He said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). If you belong to Christ, you are as safe and secure as you can be! He will provide for you, and he will protect you.

And he will do so forever — for Jesus is the “Everlasting Father.” In the first chapter of Revelation, John sees Jesus glorified and hears him say, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Rev. 1:8). Because Jesus is God, and God is eternal, we can be sure that he will never cease to care for us.

Practical Application

We should respond to Jesus’ role as “Everlasting Father” in two ways:

1. Come to Jesus.

   Jesus himself says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem, saying, “How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me” (Matt. 23:37).

   What about you? Have you come to Jesus in faith, receiving the salvation that he has provided through his atoning death? The night before he died, Jesus told his disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). David said, “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” (Ps. 27:10). He is the “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows” (Ps. 68:5). Sometimes loved ones leave us through death or desertion. But such will never be the case with Jesus. You can always depend on him to be there for you. So come to him.

2. Become like Jesus.

   Ephesians 5 teaches us that those who are loved by God are to become like God. His love and character are to be reflected in our lifestyles and relationships. The world needs to see men who lovingly lead their homes … husbands who are faithful to their wives … fathers who protect and provide for their children.

   On a broader scale, we are to imitate Jesus in the life of the church. We are to love one another deeply and sacrificially. Instead of having a “what’s-in-it-for-me” mentality, we should look for ways to love others as Jesus has loved us.

Without Jesus’ loving leadership, provision and protection, we would be lost, destitute, and doomed. But, praise his holy name, Jesus is our “Everlasting Father.”

O, come, let us adore Him!

Mighty God

What situation has you discouraged, concerned, anxious, or frustrated? Years ago a well-known pastor made a good point, saying,

When you ask many people, “How are you doing?” they say, “I’m doing OK — under the circumstances.” What are you doing under the circumstances? Who put you there? Why don’t you get on top of the circumstances? Circumstances are like the mattress on your bed. Get on top of them, and you’ll rest easy. Get underneath them, and you’re going to suffocate.

That sounds good, but how exactly do we get on top of our circumstances? We do it by looking to the Lord, our “mighty God.” This is the second title ascribed by Isaiah to Jesus, several centuries before his birth:

For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:6)

In yesterday’s devotional we saw that, at the time this prophecy was delivered, Israel was a nation “in anguish” (Isa. 9:1). But God promised that brighter days were coming. Amidst the darkness a light would shine, and that Light was none other than God’s own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 4:12-16; cf. Matt. 1:23). The first title ascribed to him, “Wonderful Counselor,” could be translated “a wonder of a counselor.” The Hebrew word for “wonder” is pala, which appears 70 times throughout the Old Testament and is used primarily in reference to God. The word pala first appears in Genesis 18:14, where the Lord says in reference to himself, “Is anything too hard [pala] for the Lord?”

This ties in well with the second title ascribed to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6: “Mighty God.” The Hebrew term is El Gibbor. El is a term for God that signifies strength. In some contexts the term is translated as “might” or “power.” Yet this term for God is intensified by the adjective Gibbor, which means “mighty,” “strong,” or “valiant.” The combination of these terms into the title “El Gibbor” emphasizes the almightiness of God.

We see the staggering power of God in the very first statement in Scripture: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). The prophet Jeremiah exclaimed, “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you” (Jer. 32:17). In the next verse, Jeremiah addresses the Lord as the “great and mighty God” (Jer. 32:18). it would do us well to remember that Jeremiah lived in even darker days than Isaiah and has been referred to as “the weeping prophet.” Yet in the midst of his tears he turned to his “mighty God” in prayer and continued to trust him.

Is that what you do during troubled times? That’s what we should do all the time. All we must do to be reminded of God’s almighty power is to consider the beauty of creation (general revelation) and the truth of Scripture (special revelation).

I experienced the convergence of both revelations upon waking up today. During my quiet time with the Lord I read these verses in Psalm 147:

He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. (Ps. 147:15-18)

I had to look no further than my front yard to see the reality of this truth:

Shortly after seeing the fresh-fallen snow, I saw the “waters flow” on my short walk from home to church.

In this moment I turned my problems into prayers. I laid them out before the Lord. I thought of how microscopic my issues were in comparison to God’s omnipotent strength — so much so as to be laughable. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Of course not! The God who created and sustains the universe is more than able to handle whatever issues are facing me … and you.

Why be stressed
when you can be blessed?

In closing, for your encouragement, I’d like to share with you three things that Jesus, as the “mighty God,” is able to do for us. All I did was look up the clause “he is able” in reference to Jesus Christ, and here’s what I found:

1. He is able to save us. Because Jesus is the mighty God, “he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25). Have you put your trust in Jesus fully for salvation?

2. He is able to keep us. Because Jesus is the mighty God, the apostle Paul testified, “I know whom I have believed an am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that Day” (2 Tim. 1:12). Are you looking for security in earthly things, or in the mighty God who will never let you go? (See also John 10:27-30)

3. He is able to help us. Because Jesus is the mighty God, and “because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 2:18). If you are trusting in Jesus for your eternal salvation, doesn’t it make sense to trust him in every situation — to rely on him to help you through your daily struggles and temptations?

Jesus is the “Mighty God.” He is able to save us, keep us, and help us. This is “good news of great joy for all people,” including you and me.

My faith can rest on no other pillow than Christ’s omnipotence.

What’s your faith resting on?

Wonderful Counselor

Everyone is anxious to put 2020 behind us. While it’s a stretch to say that it’s “the worst year ever,” there’s no question that we are living in troubled times. In fact, this perspective was pre-pandemic. According to a 2019 Pew Research Survey, only 12% of Americans were “very optimistic” about the nation’s future, whereas 31% were “somewhat pessimistic” and 13% “very pessimistic.”

Ancient Israel was no different in the days of Isaiah. God himself described her as a nation “in anguish” (Isa. 9:1). Israel was under God’s judgment on account of her sin. More hardship was headed her way. The people were living in dark days.

But in the midst of their gloom, God promised that brighter days were coming. Speaking through his prophet Isaiah, the Lord declared,

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest….
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:2-3, 6)

The New Testament applies this prophecy to Jesus in his First Advent (see Matt. 4:12-16). Earlier Isaiah had declared, “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us]” (Isa. 7:14). This prophecy also is applied to the conception and birth of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:23). He is the Child born to us, the Son given to us.

What a Gift he is! Isaiah 9:6 ascribes four titles to this coming King. The first designation is "Wonderful Counselor.”

This title could also be translated “a wonder of a counselor.” The Hebrew word pala (“wonderful”) appears 70 times in the Old Testament. It is used primarily with God as its subject, expressing actions that are beyond human powers or expectations. This idea is expressed well in Psalm 118:23: “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.” The word pala first appears in Genesis 18:14, where the Lord says in reference to himself, “Is anything too hard [pala] for the Lord?”

Of course not! And that includes the counsel he gives us. The apostle Paul tells us that Christ Jesus “became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:31). In his commentary on this particular verse, John MacArthur notes that believers

are given God’s wisdom. They not only are saved by God’s wisdom rather than their own, but are given God’s wisdom to replace their own. The truly wise of this world are those whose wisdom is not of this world but is from the Lord. Christians can say, without pride or self-boasting, that they have become wise in Jesus Christ. They stand as a testimony for all time that God in His wisdom chose the sinful, the weak, and the unwise in order to make them righteous, strong, and wise. God grants them His wisdom that He might be glorified, that it might be clearly seen that the wisdom Christians have is not their own but is by His power and grace.

For this reason, the apostle Paul was able to affirm his fellow believers, saying, “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another” (Rom. 15:14). We display the wisdom of Christ whenever we counsel others according to Scripture in the power of the Holy Spirit (see Psalm 119:24; James 1:5).

Note: Charles Stanley has written an article titled “10 Ways to Detect Ungodly Counsel.” Two red flags are the absence of prayer, and people giving advice based on what they think rather than what God thinks. To read more of this brief, beneficial article, click here.

The Lord Jesus Christ gives us all the wisdom and direction we need in life. He is our “Wonderful Counselor,” and for that we praise him!

(Tomorrow we’ll consider the second title in Isaiah 9:6: “Mighty God.”)

Love Gift

Despite the many challenges and disappointments of 2020, this year’s Thanksgiving was extra special in that our entire family was able to celebrate this holiday together. Our youngest son Timothy had contracted COVID-19 but recovered and was released from quarantine just three days prior. Our oldest son Matthew drove all the way up from Florida to join us in upstate New York on Thanksgiving Eve. We hadn’t seen him for more than a year. Yet the Lord graciously allowed us to celebrate this special holiday together.

One of the highlights of our extended weekend was when our children gave their mom an early birthday present. (Ruthie’s birthday is December 18, but the kids wanted to present their gift in person.) You can see the joy on our children’s faces as Ruthie opened their gift — a gift of love, from all to one.

At Christmas we celebrate another gift of love — not from all to one, but from One to all. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

Our gifts to one another should remind us of God’s ultimate gift to us.

The deepest love
resulted in the greatest gift
that came at the ultimate cost.

Whereas my children presented their gift a bit early, God sent his Son when the proper time had fully come (see Gal. 4:4-5). Why? So that we could be forgiven of our sin and live forever in perfect fellowship with him.

When my children presented their gift to their mother, all Ruthie had to do was receive it. She did not contribute anything to it because the gift was already bought and paid for by those who loved her. The same is true with respect to our salvation. “And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Pet. 1:19 NLT).

How should we respond to this priceless, precious, perfect gift?

1. Receive it. Faith is the hand that receives God’s gift. “For by grace you are saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).

2. Rejoice in it. Jesus said to his followers, “rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

3. Reflect on it. “Consider what great things [the Lord] has done for you” (1 Sam. 12:24).

To help us do that, each G.E.T. (Gospel Encouragement Today) devotional from now through Christmas Day will focus on one aspect of God’s gift to us. I hope you’ll join us as we celebrate this Advent Season by exploring the wonder of God’s gift together.

The Dying Art of Cultivating a Grateful Heart

Today on “Family & Friends Friday,” I’m blessed to have my wife Ruthie as my guest blogger! We have been married for 30 years, and I can assure you that “she opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” (Prov. 31:26). So I was thrilled when Ruthie submitted this article to me on a subject that is not only near and dear to her heart, but one that also beautifies her heart: gratitude.

_________________________

As I was packing up some teaching supplies after a Sunday morning children’s church lesson, my heart was warmed when one of the young girls aged 9 or 10 came directly up to me, looked me in the eye and said, “Thank you, Mrs. Fletcher, for teaching me today.” She then headed off down the hall with her dad.

I remember thinking to myself, “Wow, it’s quite obvious that this young lady’s parents have made it a priority to train her to be intentionally thankful.” I use the word “intentional” because it’s easy for all of us to go about our daily business, being unmindful of the many blessings that surround us.

James reminds us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father,” and our response should be as revealed in a plethora of Scriptures, to “give thanks,” “bless His name,” “tell of His wondrous works,” and “sing praise in your heart.”

From the moment we open our eyes and plant our feet on the floor each morning, ready to receive the gift of another day, may God make us aware and grateful for the common graces of breath in our lungs, homes to shelter us, food to nourish us, clothing, a beautiful creation to explore, family, freedoms in our country and so much more.

And for those of us who have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, and can call God our Heavenly Father, how incredibly blessed we are to be partakers of the special graces of a home awaiting us in heaven, Scripture that is alive and powerful, the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ our great High Priest who provides us access to the God of the universe!

How can we not give thanks?

Given the fact that we are all naturally prone to being self-absorbed and ungrateful, cultivating a thankful heart takes prayer and consistent effort.

1. Ask God to make us acutely aware of blessings around us and to give us a tender, humble, appreciative mindset.

2. Work to exercise the discipline of being thankful.

As a parent, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of both modeling and perpetuating this in the impressionable hearts and minds of our children. It starts with a teaching your toddler to say “please” and “thank you” for his peanut butter sandwich … to appealing to the heart of your 6 or 7 year old based on everything we enjoy coming down from a loving God … which in turn leads to working to drive home to your teenager the full thrusts of the gospel — contrasting what we really deserve with what was provided for us in the person of Jesus Christ.

This is a tall order, to be sure. But God never calls us to a task without giving us what we need to accomplish it.

So as we head into this special season of Thanksgiving at the end of a particularly difficult year, may we take to heart the words of C. S. Lewis:

Gratitude exclaims very properly,
”How good of God to give me this.”

_________________________

Editor’s Note: I will be on vacation from now through Thanksgiving weekend. So the weekday G.E.T. devotionals will resume on November 30.

Led by the Spirit? Maybe, Maybe Not

Have you ever heard someone say:

“The Spirit led me to . . .”
”God made it clear to me . . .”
”I felt the Lord saying to me . . .”

All of these catch-phrases are meant to indicate “the Spirit’s leading” in one’s life. People use it to explain (defend?) their decisions, actions, and way of doing things.

But did you know that the expression “led by the Spirit,” occurs only twice in the New Testament?

Romans 8:13-14: For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Galatians 5:16-18: So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

In each case, being led of the Spirit has to do with killing sin — refusing to gratify the desires of the flesh. In his helpful article, The Spirit Led Me To …, Mike Riccardi states,

If we are going to be relentlessly Biblical, this has to be the way we primarily understand and use that phrase: being led by the Spirit. “The Spirit led me to put off my anger and bitterness.” “The Spirit led me to mortify my lust for attention and recognition.” And so on.

But let’s face it. We rarely if ever hear someone say that they’re led of the Spirit in that sense. As I stated above, usually folks use that phrase to explain their own decisions and actions.

I do think there’s a little “wiggle room” here, if the phrase is used in a manner that’s consistent with the overall teaching of Scripture. For instance, Ephesians 6:18 says that we are to be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Sometimes as we’re praying, we truly sense the Holy Spirit prompting us to pray for a certain person or situation. Then afterwards we hear of how God used that prayer to accomplish his purpose in the lives of his people and glorify himself as a result. That would seem to be a legitimate understanding of the Spirit’s leading.

But in far too many cases, Christians are quick to claim, “The Spirit led me to . . . [fill in the blank]” — and that blank represents whatever they’re bent on doing. Riccardi writes,

Though the person might be sincere, this really is just scrambling for some authority to validate one’s own subjective gut-feelings and impressions. Instead, we should call them what they are: gut-feelings and impressions.

As Clint Archer points out, “personal experience is unsure, untouchable, and unverifiable.”

Unsure. No personal experience is trustworthy enough [in and of itself] to stake your soul on it.

Untouchable. Experiences are subjective, not open to critique. If someone questions your stance, you can simply reply, “I just know it was true.” End of discussion.

Unverifiable. Legitimizing one’s subjective impression as the Lord’s leading opens the door to using spiritual claims for selfish gains. “God told me so” becomes the ace in the hole. “Imagine a deacons’ meeting,” says Archer, “where one guy wants the carpet to be blue and the other prefers beige. The first one to say God sides with him wins.”

Scripture is our ultimate authority. Whenever our subjective impressions would lead us to do something that is out of line with Scripture, whether directly or indirectly by violating clear commands or principles of Christian prudence, then we’re being led by our gut, not by our God.

So let’s make sure that we’re being “led of the Spirit” in the way that the Lord intends, according to Scripture. Then we’ll be better Christians who bless others and bring glory to God.

Saluting Those Who Have Served Our Country

Give to everyone what you owe them:
if respect, then respect;
if honor, then honor.
- Romans 13:7 -

The word “honor” translates a Greek word (timē) which means to estimate the worth of something and to show careful regard for it. The apostle Paul uses the same word in Acts 28:10 to describe the citizens of Malta (a small island nation 58 miles south of Sicily), saying, “they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.” That is to say, the people held Paul in high esteem and showed their admiration and respect in tangible ways.

That’s what Scripture commands Christians to do in relation to public officials, according to Romans 13:7. The respect and honor we show them is not a voluntary contribution on our part; it is what we “owe them.” The very next verse says, “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another” (Rom. 13:8).

While Christians are called to love all people, even our enemies (Matt. 5:44), the emphasis in Romans 13:1-7 is on showing honor and respect to public officials, those who are employed by our government.

Veterans Day provides a special opportunity to honor specifically our military members — all those who have served our country in war or peace. (Whereas Memorial Day is a time to remember those who gave their lives for our country, Veterans Day is meant to honor present and former military members who are still alive.)

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I. According to the U.S. Department of Defense website,

World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. However, the fighting ended about seven months before that when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

For that reason, Nov. 11, 1918, was largely considered the end of “the war to end all wars” and dubbed Armistice Day. In 1926, Congress officially recognized it as the end of the war, and in 1938, it became an official holiday, primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I.

But then World War II and the Korean War happened, so on June 1, 1954, at the urging of veterans service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration yet again by changing the word “armistice” to “veterans” so the day would honor American veterans of all wars.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs HR7786, June 1, 1954. This ceremony changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

The liberties that we enjoy as Americans today exist because our veterans have faithfully served, and even fought, to defend our nation’s freedom. These men and women deserve our honor and respect.

How can we show it to them? The easiest way is simply to thank them. Not just in a general way by posting something on social media (although that is a good thing to do), but in a personal way. Express your sincere gratitude to at least one veteran for his/her service to our country.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website lists 45 practical ways to honor veterans. Here are some things you can do:

1. Attend a Veteran’s Day event.

2. Ask a Veteran about his/her time in the military, and really listen to his/her answer.

3. Take a Veteran out to dinner, or take dinner to a Veteran.

4. Write and send a letter to someone who is currently serving in the military.

5. Thank a Veteran co-worker for their service.

6. Wear your favorite “pro-Vet” T-shirt.

7. Devote time or money or supplies to local Veterans Day drives.

8. Gather with family and friends to watch a patriotic movie.

9. Thank a Veteran for his/her service while running errands

10. Pick one or two of the activities listed above, and resolve to do them at least once a month when it’s NOT Veterans Day.

Above all, let us pray for our Veterans. Not only that God would keep them safe and secure and bless them, but that they would experience the joy of salvation by putting their trust in the the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us (Gal. 2:20).

Chapter and verse!

From fifth grade through twelfth grade, I had the privilege of attending a Christian school. The friendships that I cultivated with other students and faculty/staff members forty years ago are ones that I still enjoy today (albeit primarily through social media). The discipleship I received at home from my parents was largely reinforced and supplemented at my church and its Christian school, for which I’lll be forever grateful. Little did I know at the time just how many lessons learned during these formative years I would carry with me the rest of my life.

One such lesson was the Reformation principle of Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”), which means that Scripture is our supreme authority on any matter on which it speaks. As the Westminster Confession of Faith states,

The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good and necessary consequence, may be deduced from scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.

One teacher in particular at our Christian school would quote Bible references to students throughout the day, applying Scripture to various situations. He wouldn’t quote the verse itself, just the reference. Of course that would make the students curious about which verse the teacher was alluding to, so they would grab their Bibles to find out.

Two different verses seemed to be his favorites, perhaps because in the teacher’s mind they so perfectly addressed the situation at hand.

• During seat work time, a boy would be goofing around with his friend next to him, and the teacher would look at them and say, “First Thessalonians 4:11.” The only Bible version we used in that school was the King James Version (KJV), so I’ll quote that translation of the verse here: “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” Haha, what a great verse for boys who are goofing around during seat work time!

• The teacher would see a female student behaving immaturely or foolishly in a given moment, and he would call her “Miss Smith” (or whatever her last name was) and then say, “Proverbs 11:22.” The young lady would open her Bible and read: “As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.” This verse indicates that a lack of discretion in a lovely lady is as out of place as a ring of gold in a pig’s nose. Point taken!

It may be that in at least the first case the teacher was proof-texting, which is using a biblical text to prove your point without regard for the context of the passage you’re citing. Paul’s statement in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 is really about Christian men working to support themselves instead of meddling in other people’s business as they mooch off other believers.

While proof-texting is something we must be careful to avoid, I think the far greater danger is not appealing to Scripture at all — either because we don’t know it well enough, or we don’t respect it as our supreme authority, or both. We would do well to remember:

When Scripture speaks,
God speaks.

At any given moment on any given day in any given situation, we as believers should automatically think, “What does the Bible say about this matter? What scriptural commands, principles or promises come into play?”

The psalmist testified, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). I like how the New Living Translation of Isaiah 8:20 correlates to this truth, saying,

Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.

That’s why one gentleman in a previous church I pastored would challenge unbiblical propositions and statements by saying, “Chapter and verse! Chapter and verse!” He could be a bit obnoxious, but I appreciated his commitment to examine everything in the light of Scripture. Luke, the author of Acts, tells us that when Paul preached at the synagogue in Berea, “these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

May we as believers today develop a Berean mindset. “Chapter and verse! Chapter and verse!”

Grace & Glory

This past weekend I finished my 2020 Bible reading plan (a bit early). My final reading was Job 40-42 and Psalm 150 from the Old Testament, and Rev. 22 from the New Testament. Two words that came to mind as I finished reading the Bible were grace and glory.

“The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:12). Job’s experience at the end of his life will be our lot as God’s children throughout eternity. In his great mercy, God saved us “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). Jesus’ final words in the New Testament constitute a promise: “Surely I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:21). For the believer, the Second Coming of Christ will be a Day of unspeakable glory.

So as I completed my final scheduled Scripture readings for this year — about Job’s latter days being better than the beginning (Job 42) … about our glory in heaven and the certainty of Christ’s return (Rev. 22) … and the Psalmist’s exhortation to “praise the Lord … tell of his excellent greatness” (Ps. 150), the words grace and glory were foremost on my mind.

In commenting on the words, “the Lord will give grace and glory” (Ps. 84:11), Charles Spurgeon wrote,

The Lord gives; there is nothing freer than a gift, and there can be nothing freer than that greatest of all the gifts of God, eternal life. That expression, "eternal life," sums up these two things, grace and glory. "The Lord will give grace and glory." It is His glory to give His grace; and because of His graciousness, He gives glory. Glory never comes without grace coming first, but grace never comes without glory coming last; the two are bound together, and "what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

Grace is God’s goodness toward those who deserve only judgment. Glory is the manifestation of God’s infinite perfections, infinite greatness, and infinite worth. This double-blessing is ours in Christ. That’s why, after reading the words of Psalm 150:2, “praise him according to his excellent greatness,” I sang the hymn, Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer!

The Spirit of God uses
the Word of God to bless
the people of God,
which results in
praise to God!

That’s why I encourage everyone to read through the Bible in its entirety. Although I recommend doing so in a single year, with daily readings from both the Old and New Testaments, there are numerous Bible reading plans from which to choose. You can find a list of options by clicking here.

Choose a plan, any plan! Then stick with it. But even if you fall behind, don’t get discouraged. Keep moving forward until you have finished reading the Holy Scriptures in their entirety.

As Mellissa Kruger points out in her article, Daily Bread: 8 Reasons Why You Need It More Than You Think, the word of God is able to:

1. Make you wise for salvation

2. Grow your relationship with God

3. Help you fight temptation

4. Provide revival, wisdom and joy

5. Nourish your soul

6. Provide comfort

7. Transform you to look like Christ

8. Bless you to be a blessing

Why deprive yourself of all these benefits? Read the Scriptures and relish God’s grace and glory!

"I've Gotta Be Me!"

[Note: The following post is adapted from its original version which was published on March 20, 2012.]

Ziggy is a cartoon character that was launched by Tom Wilson the year I was born (1968). Ziggy has a rather unimpressive appearance. He is small, bald, and barefoot. He has been described as always being one step behind, one nickel short, one lane away from the fast lane.  Poor Ziggy never seems to catch a break!

That's probably why Ziggy has so many fans. For in Ziggy they see a reflection of themselves, and the many misfortunes that come his way remind them of their own life experiences. In fact, this was precisely the case with Ziggy’s creator, Tom Wilson. The Associate Press reported,

The name Ziggy derived from his father’s school experience of being the last alphabetically. When a new classmate arrived beginning with “Z,” the idea took root with the friendly sounding “y” ending, such as Billy or Tommy. “Ziggy is a last-in-line character,” the son said in a phone interview. The last picked for everything and kind of a lovable kind of loser character. [Today show website]

When I was a kid, my parents got me a T-shirt with Ziggy on the front saying, "I've Gotta Be Me!" Looking at that statement from a Christian standpoint, it can be viewed as either positive or negative, as true or not true.

Looking at it negatively, we can say that it is not true as it concerns sinful traits and patterns in our lives. 

• A Christian brother who has an anger problem says, “I can be a bit of a hot-head, but then I cool down after a while. That’s just the way I am. I’ve gotta be me.”

• A Christian sister is known for being obnoxious. She prides herself on “speaking her mind,” describing herself as one who “tells it like it is. That’s just the way I’m wired. I’ve gotta be me.” 

Each of these two cases conveys a sinful pattern — not a personality trait — that must be addressed. This is not a matter of “teaching an old dog new tricks,” because we are human beings, not dogs. Furthermore, if we are in Christ, we are a “new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).  Scripture says “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life … and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:23-24).

When it comes to sinful traits and patterns, I don’t gotta be me.  In fact, I gotta kill me [self] and become like Christ. Thankfully, God has made this possible by his Spirit, giving us the power to change. This is the only way to truly live (Rom. 8:13).

With this in mind we can also take to heart the quote “I’ve Gotta Be Me!” in a positive sense, stressing the blessed uniqueness of our individuality. This has to do with aspects of our person that distinguish us from others. Such features would include our personality, skill sets, spiritual gifts, and more. 

Paul testified in 1 Cor. 15:10, "By the grace of God I am what I am." 

• The first part of the verse — the realization that who we are is the work of God’s grace — keeps us from pride.

• The second part of the verse--"I am what I am" — keeps us from wishing we were someone else. Instead, we strive to become all that God has created us to be. That's why Paul goes on to say in the second half of the verse, " … and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me" (1 Cor. 15:10).

Earlier in life and ministry I squandered much time wishing that I was different or more capable than I am, rather than going all out in God's strength to reach my full potential in Christ.

This reminds me of another cartoon I watched as a kid. It was called "King Leonardo and His Short Subjects." One of the main characters was Mr. Wizard the Lizard who lived in the woods at the base of a tree. He was often visited by Tooter the Turtle (pictured below with the Wizard), who wondered what it was like to be someone else.

So with a wave of his arms, Mr. Wizard would send Tooter Turtle through time or space to experience what it was like to be a gunfighter, police officer, sailor, or whatever else Tooter wished to be.

The climax of each story would occur when Tooter would get himself into an awful, inescapable predicament and cry out, "Help, Mr. Wizard!" Upon hearing the cry, Mr. Wizard would utter his magical chant, "Drizzle, Drazzle, Druzzle, Drome, time for this one to come home!" In a matter of seconds, Tooter would make it back, safe and sound. At that point Mr. Wizard would give him the wise counsel that would conclude every episode: "Be what you is, not what you is not. Folks that what is, is the happiest lot."

That’s bad grammar but good counsel. Don’t try to be someone else. Be all that God has called you to be in Christ!

God's Sustaining Grace in the Midst of Devastating Loss

That’s what I’m expressing gratitude for this #ThankfulThursday: God’s sustaining grace in the midst of devastating loss. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been reading through the book of Job in my daily quiet time with the Lord. This book of wisdom explores the reality of human suffering, at a very personal level. The first one and a half chapters describe Job’s devastating losses, one right after another (Job 1:13-19), the greatest one being the sudden loss of his children.

My wife and I have never experienced such a devastating loss, but we know many loved ones who have — close relatives, church members, neighbors and colleagues.

The most recent heartache came yesterday morning when I woke up and saw Tim Challies’ post, My Son, My Dear Son, Has Gone To Be With the Lord. As I read this brief article, my heart broke for Tim, his wife Aileen, their two other children, and Nick’s fiancée. Here’s what Tim wrote:

In all the years I’ve been writing I have never had to type words more difficult, more devastating than these: Yesterday the Lord called my son to himself—my dear son, my sweet son, my kind son, my godly son, my only son.

Nick was playing a game with his sister and fiancée and many other students when he suddenly collapsed, never regaining consciousness. Students, paramedics, and doctors battled valiantly, but could not save him. He’s with the Lord he loved, the Lord he longed to serve. We have no answers to the what or why questions.

Yesterday Aileen and I cried and cried until we could cry no more, until there were no tears left to cry. Then, later in the evening,  we looked each other in the eye and said, “We can do this.” We don’t want to do this, but we can do this—this sorrow, this grief, this devastation—because we know we don’t have to do it in our own strength. We can do it like Christians, like a son and daughter of the Father who knows what it is to lose a Son.

We travelled through the night to get to Louisville so we could be together as a family. And we ask that you remember us in your prayers as we mourn our loss together. We know there will be gruelling days and sleepless nights ahead. But for now, even though our minds are bewildered and our hearts are broken, our hope is fixed and our faith is holding. Our son is home.

As I weep and pray for Tim and Aileen, I salute their faith and extol the God of our salvation. He is the one who grants us the grace to persevere through such suffering. People like John and Celia, Bill and Betty, Gary and Carol, Phil and Nancy, Josh and Courtney, Henry and Cyndy, Irv and Darci, Jim and Martha, and numerous others whom I know personally — whose faith has been sustained, and even strengthened, through such sorrow.

These brothers and sisters in Christ, like the Old Testament saint Job, have come to see that their “relationship with God is ultimately the main issue and that suffering, while extremely important, is secondary. The complex of issues is not theoretical but practical.” Their world, like Job’s world, “is real, not a hypothetical ‘ivory tower’ where these questions can be bandied about among the participants without anyone feeling the hurt.”
(NIV Zondervan Study Bible, p. 901)

No, these precious followers of the Lamb understand the nature of deep suffering and of God’s sustaining grace, which John Piper poetically describes this way:

Not grace to bar what is not bliss,
Nor flight from all distress,
But this, the grace that orders our trouble and pain,
And then in the darkness is there to sustain.

Praise God for his sustaining grace.
Pray for those who are suffering.
Thank God for their steadfast faith.
Take heart in knowing that as the Lord has carried them, so he will carry you.

And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him belongs the power forever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)

Young and Wise

You don’t have to be old to be wise. In fact, one can be advanced in years and still be a fool. Still, we’re inclined to think that “with age comes wisdom.” Actually, with age comes experience. Hopefully the older a person gets, the wiser he becomes, since wisdom is the right application of knowledge.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Prov. 1:7)

If you were asked to name a few wise young people in the Bible, you would likely mention characters like Daniel, Samuel, David, Ruth, and certainly Jesus (Luke 2:42-47, 52).

But one young adult that might get easily overlooked is Elihu.

Eli who?
Elihu, that’s who!

He was the youngest of Job’s friends who came to visit him when Job was undergoing tremendous suffering. (I wrote about Job in another recent post titled “The Unexpected Book.”) Also present were three other friends of Job: “Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him” (Job. 2:11).

Unfortunately, their attempts to help Job only made matters worse, because they misdiagnosed Job’s spiritual state, misapplied theological truth, and mistimed their reproof — all of which led Job to say, “miserable comforters are you all” (Job 16:2).

The whole time these inept counselors were talking, Elihu sat in silence.

But in chapter 32, Elihu breaks his silence because he “burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men he burned with anger” (Job 32:2-5). Elihu was so hot, he couldn’t keep quiet any longer. So he says to them,

I am young in years,
and you are aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
to declare my opinion to you.
I said, “Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.”
But it is the spirit in man,
the breath of the Almighty,
that makes him understand.
It is not the old who are wise,
not the aged who understand what is right.
Therefore I say, “Listen to me;
let me also declare my opinion.”
(Job 32:6-10)

Elihu does just that. First he rebukes Job’s three friends for failing to refute Job’s arguments and to come up with a good answer for him. Then Elihu chides Job for seeking to justify himself rather than God. Elihu then proceeds to affirm God’s justice (Job 34:12), extol God’s greatness (Job 36:26), and proclaim God’s majesty (Job 37:22-23).

When Elihu finishes speaking, God breaks his silence and answers Job directly (Job 33-41). Humbled by the Lord’s rebuke, Job admits that he spoke out of ignorance, and he acknowledges God’s infinite power and wisdom. Job confesses, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6).

Having dealt with his servant Job, the Lord then turns his attention toward Eliphaz the Temanite and says, “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:7). God reiterates their failure in the next verse: “you have not spoken of me what is right as my servant Job has” (Job 42:8).

Can you imagine Elihu sitting there, listening to the Lord speak? First he reprimands Job. Then the Lord rebukes Eliphaz and his two friends. Surely Elihu is next! One can imagine him sitting there, his heart racing and his body quaking, as he anticipates a divine tongue-lashing.

But the rebuke never comes. Elihu’s words sat well with God, because they were cloaked in wisdom.

You don’t have to be old to be wise. But you do have to walk with the Lord in the light of his Word. Do that, and you’ll have something worthwhile to say.

A wise man speaks because
he has something to say.

A fool speaks because
he has to say something.

Which statement best characterizes you?

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise” (Psalm 111:10).

Why Tuesday?

Years ago my dad rattled off this little rhyme about diets:

Why do diets start on Monday?
Why not Saturday or Sunday?
Why not any other one day?

While there is a certain psychology behind the answer to that question, the main reason is that we like to unwind over the weekend — and perhaps even indulge — before starting a new diet. Also, by starting on a Monday, we can get in several days of dieting before the next weekend and thus stay motivated to stick with it. In other words, the structure of our week determines our selection of a day to start dieting.

This same principle came into play 175 years ago when Congress passed a federal law designating the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November as Election Day. Previously, states had been allowed to hold elections with a 34-day period before the first Wednesday in December.

Since American society was mostly agrarian at the time, Congressional leaders considered that the month of November would be ideal for voting. Harvest would be over, yet the cold of winter would not have yet arrived. But the 34-day voting window created what Senate Historian Don Ritchie called a “crazy quilt of elections,” held at different times, all over the country.

So on January 23, 1845, Congress passed the Presidential Election Day Act “to establish a uniform time for holding elections for electors of President and Vice President in all the States of the Union.” This Election Day would occur every four years on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.

But why Tuesday? As Dad would say, “Why not Saturday or Sunday, or any other one day?”

History.com provides a concise answer (with a creative 90-second video):

In the 1800s, most citizens worked as farmers and lived far from their polling place. Since people often traveled at least a day to vote, lawmakers needed to allow a two-day window for Election Day. Weekends were impractical, since most people spent Sundays in church, and Wednesday was market day for farmers.
With this in mind, Tuesday was selected as the first and most convenient day of the week to hold elections.

Various insights could be gleaned from this explanation, such as people’s willingness to travel a great distance to to vote. (Do we complain for having to travel a few miles and wait a few minutes in line?). But here’s what really stood out to me: “most people spent Sundays in church.”

Church attendance on Sunday
was a key factor in selecting
Tuesday as Election Day.

How times have changed! Whereas back in the 18th century 75-80 percent of Americans went to church weekly, nowadays (according to a 2019 survey), 29 percent of Americans never attend church or synagogue, and only 23 percent of Americans attend on a weekly basis.

Imagine an American population that was so committed to attending church each Lord’s Day, that it was a major factor in determining the Presidential Election Day!

Yet consider where we are now in 2020. I wonder how much more church attendance has precipitously declined even over this past year. Given the moral trajectory of our nation, we should not be shocked that several state governments did not consider church “essential.” However, we should be greatly saddened that many professing Christians no longer consider church “essential.”

Yet God says otherwise.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day [of Jesus’ return] approaching. (Heb. 10:23-25)

Less than three months ago, Christian researcher Thom Rainer listed “Five Types of Church Members Who Will Not Return after the Quarantine”:

1. The decreasing church members - those whose frequency of church attendance had already decreased before the pandemic. Now they’re attending zero times.

2. The disconnected church members - those who attended Sunday worship only but never built meaningful relationships.

3. The church-is-another-activity church members - those who let inclement weather or Sunday sports keep them from church. They have no commitment in the post-quarantine era.

4. The constant-critic church members - those who have had a pattern for complaining and are still doing so, even though they have not returned to in-person services.

5. The cultural Christian church members - those who were never truly converted but gave the appearance of being Christians to look good to others. But now that they have an out (Covid), they’ve called it quits.

Perhaps you may be thinking, “Hey, I thought this blog was supposed to be encouraging!” It is, which is why I want to persuade all my fellow believers to be the people God has called us to be! Because we live in dark days, we can shine all the more brightly “as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life” (Phil. 15-16). “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess. 5:11).

As our congregation was reminded at our Sunday evening gathering, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). As believers in Christ, we are an outpost of God’s kingdom on earth. Let’s live like it!

Remember Tuesday became Election Day, largely because of the Lord’s Day.

Let’s “make America great again” by making church the priority it once was.

A Bronx Tale: Christian Unity in a Divided Country

My cousin Joe has been a pastor in the Bronx, NY, for nearly forty years. Given the demographics of his congregation, the church could be easily and deeply divided over politics. But Infinity Bible Church has found a better way.

As a follow-up to my devotional, Agree in the Lord, I’ve invited Joe to be a guest blogger and share his thoughts on this day before Election Tuesday. Here’s what Joe had to say:

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. (I Cor. 1:10 NLT)

I am a white guy from a relatively small suburb in Ohio. I planted a church in the Bronx over 37 years ago. I still pastor this church. I am an anomaly. In order to be successful, I had to adapt to living in a big city. I had to try to understand and serve people of different ethnicities and cultures. Now I’m facing my greatest challenge yet: 

How do I keep our church unified during the most politically toxic era in my lifetime?

In too many cases, the days of civil discourse and polite debate are over. This political climate has polarized both sides. The issue is larger than this, but to illustrate my point, I will boil down the arguments of both political sides:

Trump supporter: “How could you possibly support Biden? He is in favor of abortion up until the last day of a pregnancy??? You are literally supporting murder!”

Biden supporter: “Not all Trump supporters are racists. But all of them decided that racism isn’t a deal breaker.” (By the way, I got that exact quote from one of my facebook friends.)

If you just read the above discourse, and you are ready to argue, you are proving my point about the politics becoming polarized!

My church exists to bring the lost to Christ, and to help believers grow in their faith. It does NOT exist to promote a political party or a specific candidate. Some of the most godly people I have known are Trump supporters. And some of the most godly people I have known are Biden supporters. And if that statement makes you angry, you are again proving my point!

Recently someone from another church told me, “Our church doesn’t have a problem with unity.  Everyone is voting for Trump!”  

I thought, “How sad that is! There is an entire group of people that this church will never be able to reach with the Gospel. And I fear that they may not even be interested in reaching them!”

The 2020 election will be over after tomorrow. But I dare say that the polarization of our country and the visceral anger will continue past the election — no matter who wins.  

What is the role of the church in the midst of all this? Our church’s mission statement has not changed:

We exist to bring the lost to Christ, and to bring those who already know Christ into a deeper relationship with Him.

To me everything else is a distraction. I cannot control all the communication between the people in our church. But, although I have strong political beliefs, I don’t need to share them with my flock. “Coward! Compromiser!” some will say. But they probably wouldn’t say that if they had heard me when I spoke against racism — or abortion.  

It is entirely possible to address biblical issues without endorsing a specific candidate.

Two things would happen if I were to publicly endorse a political candidate:

1. Our church would be distracted from our mission statement.

2. There would be disunity in our church. Where is the upside???

When people in my church ask me who I’m voting for, I tell them, “I don’t do politics.”  And when this is all over, and people ask me what I think about the election results, I will tell them, “We need to pray for our president!”

Final note: If you read this article, liked what I said, but have no idea who I’m voting for, you just proved my point!

The Cosmic Temple

Currently our congregation is studying the book of Hebrews. Preaching through this New Testament book each week has been extremely challenging but also rewarding. Lately we’ve been exploring chapter 9, which contrasts the “earthly sanctuary” with the “heavenly sanctuary.” The Old Testament tabernacle (which was basically a portable temple) and its furnishings symbolized the spiritual realities now fulfilled in Christ.

But the more I study the significance of the tabernacle/temple in relation to Christ, the more of its significance I see in Scripture. When I began our study of Hebrews, I was in the wading pool. Now I’m in the shallow end, making my way to the deep end, as I undertake a broader study of the temple in Scripture (beyond our study of Hebrews).

At a recent pastor’s gathering, a fellow minister recommended a landmark book by G. K. Beale entitled The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God. In the introduction, Beale sets forth is main proposition for the reader’s consideration:

My thesis is that the Old Testament tabernacle and temples were symbolically designed to point to the cosmic eschatological reality that God’s tabernacling presence, formerly limited to the holy of holies, was to be extended throughout the whole earth. Against this background, the Revelation 21 vision is best understood as picturing the final end-time temple that will fill the entire cosmos.

Those statements may sound a bit technical, especially for a basic devotional like this, but stick with me for just a moment. It’s a fascinating subject! Using Scripture as his basis, Beale argues that

the Garden of Eden was the first archetypal temple, and that it was the model for all subsequent temples. Such an understanding of Eden will enhance the notion that the Old Testament tabernacle and temples were symbolic microcosms of the whole creation. As microcosmic symbolic structures they were designed to point to a worldwide eschatological temple that reflects Gods’ glory. It is this universally expanded eschatological temple that is pictured in Revelation’s last vision.

Asaph, who was a singer and poet appointed by King David to lead Israel in worship, describes God’s creation this way in Psalm 78:69:

And He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has founded forever (or from eternity).

Asaph indicates that the earthly temple corresponded in some way to creation as a whole.

Israel’s temple was composed of three main parts: the outer courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies).

Beale contends that (1) the outer court represented the habitable world where humanity dwelt; (2) the holy place was emblematic of the visible heavens and its light sources; (3) the holy of holies symbolized the invisible dimension of the cosmos, where God and his heavenly hosts dwelt.

Still with me? If so, let’s unpack this just a bit further.

The Outer Court

This consisted of a large wash basin called the “sea” (1 Kings 7:23-26), and the altar of sacrifice which was to be an “altar of earth” or an “altar of [uncut] stone” (Ex. 20:24-25), thus identifying it with the more natural earth. So the “sea” and the “alter” appear to be cosmic symbols of the seas and the earth (land).

The Holy Place

This could well be a symbol of the visible sky. The lampstand in the Holy Place had seven branches and thus seven light-sources. These may have been associated with the seven light-sources visible to the naked eye (five planets, sun and moon). Interestingly, Genesis 1 uses the unusual word for “lights” (me·'o·rot) five times instead of “sun” and “moon” — a word that is used throughout the remainder of the Pentateuch (ten times) only for the “lights” on the tabernacle lampstand.

Furthermore, Vern Poythress notes,

The whole cycle of time marked by the sun and moon and stars is divided up into sevens: the seventh day in the week is the Sabbath day; the seventh month is the month of atonement (Lev. 16:29); the seventh year is the year of release from debts and slavery (Deut. 15); the seventh of the seven-year cycles is the year of jubilee (Lev. 25). Fittingly, the lampstand contains the same sevenfold division, symbolizing the cycle of time provided by the heavenly lights.

The Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies)

This chamber represented the unseen heavenly dimension of the world — the abode of God. Beale points out,

Just as the angelic cherubim guard God’s throne in the heavenly temple (e.g., Rev. 4:7-9), the sculpted cherubim around the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies (1 Kgs. 6:23-28), and the figures of the cherubim woven into the curtain that guards the holy of holies reflects the real cherubim in heaven who presently and in the future will stand guard around God’s throne in the heavenly temple (cf. 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kings. 19:15; 1 Chr. 13:6; Pss. 80:1; 99:1, all of which may have double reference to the earthly and heavenly cherubim).

No human could enter the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) in the earthly tabernacle but once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Even then, only the high priest could enter, and he offered incense which formed a cloud that covered God’s glorious presence so that the priest wouldn’t die (Lev. 16:13).

The ark of the covenant was understood to be the footstool of God’s heavenly throne (1 Chr. 28:2; Psalm 132:7-8; Isa. 66:1). The space directly above the Ark, between the two cherubim, was empty, because “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and therefore cannot be seen. “Thus,” Beale concludes, “the holy of holies was a representation of God’s unseen heavenly dwelling in his temple amidst ministering angels and spirits (Isa. 6:1-7; Ezek. 1; Rev. 4:1-11).”

Theological Conclusions

How does this biblical concept of the tabernacle representing both a cosmic temple and Christ all come together, especially when we consider Paul’s statement to the church, “You are God’s temple” (1 Cor. 3:16)? Well, Beale takes over 400 pages to trace the biblical theology of God’s dwelling place, and I’m trying to cram everything into a single blog post, which of course is impossible. My hope is simply to whet your appetite for further reading on your own.

The bottom line is that the physical temple was a foreshadowing of God’s and Christ’s presence as the true temple. Christ arose to become the cornerstone of the temple, and believers are living stones being built up as a spiritual house (see 1 Peter 2:4-10). In the book of Revelation,

the new creation and Jerusalem are none other than God’s tabernacle, the true temple of God’s special presence portrayed throughout chapter 21. It was this divine presence that was formerly limited to Israel’s temple and has begun to expand through the church, and which will fill the whole earth and heaven, become co-equal with it. Then the eschatological goal of the temple of the Garden of Eden dominating the entire creation will be finally fulfilled (so Rev. 22:1-3). Hence, eschatology not only recapitulates the protology of Eden but escalates it. (Beale, 368)

That is to say, the tabernacle/temple images not only the cosmos, but more specifically and importantly, Christ as the true temple. As a result of Jesus’ resurrection, the Holy Spirit continues to build the end-time temple, “the building materials of which are God’s people…. This building process will culminate in the eternal new heavens and earth as a paradisal city-temple. Or, more briefly, the temple of God has been transformed into God, his people, and the rest of the new creation as the temple” (Beale, 393).

Again, I have but scratched the surface in a blog post that is already a bit too long. But I hope this brief look at the cosmic temple — initially at creation and finally in the new heavens and new earth through the redeeming work of Christ, the true temple — will whet your appetite for further study.

More importantly, I hope that you personally have experienced God’s presence in your own life by believing that Christ died for your sin and rose from the dead and now reigns as the Lord God. Those who believe in Him become the dwelling place of God’s Spirit, just as God dwelt in Eden and in Israel’s temple. As believers, we enjoy God’s presence through prayer, through reading his Word, and by doing his will.

Furthermore, as we proclaim the gospel to others and they believe, God’s temple continues to grow. We actually partner with the Lord God in the expansion of his temple. “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). That’s why the Psalmist prayed,

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. (Psalm 67:1-2)

Amen.