Grace & Truth

From “30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World” - “In settings of friendship and trust, [engage] the truth claims made within the Qur’an itself and for the Qur’am by Muslims. Blithely nodding or smiling when Muslims make truth claims that go against the clear message of the Gospel shows neither respect nor love. Love goes the distance with our friends in taking a firm stand and making our best case for the saving truth.” (http://www.30-days.net/)

I was struck by this sentence today. How indifferent have we become to all kinds of people in our society and around the world using the Lord’s name in vain, making degrading statements about His Holy Word, and rejecting the beautiful news of the Gospel. “Blithely” is a good description - “showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous.” Have I grown callous to the rejection of God’s Word? Have I become casually indifferent to disbelief in God? It should hit me like a thunderbolt every-time!! What did I just read this morning, “I am Yahweh, and there is no other, besides me there is no God...I am Yahweh, and there is no other...I am Yahweh, who does all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7; for Yahweh try inserting “he who causes to be”, one possible translation of the Holy Name)

But more than shock and awe it should cause passion for the truth to rise in my heart and compassion for the speaker to temper my response. Do we serve the risen King or not? Does he truly rule this world or not? Will he come again one day and vindicate this insolence and indifference towards his holiness or not? What do we believe! And yet, did not our Lord bear such shameful reproach on the cross, our shameful reproach? Has he not called us, former enemies, sons and daughters of God? Oh, there must be love and respect in our speech and conduct but always rooted in the truth, and a passion that this truth be known and rejoiced in just as we do day by day. Father, draw many Muslims to a right understanding of your Son, Isa al-Masih, in these their holy days by the powerful wind of your Spirit and unchanging truth of your Word. Through His name we ask it, AMEN.

LEARN - “...the good hand of God was on him for Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of Yahweh, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” (Ezra 7:9-10) The core of all we’re studying here at BCS is God’s Word. Whether that’s through reading Jonathan Edwards or learning Biblical Hebrew and Greek, our labor is in going deeper into the word of God. The biblical languages are forming a foundation for every class we take with the hope that when we graduate we’ll possess such a humble proficiency in them that they’ll serve as a foundation in whatever ministry to which God calls us.

SERVE - In John 13, before Jesus instituted the supper of the New Covenant and then went to the cross to accomplish it, he took up a towel and washed his disciples’ feet. One friend in my cohort pray regularly before class, especially our language classes, which can seem “impractical” at times, “Lord, make this study of Hebrew/Greek a labor of love for the people we'll serve someday.” For now we view our studies through this lens of service, for ultimately these are not to gain knowledge that puffs up, but skills and training that will allow us to then serve God’s people around the world.

TREASURE - “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the Law of the Lord...” (Psalm 1:1-2) Whoever might be credited with organizing the Psalter put this psalm first and this though is to govern our reading of the whole book. Delight in God’s Word, it’s not enough to simply learn and even live out unless there is a heartfelt affection for the things contained in God’s word. Chiefly is this, “rejoice in the Lord always!” (Phil. 4:4) We delight in the gift of God’s Word for in it we encounter His glory and His gospel.

OMNIA IN CHRISTO CONSTANT - “...in Christ all things hold together...” (Col. 1:17) The latin translation from this hymn in Colossians is a fitting banner to fly over our school. In the end it is not education we seek, nor practical skills, nor financial stability and security, nor ministerial prestige and power, nor a reputation and writings that last through the ages...we seek Christ! As has been said, he is the blazing center, like a sun in a solar system. “For from him, and to him, and through him are all things! To him be glory forever, AMEN.” (Rom. 11:36)

Allahu Akbar! (God is Great!) Jesus is Lord!

Around the world this morning billions of people are beginning a grueling 30-day spiritual exercise: abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. The aim of such a fast is to display one’s devotion to God, perhaps earning merit in his sight, and to proclaim to one’s-self that indeed you are a Muslim (one submitted to God).

During these intense days of spiritual activity may our walk with Christ be all more rich. Lest we forget, we pray not 5 times a day but without ceasing in constant communion. Lest we forget, we pray not towards a location on earth but to our Father in heaven who is so merciful to hear us. Lest we forget, we seek not our own merit in prayer but rest upon the perfect merit of Christ that comes through his death and resurrection. Lest we forget, we fast not to be seen by others but to because the Bridegroom has gone and we await his return - this is not our home!

And yet, we have the very Holy Spirit of God in our hearts and in our midst. May He be pleased to fill us afresh these days with a spirit of intercession, with a gladness in the greatness of Jesus Christ, and with a hope that cannot be broken...come pain, hardship, persecution, even death. Our God is Greater, Jesus is Lord!

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ... (Nothing can) separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Rom. 8:21-32,39)

The Baby Mirror

Six weeks today Benaiah was born, and it's been quite a ride! A lot's happened in that little window of time. We had wonderful host of visitors coming in and out of our home - the support and love has been an overwhelming picture of God's grace. During those weeks I also began and am about to finish my summer intensive in Hebrew grammar. Rachel went back to work last week and began getting things in order. Much to her dismay, the new owners of her hotel finally told her that they had hired someone else to do her job...so now we're job hunting. (Rachel has managed to pick up a 30 hour teaching load at the swim school for the fall, praise God!)

But more than all those events, we've been learning...a lot! We've been learning some of what it takes to be parents. We've been learning about babies. We've been learning the most about ourselves, though.

Babies, when you're not just borrowing them for an hour or two, can show you a lot about yourself, kind of like a mirror. But like a mirror, they show you everything, good and bad! I've seen my own impatience come out, my desire to be in control, my frustration over set-backs. I've seen us begin to establish a rhythm for our lives, my ability to change my priorities in an instant, my Father's patience and kindness toward me. In all of this I've seen more clearly my need for God's grace at every moment of the day.

"As a Father shows compassion to his children, so Yahweh shows compassion to those who fear him." - Ps. 103:13