Saturday, September 26, 2020

AN UPHILL CLIMB

 Romans 7:18

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

                My parents have been visiting us this past week. The other day we took them on a ride up to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It was a beautiful autumn drive through forests beginning to burst forth with color. In the park, we stopped at the dune climb area to get a better look at the massive sand dunes, which rise 462 feet above Lake Michigan. We sat in the car and watched groups of people struggle their way up the sand dune. A family of four caught my eye. There was a mom and dad and two small children. The dad carried the baby up the dune, while the mom encouraged the small boy to keep climbing. He would get to his feet and climb up several steps. Then he would fall into the soft sand and slide back a little. Each time he fell, his mom would encourage him to get up and keep climbing.

                As I reflected upon that scene later, I realized how much it illustrated our spiritual journey. When we first put our faith in Christ, we are like the baby in the arms of his father. We are carried ahead in an almost effortless way. But there comes a time when we are placed onto our spiritual feet and encouraged to climb on our own. Our heavenly Father is still right there to encourage us and to pick us up when we fall. But He wants us to make the effort to climb on our own. He knows that that is the only way our spiritual muscles will grow strong. He will not allow us to tumble down the hill, but He will allow us to slip backwards. He wants us to learn to trust in His strength and not our own. He wants us to keep our eyes on Him and not on the climb.

                In Romans 7, Paul talks about his own struggles on his spiritual journey. He is very honest to say that there is a battle going on within himself. His greatest desire is to follow Christ completely, yet he still stumbles and falls along the way. As he says, I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Romans 7:15) Although Paul struggled to overcome the evil within him, he also knew that the grace of God was sufficient to overcome his struggles. In Romans 8:1-2 he triumphantly proclaimed, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

                I can identify with both the little boy climbing the sand dune and with Paul. My own spiritual journey has been a mixture of progress and regress. There are times when my spiritual confidence actually trips me up because I begin to depend on my own effort and not Christ’s strength. There are times when, in frustration, I fall in the sand and slip backwards. Each time that I fall, Christ is right there to pick me up and put me back on my feet. He is continually challenging me to keep my eyes on Him and to exercise my faith in practical ways. Jesus knows that the climb up the spiritual sand dune will be hard, but He has also promised to give us the strength to make the climb. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

                I know that those parents would not leave their little boy stuck half-way up the huge sand dune. I also know that God will not leave me stuck half-way up my own spiritual sand dune. Even though my progress may be slow at times, or even if I slide backwards for a time, I know that Christ will get me to the top, not by my effort, but through His strength.

Philippians 1:4-6

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

DISCOVERING JOY

 

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.                              John 15:11

                We are living in unsettling times. There is so much uncertainty and turmoil. We seem to be living under a dark cloud that gets darker every day. It is not surprising if we sink into an attitude of doom and gloom. But that is not where God wants us to live. Instead, God wants us to experience His joy, even in the face of a negative environment.

                We can allow negative circumstances to dominate us and weigh us down. Or we can choose to discover joy in spite of our negative circumstances. The early church was constantly faced with hardship and persecution. Life was anything but easy for them. Yet, Jesus promised to give them joy in the midst of the hardships. Jesus was not suggesting that His followers should just put on a happy face and ignore the realities around them. Instead, He challenged them to see their world from a different perspective; not as victims of their circumstances, but as ultimate victors through what Christ has done on the cross.

                Jesus was upfront and honest about the journey that His followers would take. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Jesus wanted his disciples and us to know that through Him we can have victory over life’s circumstances.  

                If we are going to discover joy in our world, there are two important things we need to understand. First, joy is a byproduct of focused living. In John 15, Jesus makes it clear that our focus is not on discovering joy, but on following Him. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:9-12)

                If we look closely at what Jesus said, we can see the pathway toward joy. Joy comes when we embrace and are embraced by the love of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus said that, if we want to experience joy, then we need to remain in His love. How do we do that? By obeying what He has commanded us to do. Unfortunately, we have burdened Jesus’ command with all kinds of rules and regulations, just like the Pharisees did. Actually, Jesus made it very clear and very simple. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Joy is found in sharing the love of God with one another in tangible ways.

                When Jesus was asked what was the most important commandment, He responded that we are to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. And we are love our neighbor as ourselves. Then He added this disclaimer; all the Law and Prophets are wrapped up in these two commands. (Matthew 22:37-40) Genuine joy is found in being in a right relationship with God and with others. If these things are not a reality in our lives, then joy is not really possible.

                There is second thing that we need to understand about joy; it is illusive. If we make finding joy our goal, we will never find it. If when we experience joy, we try to capture it and hold onto it, it will evaporate. The reason for this is that our experience of joy here on earth will always be incomplete. It continually points us on to something else; to the joy that we can experience only in heaven in the presence of God.

                In God’s great mercy and grace, He allows us to taste joy at different times in our life. This joy is real, but always fleeting. It spurs us on to keep moving forward instead of settling down where we are. Although we can taste joy through the things of this earth, the joy they offer is temporary. If the things of this world could completely fulfill our desire for joy, we would be tempted to sink our roots too deeply into the soil of this world. Instead, we need to experience the joys of this world as tourists just passing through. As Paul says in the book of Philippians, our citizenship is in heaven. Therefore, we need to live as aliens and strangers in this world, avoiding getting entangled in its enticements. (1 Peter2:11-12)

                Even in the midst of all that is going on in our world, we can still experience joy. We know that no matter what happens around us, it is not the end of our story. No, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2-3

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.