FINISHING THE RACE

 

2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

               At 12:12 AM on Wednesday, August 14 my dad finished his race on this earth. He had not run a perfect race, but he fought the good fight and he kept the faith. As I reflect upon my dad’s 96-year journey there are some lessons that I have learned from the way he ran the race.

               At the top of the list has to be faithfulness. Dad demonstrated faithfulness in every aspect of his life. He was faithful to my mom right up to the end. It is hard to think of them apart. They were always a team. During the last few years of my mom’s life, dad was more than her constant companion. He was her support, encouragement, and even her hands and feet. One of mom’s passions was baking cookies. Because of her failing eyesight, dad had to take on the role of making the cookies as mom supervised.

               Growing up, dad was faithful in supporting us in whatever we did. He made it a point to attend our athletic and musical events. He invested in us in informal ways like taking the time to hit fly balls for us in the backyard after work. He invested in more formal ways by leading our Christian Service Brigade at church. Dad supported us but never pushed us. He allowed us to make our own decisions about the direction we would take in life.

               Dad was faithful to his Lord and his church. He served as an elder at his church for more than 50 years. He was the song leader every Sunday for most of that time. Through all of the ups and downs he stayed faithful to his church.

               That leads me to another lesson I learned from dad, responsibility. Not only was dad faithful to his church and his family, he took responsibility for them. Dad didn’t just show up, he got in the game. In fact, whatever dad did, he was totally committed to it. It showed in his work as he routinely was given leadership positions in every company he worked for. At church, he made sure that things that needed to happen happened. His sense of responsibility was often a cause of frustration for him when others failed to follow-through or would drop the ball. When dad committed to something, he was all in.

               A third lesson that I learned from dad is perseverance. Many people, after they retire, begin to coast. Not dad. After he retired, he actually picked up the pace. He and mom got involved with a ministry called Care Lift. Once a year they would go to Lancaster, PA to work in Care Lift’s warehouse organizing supplies to be sent overseas. Not only did dad work there, he oversaw the operation, organizing the teams of people who would come to help. Then in February, they would board a plane and head to Belarus to distribute those supplies. Again, dad lead the team. In addition, they partnered with my brother in two ministries he was involved in. He assisted Tom with a leadership training program that Tom led and accompanied Tom to Russia on several mission trips. All together mom and dad made 19 trips overseas after their retirement.

               You would think that was enough, but dad was not finished. About ten years ago or so mom and dad moved down to North Carolina to be near Tom’s family. This permanent move meant leaving their church in Ohio and getting involved in a new church. Dad jumped in with both feet. The church ran a basketball program for the children of the area called Upwards. Dad took on the job of announcing these basketball games. He also took on the job of leading their Senior Sunday School class. After mom died, we thought we would lose dad as well. He had a total collapse and ended up in a rehab center for a short time. Much to the surprise of everyone, dad bounced back and was able to return to his apartment. In return, he began going back to the rehab center two days a week to volunteer. He went from being a resident to being a valued member of their team. Dad refused to give up.

               The Bible encourages us to look back at those who have gone before us as an encouragement and inspiration for our own race. Hebrews 12 puts it this way. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 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. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV) Dad has taken his place among that great cloud of witnesses. Now it is up to us to pick up the baton and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Revelation 14:13 (NIV)
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR US ALL

 Psalms 90:12 (NIV)

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

               Most of us live with a common illusion. It is the idea that we have all the time in the world. The future seems to stretch out ahead of us with unending potential. But it is an illusion. The reality is that the timeline of our life is finite; it has a terminus point.

               There comes point in all of our lives when we realize that we have more days behind us than ahead of us. Even if we live to be 100, in the overall scheme of things, it is a very short amount of time. As Moses expressed it in Psalm 90, The length of our days is seventy years-- or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Psalms 90:10 (NIV) James puts it even more dramatically when he writes, Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:13-14 (NIV) No matter how we look at it, life it short and our time on earth is fleeting.

               The question is then, what should we do with the time that we have? Moses instructs us to “number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Being aware of just how short our life is is an essential ingredient to living life well. We can either waste our life or we can invest our life for eternity.

               C.S. Lewis wrote that all of us are shaping the person we will be in eternity by the way we live our life today. We are either in the process of becoming something so glorious that we can not imagine it or something so hideous that we would be repelled by the image. His point is that living our current life with eternity in mind is not only important, it is essential.

               This is an idea that we find threaded through all of scripture. What we do with the time we have on this earth matters. It matters to God and it should matter to us. Each day of our life is an opportunity to grow in Christlikeness. As Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-16, Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

               Currently the Olympic games are going on in Paris. Every athlete who is competing in those games knows the importance of redeeming the time. In order for them to perform at their best, they needed to invest hours and hours into practice, preparing for their ultimate goal. Paul often used this image to illustrate how we live our lives. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (NIV) The last thing that anyone of us wants is to get to the end of our lives and learn that we have been disqualified for the prize.

               Right now, my father is edging his way to the finish line of life. I don’t know when he will cross that line, but I know that the time is short. It has caused me to think again about my own life. How will I use the days that I have left on this earth? Will I use them for the glory of God or will I waste them on the fleeting pleasures of this world? To be brutally honest, it will probably be a combination of both. But I can honestly say that my eyes are on the goal. My deepest desire is to use my time on earth wisely, so that one day I might stand in Christ’s presence and hear Him say, well done, good and faithful servant.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

DRAWING NEAR

 James 4:8 (NIV)

Come near to God and he will come near to you.

               In my devotions today I read the introduction to C.S. Lewis’ book The Four Loves. He set the stage for his exploration of love, but he also introduced an interesting concept that I would like to explore.

               Lewis makes the point that there is a difference between nearness-by-likeness and nearness-by-approach. We might best understand this idea by looking at the relationship between a father and son. When people look at a father and son they will notice the likeness of appearance. When I have been with one of my sons, people often say that they can tell that we are related. This is nearness-by-likeness. But a father and son may or may not be near to one another. They may be estranged or very close. My son and I have begun meeting for breakfast on a semi-regular basis. We are growing in nearness-by-approach. Nearness-by-likeness is relatively static. Nearness-by-approach is dynamic. It can move in both directions. Two people may draw closer to one another, or they may draw away from one another.

               The idea of nearness-by-likeness and nearness-by-approach is an important concept in our relationship with God. By virtue of being human beings, we all reflect a likeness to God. Genesis 2 tells us that God created us in His likeness. Every human being carries this likeness within himself or herself. Our ability to reason and create and manipulate our world are all reflections of our likeness to God. Whether we acknowledge God or not, we still are near to Him in likeness. This is the sense when people say that we are all children of God.

               But being near to God by approach is something completely different. Although we may all have been created in God’s image, just as my children were created in my image, we are not all near to God or even drawing closer to God. Being near to God by approach takes intentionality and effort. First, it means having a real, personal relationship with God. This can be only through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Jesus has made it clear that the path to nearness with God goes through Him. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NIV) But it does not stop at this point. Drawing near to God is a process, which theologians call sanctification. In layman’s terms it means becoming more like God in our thoughts, our desires, and our actions. There is nothing passive or automatic about drawing near to God.

               The way that we get closer to another person is by spending time with them and getting to know them on a deeper level. The same is true in our relationship with God. The only way to get closer to Him is to spend time with Him and get to know Him on a deeper level. We do this in three ways, which are all interconnected. We draw near to God through the study of His word, the Bible. The more that we immerse ourselves in the Word of God the more we get to know Him. The Bible has the power to transform our lives. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

               A close relationship with another person is more than just knowing things about them. It is in a sense becoming like them. Friends tend to shape each other. As it says in Proverbs 27:17 (NIV). As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. They begin to think alike and act alike. They are able to dialog on a deeper level. In the same way, just reading the Bible is not enough. We need to apply what we are learning to our everyday lives. We need to allow the Word of God to guide our thoughts and our actions. Application is essential if we are going to truly be like God. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV)

               There is a last aspect of drawing near to God. It is prayer. If a relationship is going to progress beyond being superficial, it will require that people share their thoughts, dreams, and opinions with one another. Spending time together can bring us closer to another person, but talking together takes us to a deeper level. Throughout the New Testament we are encouraged to talk with God. In fact, Paul tells us that we should pray without ceasing. Prayer is far more than giving God our laundry list of wants. Genuine prayer is a time to open our hearts to God. To express our failures, to celebrate God’s goodness, to share our desires and plans. Prayer is our response to God reaching out to us and inviting us into relationship with Him.

               We all, in one way or another, reflect the image of God. We are all near to God in likeness. But we are not all near to God in approach. It is only as we intentionally reach out to God and invite Him into our lives that we really become His children and co-heirs of His kingdom with Christ.

Hebrews 10:19-23 (NIV)
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

THE DESIRE TO BE KNOWN

 

1 Corinthians 8:3 (NIV)
But the man who loves God is known by God.

               Not too long ago I attended a conference for ministry leaders. I knew two of the main speakers, so after one of the lessons I approached one of those men. I immediately introduced myself, not wanting to assume that the man would remember my name. His immediate response was, I know who you are. There is something powerful about being known.

               There is a big difference between someone recognizing you and someone really knowing you. There are many people who know my name, and may even know somethings about me, but they don’t really know me. There are many people that I know in a superficial way, but I don’t really know them in a significant way.

               Several years ago, I led a group of men from my church on a weekend, backpacking trip. After the trip was over one of the men made a comment that has stuck with me even since. He said that before the trip he knew me as Pastor Dave. Now he knows me as Dave. Because we had shared that experience together, this man moved from knowing me from a distance to knowing me more personally.

               There is a desire within each of us to be known, to be recognized, to be valued. So many of our relationships are superficial, surface level relationships. People know our name, but we don’t feel truly known. It is possible for us to be surrounded be people and still fell utterly alone and unrecognized.

               This desire that we have to be known goes even deeper than connecting with other people. We want to be known on a much deeper level by God. We all want to know that our life matters. We all want to know that our efforts count for something. We all want to be recognized in a deep and profound way.

               Jesus came into the world to offer us that kind of relationship with God. Before Jesus came, the Jewish people knew about God, but from a distance. As a people in general they felt that God knew them, but not as individuals. Although they may have believed that God cared about the welfare of the nation, they didn’t sense that God cared about them as individuals. Jesus came to change that.

               During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He focused His attention on individual people. He could have gone the political route and established His rule and reign in Jerusalem, but He did not. He could have gone the religious route and established Himself as the High Priest in the Temple. But instead, He took the personal route of seeing and caring for people who felt neglected, overlooked, and unimportant. I think one of the things that drew the common people to Jesus was that, in His presence, a person felt seen, heard, and valued.

               By coming to earth in the form of a man, Jesus invited us to really know Him, but also to be known by Him. In the opening chapter of John’s Gospel, he makes a powerful statement. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-2,14 By coming to earth Jesus revealed the very nature and character to God in ways that it had never been done before. Jesus was inviting people to really know Him, not just know about Him. Then in I John, John talks about the very personal nature of his relationship with Jesus. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 1 John 1:1-2

               The greatest desire that we all have is to move from knowing about Jesus from a distance to being known by Jesus in a personal, intimate way, as John knew Jesus. Jesus doesn’t just know about us; He knows us as a friend. When we put our faith in Jesus, we move from a vague image of a God out there somewhere to a personal relationship with the God who is present in our lives.

               Jesus is not calling us to conform to some religious system. Jesus is inviting us into a relationship in which we can know Him and be known by Him. Jesus makes it very clear that it is not enough to know about God, but we need to know Him personally. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)

               We don’t have to settle for knowing about God from a distance. Through faith in Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, we can know Him and be known by Him.

John 10:14 (NIV)
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—"

 

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

 

Galatians 4:4 (NIV)
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, …

               As I wrap up my current interim assignment, I marvel again at God’s timing. God’s timing is always right on, even when we can’t see it moving forward. Our natural tendency is to expect God to adjust His plans to our timetable. But it doesn’t work that way.

               The people of Israel waited a long time for God to send the Messiah. In retrospect, we can see how God’s timing was perfect, but it didn’t look that way at the time. Israel was a subjugated people. They were living under the rule of the Roman Empire. They had lost their prominent role on the world stage and had become a backwater province of a much larger empire. Yet, today we can see how strategic the timing was for the advancement of the Gospel. Rome had provided a common language, a relatively stable environment, as well as much improved transportation. The Gospel was able to rapidly spread through the known world because of these advantages.

               As we live in the interim time between Christ’s ascension and His return, we need to trust God’s timing. As Peter put it, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) Every generation of the Church since the day of Christ’s ascension have been wondering why Jesus has not come back yet. As we face more and more challenges in our world, we too are tempted to cry out to God, What are you waiting for!!! But God’s timing is perfect.

               On a less global scale, we need to learn to trust God’s timing for the events of our lives. Right now, we are eagerly awaiting the birth of our fourth grandchild. We would love to see him born sooner rather than later, but he will be born at just the right time. As I look back over the past two years, I can see how God lined things up for me and for the church I am serving to be able to get to the place where we are today; welcoming a new pastor. Had we rushed into the process, we would have missed the opportunity to call the man that we did; he was not ready to take on this challenge a year ago. Neither was the church ready to accept a new, young pastor at that time. But today, both the pastor and the congregation are at the right place at the right time. This is not because we were clever and orchestrated things well. It is because God knew what we needed and when we needed it. The timing was totally in His hands.

               As I look ahead, I wonder what is next for me. I want to have a plan moving forward, but God hasn’t chosen to reveal that to me. Instead, He is telling me to trust Him and take it one day at a time. I can rush into things, making things more difficult. I am learning to be patient and allow God to set the time table. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

               Several of my last messages have been related to the second coming of the Lord. It can be a hot topic in some circles, garnering some lively debate. The one thing that I can be sure about is that no one knows God’s timing when it comes to the return of Christ. Just as the time was right for Jesus’ birth into our world, the time will be just right when He returns. Our role is to patiently await that time, actively doing what Jesus commissioned us to do. We can be sure that when the time has fully come so will Jesus.

Psalms 27:14 (NIV)
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalms 37:7 (NIV)
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 

NEWS FLASH! WE NEED ONE ANOTHER!

 

1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV)
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

               We live in a highly individualistic society. We value being able to make our own way in the world without being dependent upon others. Pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is firmly embedded into our cultural consciousness. There are many benefits of the independence that we enjoy and hold onto. But there are some significant downsides as well.

               America is facing a new epidemic, and it is not a new strain of Covid. We are facing an epidemic of loneliness. The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is hoping to raise our awareness of the threat before us. “Most of us probably think of loneliness as just a bad feeling,” he told USA TODAY. “It turns out that loneliness has far greater implications for our health when we struggle with a sense of social disconnection, being lonely or isolated.”

               In a recent national survey of American adults, 36% of respondents reported serious loneliness—feeling lonely “frequently” or “almost all the time or all the time” in the four weeks prior to the survey. This included 61% of young people aged 18-25 and 51% of mothers with young children. 43% of young adults reported increases in loneliness since the outbreak of the pandemic. About half of lonely young adults in the survey reported that no one in the past few weeks had “taken more than just a few minutes” to ask how they are doing in a way that made them feel like the person “genuinely cared.”

               This feeling of being disconnected can affect anyone. Loneliness is not limited to rural, isolated communities. People can live in the midst of a bustling urban center and feel totally alone. Some of the times that I have felt the loneliest, I have been surrounded by people. It is possible to be in a crowd and feel invisible.

               We were not created to live solo lives surrounded by other solo lives. Instead, we were created to interact with one another in significant ways. We were created by God to live in community with one another. Our individualism needs to be tempered by the reality that we cannot live this life all alone. It just doesn’t work.

               When we live isolated, individual lives we rob ourselves of the care and nurture that we all need to thrive. The idea that we don’t need the help of others, that we can make it on our own, is a myth. In order for us to be healthy, both physically and emotionally, we need other people in our lives who really care about us. People who enjoy loving relationships with others live longer, healthier lives.  People without these relationships tend to withdraw into themselves and often die sooner.

               People who live isolated, individual lives rob themselves of their full potential. C.S. Lewis, in his book The Four Loves talks about the value of genuine friendship. He makes the point that genuine friends draw out different qualities from one another. Each friend brings something new to the table that highlights some new facet of the other. The broader the circle of genuine friends, the more a person blossoms. Lewis not talking about mere acquaintances. A person can have many acquaintances and still be lonely. He is talking about the kinds of friends that can get behind the public mask we all wear and see the real person behind.

               There are several things that can keep us in our isolation, if we don’t come to grips with them. Many people live lonely, isolated lives because they are afraid of being vulnerable. Our culture is not kind to those who are too open about their weaknesses and faults. A fear of being “found out” keeps people in the prison of loneliness. The Bible tells us that the solution to this is to risk being honest with a few close friends. As trust grows between friends, they are more willing to risk being vulnerable. When a person finally opens up, they suddenly discover that they are not alone in their weakness. Others share the same experiences. Therefore, James challenges us to develop the kind of relationships that will allow us to be vulnerable.

James 5:13-16 (NIV)
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

               Another reason people remain in isolation is the fear of intimacy, or more specifically, the fear of being hurt. We all begin life with a certain amount of social capital. We innocently enter into relationships with others expecting a positive result. Sometimes it works out that way and sometimes it does not. When a person gets hurt in a relationship, it makes it harder for them to enter into another one.

               Part of growing up and maturing as a person is learning to weather the hurts of life so that we can experience the joys of life. To do this we need to take the risk to get close to others. If we keep everyone at arm’s length, we may not get hurt, but we will also not thrive. Along the way, we will all get hurt by others and we will all hurt others. We don’t necessarily do this intentionally, but nevertheless we do it. Learning to live in genuine community with others gives us a foundation to stand on when we feel hurt. It also gives us a healthy way to deal with our hurts.

               Part of the reason for Paul writing letters to the churches that he founded was to teach them how to live together in community. They lived in a brutal world where every person was for themselves. They had to learn to live differently, and so do we. So Paul gave some very practical instructions on how to move out of isolation into community.

Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

               Let me summarize Paul’s formula for breaking free of loneliness and isolation. First, we need to understand who we are in Christ. We are dearly loved, in fact, loved beyond measure. No matter what happens to us in life, nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. We can risk loving others because we are secure in Christ’s love.

               Second, we need to cultivate the character qualities that will set us apart from the norm. In a world that is often cold and uncaring, we need to cultivate godly compassion for those around us. In a world that takes advantage of others, we need extend genuine kindness. In a world that idolizes big egos, we need to strive to be humble, having a realistic understanding of who we are. In a world that is harsh, we need to learn to be gentle. In a world that hardly stops long enough to catch its breath, we need to cultivate a spirit of patience, waiting on God’s timing.

               Third, we need to extend the grace of God to one another. Forgiveness and letting go of our hurts are the keys to breaking the chains of loneliness and isolation. We have been forgiven by Christ. We can extend that same forgiveness to others.

               Finally, we need to learn to love as Jesus loves. Love to today has lost its deep and significant meaning. Love today is temporary and fickle. Much of what is heralded as love in superficial and based on physical attraction. Genuine love is so much more that those things. The love that Christ has demonstrated for us is a sacrificial love that is willing to give all for the other. Christ calls us to do the same. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16 (NIV)

               We don’t have to live in isolation and loneliness. We have a choice. But it will mean taking some risks, being vulnerable and humble. The road out of loneliness will not be smooth. There will be bumps along the way, disappointments and setbacks. But if we stay on the path, we will discover the more abundant life that Jesus has promised to us.

Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

 

IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE

 

1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

               We have been watching an old TV show on Paramount Plus called Monk. It is the story of a brilliant detective who suffers from a multitude of phobias. The theme song for the show begins with the line, it’s a jungle out there. There is some spiritual truth to that statement.

               I have been reminded recently that we have to be aware that there are spiritual forces that want to derail our faith and make us ineffective. This is especially true when we are making positive spiritual progress in life. When things seem to be falling into place, we need to watch out for Satan’s attacks.

               Peter tells us that we need to be on our guard because we have an enemy who is looking for an opening through which he can attack us. He is like a hungry lion looking for easy prey. One of Satan’s tactics is to keep us oblivious to the spiritual realm all around us. In our materialistic world we tend to think about and focus only on those things that seem tangible to us. But there is an entire sphere of reality that is outside of our material world. As Peter warns us, it’s a jungle out there.

               In my experience, I have encountered two extremes when it comes to the spiritual realm. On one side are those who are obsessed with the spiritual realm. They see a demon behind every mishap in life. They go around trying to cast demons out of their car because it won’t start on a cold winter’s morning. Or they see catching Covid as a direct attack from Satan. I may be exaggerating a little, but not too much.

               On the other extreme are those who never consider the spiritual realm at all. They either deny its existence or just refuse to even consider it. These folks tend to see those who are concerned about the spiritual realm as naïve or superstitious or uninformed. In their mind, there is nothing to be concerned about.

               The Bible gives us a more nuanced and balanced view of the spiritual realm. It confirms that the spiritual realm exists. It also understands that the spiritual realm is subject to God’s authority. Angels and demons are not just real, they are a present reality in our world, even though we cannot see them. There are multiple examples of the interplay between the material world and the spiritual world given in the Bible. For example, there are multiple records of Jesus casting out demons from possessed people.

               One of my favorites is the story of the demon possessed man who was so violent and uncontrollable that he lived among the tombs. When Jesus encountered him, it was revealed that this man was possess by a legion of demons. So, Jesus cast them out of the man into a herd of pigs that then raced down a slope into a lake and were drowned. This was a great loss to the people who owned the pigs, but there was some interesting symbolism here. Pigs were considered unclean by the Jews and all demons are unclean. The unclean were cast into the unclean and the end result was destruction.

               In the book of Daniel, we read about a struggle between an angel and the Prince of Peria. Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come." Daniel 10:12-14 (NIV)

               In the New Testament, Paul reminds us that we are constantly in a spiritual battle that is being fought in the spiritual realm with material consequences. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV)

               We cannot afford to be ignorant of the spiritual realm around us. On the other hand, we do not have to live in constant fear of it either. As we actively put on the armor of God, we can take our stand with confidence. We have the power of God available to us through the Holy Spirit. As John tells us in 1 John 4:4, You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

               We should not be surprised that we are under a spiritual attack. In fact, we should expect it. The more that we draw closer to God in Christ and serve Him more effectively, the more Satan will try to derail us. Satan cannot attack God directly, but he can attack God’s children, and he does. So, we need to be on our guard.

1 Peter 4:12-13 (NIV)
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.