Friendship-A Visit with the Greats

A friend loaned me a book recently that I truly enjoyed; 

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War. 

It’s beautifully written by its author Joseph Laconte who explores the writing and faith of two legendary, brilliant Christian writers of the 20th century; C.S.Lewis and J.R.R.Tolkien. 

Laconte wraps his book-and theirs-into the context of World War I, called by many The Great War which literally and horrifically changed the course of human history. Both Lewis and Tolkien served as British soldiers. On and off, they lived and taught at Oxford and enjoyed a close friendship for years. 

 

Most well-known are Lewis’s books for children, The Chronicles of Narnia and his profound,engaging theological books like Mere Christianity & The Screwtape Letters. Tolkien is best known for The Hobbit & Fellowship of the Ring.

Leconte’s book is full of excellent quotes not only from the books I mentioned but from historians, philosophers, and theologians.  I was struck by a few of the quotes which are descriptions of true friendships. 

As you read these quotes, I hope your thoughts, like mine, will verify the ultimate friendship of our Savior Jesus Who gave Himself for us. He is our Way Maker offering us new life and irreplaceable,treasured friendship with Him and others. 

**”Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” (Gimli, an honorable Dwarf Warrior in Tolkien’s Hobbit.) And surely Jesus is faithful and is always by our side in the darkness. 

 **”The bible contains divine thoughts about men, not human thoughts about God.”(Karl Barth, Swiss Theologian)

Barth’s perspective is a reminder about God’s vast love for us repeatedly expressed in the Older and New Testaments.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the quotes. Maybe you’ll revisit Lewis and Tolkien and offer a prayer of thanks to our Lord for His unconditional love and the blessing of having friends.

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” 

—Walter Winchell, Columnist and radio news commentator (1897-1972)

Nooks, Crannies, and Waterfalls

Hiking a mountain trail beside a river is a feast for our senses. 

The melody of ripples or rushing water,  breathing the fresh air, and gazing at God’s artistry in nature lifts us up.

I recently hiked a mountain trail in western North Carolina.  Along the way, rocks of all sizes filled the river. In some formations, the water moved gently around the rocks allowing a smooth flow. In others, waterfalls fell over rocks at dizzying speeds. 

In opposite fashion, the openings between rocks were so close together that the flow grew into a trickle. Water was trapped in some holes in the rock tops with no way of escape until thunder clouds dropped heavy rains. 

Looking at all the rock formations and the water flow reminded me of our lives. The ebbs and flows change life's scenery. In some seasons, life is smooth.  Our job is secure. We successfully finished college or technical school. Our family is healthy. Our relationship with the Lord is invigorating. Maybe we are looking forward to that bucket list vacation. Life is flowing nicely.  The music of peace and calm surrounds us.

At other times, life rushes at us like a waterfall. It moves too fast; we feel out of control.  We are too busy. Too stressed.  Another season finds life turned upside down. A loved one dies. A child gets sick. A romance flourishes then dies.  The Lord seems far, far away. A friend is mentally ill. Our church is falling apart. The list is endless. We are like the water trapped in a rock hole with no way out.   

Most of us experience the nooks, crannies, holes, trickles, and flows of the Christian life. 

Whatever rocks we encounter in life's rivers, we can count on the Rock of our Salvation by drawing from King David’s words in Psalm 18:2,  “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Sometimes we must repeat this verse over and over and over until we regain our spiritual balance. 

The highly educated Roman citizen Saul who once operated like a hit man, experienced many challenging seasons after his Damascus Road encounter with his Jewish Messiah. Stoned, imprisoned, put on trial, shipwrecked, Paul's  relationship with Jesus sustained him in the best and worst of circumstances. Here is how he put it in Philippians 4:11-13 

“…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Whether you are “between a rock and a hard place” or grateful for a season of favor and joy flowing into your life, embracing biblical truths and the Rock of our Salvation offers a way to navigate the ebbs and flows of life.  

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

NEHEMIAH: A Role Model for Today

With our US economy opening again, Nehemiah’s story provides a mother-lode of prayer and skill. This ancient builder would be a Fortune 500 CEO today.

A cup bearer for King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah was born in Babylon during the Jews’ Exile. The cup bearer held one of the highest palace positions since he made sure the King was not poisoned with food or drink.

When reports penetrated the palace grapevine that Jerusalem’s walls lay in ruins, Nehemiah was devastated. He asked Artaxerxes for permission to return to his homeland to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. The King granted his request, making him the governor of the Judean province. He also supplied Nehemiah with building materials and royal transit letters for the 800-mile journey.

When he arrived in Jerusalem, Nehemiah surveyed the damage then used his expert management skills to rebuild the walls of his beloved city. Violence and opposition broke out from Arabs, detractors, and other enemies. Along with damage to our economy, we also face the enemies of socialism, division, and those who don’t hold fast to our American way of life.

Nehemiah met his challenges by devising more strategies to simultaneously build and protect. He equipped some workers with spears, shields, and bows. Other workers strapped their swords at their sides and continued construction. He set up an alarm system using musicians to blow trumpets/shofars when danger was afoot and devised a security plan encouraging them that God would help. The book of Nehemiah records fourteen prayers.

Our focus is Nehemiah 4: 4-15.
“O my God, … the wall was completed on the twenty fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”

The prayers in the book of Nehemiah can serve us well today while we rebuild our economy, recover from Covid-19, strengthen law and order, and quell civil unrest and violence.

Prayer Points:

· Pray for the Trump Administration and US states to create strategies with Nehemiah’s expertise to maintain the strength of our nation and our American way of life.

· Pray Nehemiah 6:4 regarding those seeking to destroy our Judeo-Christian culture. “Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads…”

· Pray for wisdom, hope and hard work to emerge in a context of unity to rebuild our nation for all citizens.

Shaking Your Salt

Ancient Salt Bowl

      We Christians must be intentional in expressing our opinions and do it without slander and ugliness. The Apostle Paul's words in Colossians 4:6 are important. “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.”  Choosing to season our speech with salt doesn't mean passivity; it means state your views firmly and respectfully. It's difficult to do,  so asking the Lord's help to discipline our speech is essential. Remember, relationships matter. Even in Social Media. We are to shake our salt and season the atmosphere with light.

     The Bible contains plentiful references to salt and knowing how important salt was in ancient cultures helps us understand why it’s mentioned so often. The English language too is filled with mentions of salt in these idioms: “Back to the salt mines, salt of the earth, worth one’s salt, take it with a grain of salt.” Salt has an interesting history where it served important purposes.  

      Before nations were industrialized, salt was part of many economies.  In the Roman Empire salt was part of a soldier’s pay.  Here’s an interesting linguistic fact: The soldier’s pay was called “solarium argentum” and originated the word “salary.” Salt also offered health benefits such as disinfecting wounds and used as a food preservative. 

     Ancient Jews used salt in some sacrifices as one example of covenants. Leviticus 2:13 instructs: "And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt." While the Dead Sea is a “must-see” destination for tourists, in ancient times it was a necessary source skillfully mined by the Jews and used in many contexts. Ezekiel 47:11 puts it this way: “But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt."  

     Examples of salt's value abound and here are a few more examples. In the 6th century, Moorish businessmen considered salt and gold equal in value for trading.  Even into the 1930’s salt taxes levied by Great Britain on India became so burdensome that Mahatma Gandhi led his followers to the sea where they made their own salt. 

     Salt is sprinkled throughout the Bible from the Older Testament to the New.  Jesus picks up on the importance of salt in Israel, His earthly ancestral homeland in the culture of His day. He transitions it into a valuable teaching about salt in relationship to others. 

Jesus taught in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” He speaks of the value of His followers in “salt” terms and admonishes them to make sure their “salt” spreads out and seasons kingdom relationships with others.  

    Let's make sure our salt remains fresh and seasons our culture in productive Kingdom ways.  It was significant in Jesus’ time and significant for us today to season our speech, season the atmosphere with love and light, and sprinkle the Good News in our daily lives.  #SprinkleSaltInTheSpirit

 

God Never Changes-Even in a Covid-19 Culture

When I grew up in the 50s and 60s, change didn’t seem as “changeable.” Most of our parents remained married and stayed at the same job. School began after Labor Day. In the south, grocery stores closed on Sundays. We attended the same church year after year. We watched only three TV channels that shut down at midnight playing the National Anthem. Continuity reigned and with it, a sense of security. 

In the last few decades though, change seems to dominate everything every minute. Today’s speed of change is sometimes dizzying.  Those days of less change have slipped into the history books of our lives if we are old enough to remember. 

Changes reflect both joy and sadness. Joy...encountering our Lord transforming our lives. Meeting the love of our life, changing from single to married. Children coming along changing us into parents. Accepting a dream job that changes our lifestyle. And sadness...divorce, accidents, ill health, addictions, financial loss, betrayals, or the passing of a loved one.

With news now changing even more in this season of a Covid-19 culture, our lives are invaded with anxiety and fear about the future. Without question though, we CAN count on two “unchangeables.” 

     
First, relying on the words of the most profound and popular book in history assures us of inner security and rays of hope. James 1:17 reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Hebrews 13:8 carries the same theme, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” And Isaiah 40:8 offers us this truth, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” 

Secondly, while we learn about our Lord in scripture and His eternal Presence, we also prove and embrace biblical truths in a deeper, personal way when we choose to walk in the ways of Jesus with the necessary and enabling help of His Holy Spirit. 

Our Father of lights doesn’t change. The word of God is forever. Jesus is the same every day.   Count On Who Never Changes!

“A bend in the road is not the end of the road…unless you fail to make the turn.” 

― Helen Keller

Lessons from the Poplar Tree

A grove of trees stands at the end of our driveway. Two stately Poplars are among them. They are adorned with yellow flowers in the spring after a bare-branched winter and called Tulip Poplars.  

Poplars can grow up to 165 feet high. I estimate our two Poplars are at least 100 feet high and stand with straight trunks. Poplars also grow deep roots spreading out up to 130 feet in diameter.

Poplars have an interesting history. Ancient Romans planted Poplars in meeting areas and thus the Latin name for people, “Populus,” was born. Roman soldiers used the wood for battle shields and in contrast, Poplar wood was used in later centuries to build organs. Today, Poplar wood still has many uses including making pallets, snowboards, guitars and drums. It’s an impressive tree that reflects important spiritual lessons.

When we ask the Lord Jesus to dwell in our lives, He helps us to develop deep roots in our faith. If we tend our roots hand in Hand with Him, we will cultivate a strong, rooted network that will carry us through the most destructive winds of life.  We fertilize our good spiritual roots with Bible familiarity, authentic fellowship with the Lord and other believers. We add ways to serve others by rooting up our selfish natures and seek extra help when we face a problem or challenge that inhibits our maturity. 

Like the Poplars and other trees, growing time is part of the process. Sometimes, as we grow older and “taller,” the obstacles grow too. The winds of life buffet us. We may lose some branches, and sometimes, like the Poplar, the leaves of our lives fall off in a deep time of sorrowful winters. We wonder if the spring will return yet counting on the Lord to re-grow and rebuild us, Spring returns.

Akin to the Poplars, the Lord endows us with usefulness in our time here on earth. 

The ancient Roman shields of wood can become shields of prayerful protection when the enemy attacks us with doubt and pain. With God’s enabling, we carve out the “wood” of our lives with love and service. And although our “wood” may be a pallet not a guitar, each is important. 

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

May 14, 1948 God Keeps His Covenants

May 14, 2020 marks the 72nd anniversary of the modern state of Israel! Like Daniel, let's praise “the great and awesome God” Who has kept His covenants with the Jewish people. Revisiting Daniel's story gives us a road map and a hope for our personal lives too. Daniel  prayed three times a day in pagan Babylon. He didn’t hesitate to bring his and the people’s failures before the Lord, yet he trusted that God keeps His covenants no matter what. Daniel remained faithful and God remains faithful to Israel and to us! 

Here are a few of his prayers in Daniel 9: “The great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, …we have sinned and done wrong. Turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, see the desolation of the city that bears your Name…and O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name.”

Daniel’s life was dramatic. Babylonians kidnapped him from his Jerusalem home when he was a teenager. Daniel’s 12 chapters describe his ascent in exile to the heights of Nebuchadnezzar’s regime as a politician and a respected interpreter of dreams. Yet, he practiced a vibrant faith and interceded for the Jewish people. Today, Daniel’s IQ would surely be genius level!

Drama continued into Daniel’s 80's when he was thrown into a lion’s den for refusing to worship anyone but the Lord! A clay tablet discovered in the late 1800's in the ruins of ancient Susa (modern Iran) confirmed the death penalty of throwing the “criminal” alive into a lion’s pit or cage where kings likely kept lions for their hunting sports. 

The Susa tablet and discovery of cages with iron bars in Babylon (modern Iraq) shows that archeology once again proves biblical facts!  

Daniel lived most of his life in Babylon yet praised God and believed His commitment to keep His eternal covenants promised to Father Abraham. God kept one of His most profound covenant promises on May 14, 1948 when Israel was re-born as a modern Jewish state!

On this significant day, let's follow Daniel who prayed for his Jewish people and pray for our Christians too. Some Christians believe the error of Replacement Theology which declares that the church has ‘replaced’ the Jews and that they no longer have relevance.  Pray against antisemitism and Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS)-economic warfare against Israel.