In every situation, give thanks... yeah, right! In cancer, do not be anxious, but give thanks? Yeah, right. When I can't pay the light bill, do not be anxious, but give thanks? Yeah, right! If my kid has wandered away from the faith do not be anxious, but give thanks? Yeah, right. Actually...that is exactly right. Check back in here at the blog for some clues as to why, but better yet drop in for worship Sabbath day to put it all together.
For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
(Isaiah 66:12-13)
The Israelites would go into exile. The would suffer tremendous anxiety in the time leading up to and during that exile. But the anxiety we experience in our trials is temporary; the Lord's gracious loving-kindness is eternal. When they were rescued from exile, God's people would be comforted as a mother comforts her child. They would find peace extending like a river, flowing out of their tribulation and soothing their anxiety. That is what God offers to those who belong to Him who face calamity: the promise of comfort and everlasting peace.
"Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer." (Psalm 4:1)
Boy, can I relate to the Psalmist here! As a general rule, as soon as I find myself going through difficult times I start asking God to get me out. And yet adversity doesn't just create anxiety. It also creates character. When I am struggling through something I often find that I learn hard truths about myself and glorious truths about God. Our suffering may not be God-breathed, but it is used by God for His glory and our gain as the Lord "works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Victor said... Each person of the Godhead is involved in giving us peace – cause for rejoicing.
Philippians 4 Christ Jesus gives the peace of God, guards our hearts, answers our requests, receives our thanksgiving pleadings and prayers, relieves our anxiety, and shows us gentleness. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”
Psalm 4 The LORD relieves distress, shows mercy, sanctifies, and provides peaceful sleep. “You have put gladness in my heart.”
Isaiah 66 The Father also expresses maternal qualities of the Father weaning, dandling, comforting with peace. ”Rejoice with joy for Jerusalem.”
John 14 The Holy Spirit will teach us all things, remind us of His words, give us a peace, unknown by the world, and a trouble free heart. “If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father.”
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) How I cling to this verse in times of adversity. Even when I am being stretched to the point of breaking, I know that I can find the peace that passes all understanding at the foot of the cross. I will admit that my heart is often troubled, especially when I consider all of the terrible things happening in the world. And yet terrible things were happening in Jesus' time too, not the least of which was the impending crucifixion of God's only Son. It was this event Jesus had in mind when He sat down to encourage the disciples; it is the events of our day that He has in mind as that same promise is extended to us. Let not your heart be troubled, for our Savior has given us lasting peace.
In a passage related to these (in Thessalonians 5) Paul wrote, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is the Lord's will for you in Christ Jesus." It is the Lord's will for us that we rejoice, pray and give thanks. It is not necessarily the Lord's will for us that we rejoice and give thanks for difficult or painful things that happen to us. No one thanks God for cancer, for instance, but Christians are called to prayerfully rejoice and thank God for His presence and comfort as they battle that disease. I don't have to pretend that I'm not sad when a loved one dies, but I can prayerfully rejoice and give thanks that I will see them again one day in heaven. As we think this coming week about God's call to rejoice and give thanks in all things, we want to recognize that there is a distinction between rejoicing in our misfortune (not what God asks us to do) and rejoicing in God's goodness and mercy (which is what God does ask us to do). Keeping our eyes on Jesus in the midst of adversity is a sign of spiritual maturity, and that is what God is calling us to here through the letters of Paul.
BTW, I realize I've said something similar in the past on this very blog, but I wanted to reiterate that or remind you of it prior to our worship time on Sabbath day.
"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." (Philippians 4:5) There is a little ambiguity in this verse. It could be taken to mean that the Lord's return is not far away. It could be taken to mean that the Lord is near to us, watching over us as we walk with Him. How we understand it doesn't really impact the overall meaning of the passage much. Personally I suspect it has more to do with Jesus' return given the larger context of the passage and the general thrust of Paul's writing, but either reading is acceptable. Both serve to remind us that the Lord is not far away, temporally or physically, and given that we can find comfort and strength as well as a motivation to lead lives characterized by gentleness. What a comfort it is to know that the Lord is near, and that we are able to rejoice and have our fears calmed by His imminence.
In every situation, give thanks... yeah, right! In cancer, do not be anxious, but give thanks? Yeah, right. When I can't pay the light bill, do not be anxious, but give thanks? Yeah, right! If my kid has wandered away from the faith do not be anxious, but give thanks? Yeah, right. Actually...that is exactly right. Check back in here at the blog for some clues as to why, but better yet drop in for worship Sabbath day to put it all together.
ReplyDeleteFor this is what the Lord says:
ReplyDelete“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
(Isaiah 66:12-13)
The Israelites would go into exile. The would suffer tremendous anxiety in the time leading up to and during that exile. But the anxiety we experience in our trials is temporary; the Lord's gracious loving-kindness is eternal. When they were rescued from exile, God's people would be comforted as a mother comforts her child. They would find peace extending like a river, flowing out of their tribulation and soothing their anxiety. That is what God offers to those who belong to Him who face calamity: the promise of comfort and everlasting peace.
"Answer me when I call to you,
ReplyDeletemy righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer."
(Psalm 4:1)
Boy, can I relate to the Psalmist here! As a general rule, as soon as I find myself going through difficult times I start asking God to get me out. And yet adversity doesn't just create anxiety. It also creates character. When I am struggling through something I often find that I learn hard truths about myself and glorious truths about God. Our suffering may not be God-breathed, but it is used by God for His glory and our gain as the Lord "works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
ReplyDeleteVictor said...
Each person of the Godhead is involved in giving us peace – cause for rejoicing.
Philippians 4
Christ Jesus gives the peace of God, guards our hearts, answers our requests, receives our thanksgiving pleadings and prayers, relieves our anxiety, and shows us gentleness. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”
Psalm 4
The LORD relieves distress, shows mercy, sanctifies, and provides peaceful sleep. “You have put gladness in my heart.”
Isaiah 66
The Father also expresses maternal qualities of the Father weaning, dandling, comforting with peace. ”Rejoice with joy for Jerusalem.”
John 14
The Holy Spirit will teach us all things, remind us of His words, give us a peace, unknown by the world, and a trouble free heart. “If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father.”
Make that " . . . maternal qualities of a mother -- weaning . . ."
Delete"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) How I cling to this verse in times of adversity. Even when I am being stretched to the point of breaking, I know that I can find the peace that passes all understanding at the foot of the cross. I will admit that my heart is often troubled, especially when I consider all of the terrible things happening in the world. And yet terrible things were happening in Jesus' time too, not the least of which was the impending crucifixion of God's only Son. It was this event Jesus had in mind when He sat down to encourage the disciples; it is the events of our day that He has in mind as that same promise is extended to us. Let not your heart be troubled, for our Savior has given us lasting peace.
ReplyDeleteIn a passage related to these (in Thessalonians 5) Paul wrote, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is the Lord's will for you in Christ Jesus." It is the Lord's will for us that we rejoice, pray and give thanks. It is not necessarily the Lord's will for us that we rejoice and give thanks for difficult or painful things that happen to us. No one thanks God for cancer, for instance, but Christians are called to prayerfully rejoice and thank God for His presence and comfort as they battle that disease. I don't have to pretend that I'm not sad when a loved one dies, but I can prayerfully rejoice and give thanks that I will see them again one day in heaven. As we think this coming week about God's call to rejoice and give thanks in all things, we want to recognize that there is a distinction between rejoicing in our misfortune (not what God asks us to do) and rejoicing in God's goodness and mercy (which is what God does ask us to do). Keeping our eyes on Jesus in the midst of adversity is a sign of spiritual maturity, and that is what God is calling us to here through the letters of Paul.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I realize I've said something similar in the past on this very blog, but I wanted to reiterate that or remind you of it prior to our worship time on Sabbath day.
Delete"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." (Philippians 4:5) There is a little ambiguity in this verse. It could be taken to mean that the Lord's return is not far away. It could be taken to mean that the Lord is near to us, watching over us as we walk with Him. How we understand it doesn't really impact the overall meaning of the passage much. Personally I suspect it has more to do with Jesus' return given the larger context of the passage and the general thrust of Paul's writing, but either reading is acceptable. Both serve to remind us that the Lord is not far away, temporally or physically, and given that we can find comfort and strength as well as a motivation to lead lives characterized by gentleness. What a comfort it is to know that the Lord is near, and that we are able to rejoice and have our fears calmed by His imminence.
ReplyDelete