Transcendent Praise

Job 42:10 – 13 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought upon him, and each one gave a piece of silver and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters.

Trouble comes to most of us at some point or another. That’s life. But sometimes it comes to some individuals in rapid-fire succession leaving them completely overwhelmed. In such a case it is easy to feel alone and that God could not possibly know what you are going through.  Not true!

Let’s consider the life of Job for a minute. He was a very rich and God-fearing man who lived well for years. Then one day, all of a sudden, his situation changed. He lost his family, his possessions and most of his friends in quick succession. The Bible tells us that this was the work of the devil and God was allowing it. When it was over, Job came face to face with God and learned a great deal about the nature of God. He learned that he had not been abandoned by God and that God was watching over his life the whole time. In the end God blessed his later years more than his early life, restoring his family and multiplying his possessions.

Few of us, if any, could have endured the onslaught given its magnitude. As it is we complain our way through what we regard as trials and tribulation, financial setback, reversal of fortunes, natural disasters or other life-altering experiences. But often your trials are not meant to undo you but to reveal something new to you about God, his person, power and faithfulness. So when bad things happen over which you have no control, remember that your Lord is watching over you. Do not have confidence in yourself or even in well-meaning friends.

Job came through his trials because he was kept by God. He was eventually able to say to God “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5). The Holy Spirit would have you know that:

“The Lord God is faithful to his own, what he says he will do. It is his very nature to fulfill his word to those that trust in him. He has no lack, yea his resources are limitless. He performs miracles if that is what it takes to bring his promises to fruition. Believe that the Lord your God will perfect that which he has purposed not only to you but for your children. He is your loving heavenly Father.”

Luke 7: 12 – 13 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out – the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

Verses 11 thru 17 of this chapter of Luke paint a picture of loss, pain, destitution and triumph. This was not a time when women had jobs. So to be a widow meant you would be in a financially fragile situation.  If you had a son or sons perhaps it meant that not only would you have physical help with your own chores and crops but, maybe, they would engage in other work to help with day to day expenses. As Jesus approached the scene he quickly summed up the situation and he was able to say to the mother “Don’t cry” because he knew what he would do. He raised the young man back to life. This brought joy to the mother and praise to God from the onlookers.

But what if you face a similar situation and your loved one is dead and gone and you have not found any consolation? You can see no future through your tears. I want to encourage you firstly that God sees you just where you are and knows every detail of your situation. Secondly, you can find comfort in him because he does care. Thirdly, believe in him to make a way for you – trust him. The Holy Spirit would have you know that:

“God knows the human heart. When we grieve, he grieves. He is not removed from our suffering. He has experienced it in full measure therefore he is able to identify with us in our grief. But unlike us he has already overcome. So he stands ready to sustain us and moreover he has sent us the Holy Spirit as the Comforter to minister to each need when things become overwhelming. The secret is to believe that he cares deeply and that you can commune with him even in the depths of your grief. If you can praise him at such times He will come to you and speak peace into your heart.”

Judges 11:36 – 37 “My Father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”

I wrote earlier about Jephthah’s plight when he had to fulfill a vow he had made to God to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house when he returned from battle if God allowed him victory. That first thing was his only daughter.

His plight blew my mind! But wait a minute, what about his daughter? The Word does not tell us her name or her age. It is possible she was a teenager because she was already caught up with the idea of marrying someday. Her father had been rejected by his step-brothers who had chased him away from home, but he was known as a mighty warrior so they had come crawling to him when they needed help. He knew Israel’s history and displayed great faith in God to defend them. My sense too is that he was a righteous man and had taught his daughter well concerning God’s dealings with his people through time, hence her willingness to submit to him even though it would cost her the life she was already imagining.

I mourned for this girl yet again. God asks so little of us today, but here she was in the simplicity of youth, wanting to make sure that God was honored. The Holy Spirit broke in on my thoughts with the following:

“Shall not the God of the whole earth do as he pleases with his people? For to this end he created the daughter of Jephthah that in her submission she should show forth his glory. God was well pleased with her sacrifice. It was the ultimate cost to her but she magnified my name in the only way she knew how. I have her in my bosom, her reward is exquisite. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart. It cost her everything, yes, but she is mine now and forever. That my child is an inestimable privilege.”

Revelation 22:12 Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

There is no court of appeal against what the Lord God has decreed. It is an awesome fact to contemplate. The lives we live, the response we have made to God’s Son determines our eternal destiny. All of a sudden our positions, titles, power, acquisitions and possessions mean absolutely nothing as we stand before a holy God.

God has placed us in this parenthesis we call time for one purpose only: that we may know him the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. (See John 17:3). That is the basis of eternal life. God wants to give us visions of himself here and now so we can begin to grasp what is to come.  The Holy Spirit helps us understand:

“For it is my will that those who believe in me should see Heavens opened and understand things which shall be. The things which exist are very temporary and you should not get caught up in them. Those who are my followers have a much greater calling. You are in the earth to do my bidding and proclaim my name as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. This earth shall pass and all things in it. It is for that reason that Revelation 21 and 22 are written.”

Genesis 22: 12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

This passage speaks of God’s restraint on Abraham when he lifted his knife to kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. God tested Abraham to see the extent to which he really believed in him. When you read the full account, you feel the pain with Abraham. Talk about self-denial! You even dare to think why God would ask him to do such a thing. This was the child for whom he had waited his whole life and the one through whom God had said he would fulfill his promise to make him the father of many nations.  Nothing seems to make sense! But God would say to you and me “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

Every child of God undergoes testing in order that his/her faith can grow. At some point, and repeatedly, you will come up against situations in which God will require you to simply trust him and do what his Spirit tells you to do. You know what challenges you are facing right now and I bet that among them is at least one for which you have no answer. What if you were to hand that one situation over to God and just back away? Exercise your faith this one time. God will make things proceed in an order acceptable to him.

In the case of Abraham we focus on the sacrifice he was about to make. But God was focusing on Abraham’s heart. It was about the thoughts and intents of his heart, whether he believed that God was who he said he was – his shield and exceeding great reward. (Read Genesis 15). Do you believe that God can do all things regardless of what circumstances look like? I promise you, the day you cross this threshold, you will experience joy on a level you had never known before.

John 17:26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.

This was part of Christ’s prayer to his Father for all believers. We who know the risen Christ have a mission – to live and love like he did. He died so that we can use the fact of his sacrifice to persuade men that he loves them. Without the cross we have nothing to say, because as human beings we are incapable of pure love. Only God’s love, when it invades our lives, makes it possible for us to deny ourselves for his glory and the good of others. His love has the power to transform us and those it touches.

It is his love demonstrated on the cross that makes us know that when we pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10) it requires actions on our part. Our giving is part of that response. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) God gave till it hurt, so must we.  Give love, time, prayer, food, shelter, empathy, sympathy, money, opportunity, a listening ear, anything at all that can make a positive difference in someone else’s life to remind them that God cares.

Leviticus 20: 7 – 8 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.

Consecration is a word often used in religious circles.  Sometimes it refers to the ceremonial dedication of someone such as a bishop, minister or other personnel. It is also used in connection with new buildings or items built or purchased for use in connection with worship. It connotes setting apart for a specific holy purpose.  Implicitly there is a “from this day forward” sentiment.

Likewise there is a need for consecration in the lives of believers. The passage above makes clear that consecration has two aspects. Firstly, there is that which God initiates: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). When the Spirit of God drew you to himself and you accepted Christ as Savior, you came into a new relationship with God. In that moment God consecrated or set you apart for himself.

The other aspect is your responsibility. Consecration requires giving God first place in your priorities and consciously forsaking sin. It is a call to holiness. Consecration brings about changes in your value system which is then controlled by the overwhelming desire to serve God “from this day forward”. It requires regularly setting aside time and place to meet with God to enjoy his presence and listen to his voice. This might mean sacrificing other activities, friendships, and perhaps resources to enable you to do the things that please him. For some, consecration could cost life itself.

Psalm 91: 1- 4 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Feeling vulnerable today? Then maybe you need to go into hiding. “Say what? I can’t do that, I have to go to work.” I know. Of course you can’t physically go into hiding and there is no reason you should. But before you hit the road or move on with your day, take time to read and ponder on this Psalm.

Your hiding place is the Most High God. No one above him, no one greater! So if your trust is in him alone, there is nothing to fear. Make time for secret conversations with him! Find rest in his shadow. Farmers and people who live in the countryside, or who have to walk long distances understand this picture very well. At mid-day when the sun is hottest, they exercise wisdom and find a hut or tree under which to rest from the heat. It is also a time to take refreshment, eat and gain strength for the rest of the journey.

The action required on your part is to say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  Say it till you are sure you believe it. Then the Spirit of God will begin to speak to your spirit and you will be refreshed. Consider yourself covered and, in time, you will see the faithfulness of your God being manifested in your circumstances.

John 15: 13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Martyrdom. This word is not new to our vocabulary. Those of us who have any knowledge of church history are familiar with it. As a child I heard of believers who were burned at the stake for no reason other than for what they believed.

Acts chapter 7 gives the account of the stoning of Stephen. He was one of seven men ‘thought to be full of the Spirit and wisdom’ chosen by the gathering of the twelve disciples of Jesus to administer a program of daily food distribution to widows. This happened after Jesus’ ascension from the earth and the local church was experiencing rapid growth as the disciples, moved upon by the Holy Spirit, preached the gospel fearlessly and did many miracles among the people. You would think that with so much good happening, they would be thought of highly and admired by all. No, not by all because there were those of the Synagogue who felt threatened and had Stephen dragged before the Sanhedrin (think of them as the High Court) after they had conspired with a group of men to lie against him. Although Stephen spoke boldly and recapped their entire Jewish history from Abraham thru Moses and from David up to the Christ whom they had crucified, it only enraged his accusers, so they decided to stone him to death.

While Stephen was being murdered, he said he saw heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Just like Jesus had prayed for forgiveness for those who crucified him, Stephen prayed for forgiveness for those who were stoning him. While Jesus laid down his life so we may have forgiveness of sins and eternal life (John 10: 17-18), it is important to realize as well that Stephen did not die in vain.

If giving one’s life to redeem or preserve the life of another is the highest expression of love, it seems to me that the greatest expression of hate is to take the life of an innocent person. We live in an age when beheadings, shootings, slayings, abductions and other acts of extreme brutality are meted out to many, even women and children, often just because of their faith.

Stephen was martyred and went to be with Christ and out of his death came transformation to his chief accuser, a man named Saul. After his encounter with the power of the risen Lord on the road to Damascus Saul was renamed Paul and was empowered to preach the gospel like no other man. (Acts 9: 1 – 22). Clearly even the martyrdom of saints cannot defeat the purposes of the Living God. And for those so cruelly treated, the Lord will redeem their souls even from the grave.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

How heavy is the burden which you are carrying today? Are you at the end of your rope? Good.  You cringed just now didn’t you? You think I’m making light of your situation. No, I’m not being insensitive. The fact is that trouble of every sort narrows our perspective to the point where all we can focus on is the problem while God wants us to focus on him and his faithfulness to those he loves and who love him.

I came to that point during the last few months of my husband’s life when I was feeling physically depleted because care-giving was taking its toll. Suddenly one day, while feeling sorry for myself, part of verse 17 of 2 Corinthians 4 popped into my head: your light affliction….. I thought: “Lord, are you serious? All I’ve been going through you call it light?” I had to go look up the verse and meditate on it for a while. I was encouraged and refreshed because the Holy Spirit was inspiring me to take a longer range view of the situation. If you read my book “Listening to God will transform you” you will understand what I mean.

You see my friend, God’s perspective is quite different from ours. Our burdens are heavy compared to what exactly?  “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). You are a soldier and a soldier has to endure hardship.  Consider the words of the psalmist David, a man who had more troubles than you or I will ever know:  “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22).