Why?

 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" Job 1:8

Job: a man who loved and served God. One God praised; whose faith made God proud. He wasn't a nobody. Job held great wealth and prestige. He had a family that he loved, and he interceded with God on their behalf.

So why did God point him out to Satan?

I confess, I'm afraid of pondering that question too deeply. Why? Because of what God says to Job:

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Job 38:2-3

I think if the voice of God came out of a whirlwind and spoke those words to me, I'd run and hide. So, I reason, if God answered Job this way, how much fiercer would He answer me, who lacks the faith of Job? 

I'm not really sure the book of Job was written to give us the answer to, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" I just don't believe any human being in this present age, on this present earth, can even come close to comprehending God's answer. But perhaps, in reading it under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, we can grasp the specific message God has for us as individuals.

The beauty of God's Word blossoms before our eyes when His Holy Spirit ministers directly to our hearts while we read it. The answer we seek may not be written in plain English, but the answer we need to hear blooms in our spirit releasing a fragrance that calms and assures. I think when this happens, the value of what we read increases a hundredfold.

Perhaps, if we approached the book of Job with a heart open to hear the Holy Spirit, we'll find a message that shatters our fears, burns up our anxiety, and heals our wounded spirits. 

Perhaps, approaching God with a willingness to accept His love may penetrate our hearts like a scalpel cutting away cancer, as well as produce the soothing effect of a healing balm...perhaps, if we can be open to look for the good that may flow from the circumstances we'd rather not be placed in, maybe we'd be able to respond as Job did and find peace in it:

I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not....I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Job 42:2-5

I Love God's Word

 "Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97

What can I say? I love God's Word. I feed off of God's Word. I can't imagine what life would be like without it. I'm quirky that way. 

But I don't think I'm at this psalmist's point of dedication, because if I'm really honest, I do not meditate on it all day. Too many other things enter into my mind. However, I aspire to have His Word present in my thoughts at all times.

I long to have a perfect appetite for study, and musing, and praying, and reflecting on God. Yet, some mornings, I can't help myself and check my email, or look at website, or do a number of other things before I release a heavy sigh and turn to by Bible reading. I'd like to find excuses for it. I'd like to be better disciplined about it. I know what I must do. And yet, I fail.

God's commandments make me wiser than my enemies...even if those enemies don't agree. And if I'd just keep my thoughts on God, I'd realize that He is always with me, ready to give me the answers I need to deflect the enemies.

I gain more understanding than my teachers when I examine all things (science and human behaviors included) when I come at it from the perspective of Scripture. Even those older and supposedly wiser than me cannot deflect what God teaches me through His Word. 

If only I'd realize that by keeping God's Word, I'd always know right from wrong, chaos would not reign over me.

I love God's Word, and that will be the key to dwelling on it all day long. But fatigue keeps me from memorizing Scripture like I should. If His Word was right at the forefront of my thoughts, I'd have great discernment, and have the ability to do good, avoiding evil ways. 

Norris Baptist Bible Seminary is near us and I'm told they teach the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. A class on the Pentateuch, with the first semester focusing on Genesis and the second semester on Exodus to Deuteronomy is a requirement of all pastoral students. If you'd asked me thirty years ago if that would be intriguing, well I would have pulled in a deep breath, set my chin in a firm 'I'm up to the challenge' position, and replied, "I'd do it." Today, I'd be there, if I had the energy to drive back and forth from the classes. I love the depth of those first five books of the Bible. That love came only after having Sunday School teachers who revealed that Genesis has everything we need to know in it. Who would have thought? The more I study it, the more I see the truth of that.

The Torah (first five books of the Bible) gives direction, instruction, and an understanding of both the law (ten commandments) and the ceremonial acts that were pictures of all that was to come, including Christ's first and second coming. 

God's commandments are a code of wisdom. His testimonies are a witness to us of Who God is. His precepts are mandates God has given us on how to live in a manner pleasing to God.

When the psalmist wrote Psalm 119, quite likely he only had the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). If he gained such great wisdom and understanding from these books, how much more can we have when we study the whole and complete Word of God!

The continual reflection of God's law deepens our wisdom, our understanding of the nature of man and the nature of God. We should thirst after it, hunger for it.

The chaos of this world, the confusion we see in our society today, could all be made clear if we would make God's Word our meditation, our focus, and our manner of living. If we would set our hearts on it, not depart from it, but taste it, hunger for it, find it to be sweet--living our life would be much clearer and more directed and ordered and peaceful.

How about you? Do you see what I see: the need to know God's Word more in your life? What do you do to keep His Words with you throughout the day?

For further study, read Psalm 119.

"They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word." Psalm 119:74

"Unless the law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction." Psalm 119:92

The Eyes of the Lord Are on Us

"Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life." Isaiah 43:4 

Mustafa's bony fingers wrapped around the metal bar on the Abbey Gate at the Kabul Airport, her three year old daughter's arms clung to her neck, nearly choking her.

The night was very dark, but she could see movement behind the fence. Military men and women in American uniforms. She caught the eye of one woman. That woman's eyes flashed, squeezed for a moment in what seemed to have been compassion, but as quickly as it came, it disappeared behind the mask of a soldier. 

Another soldier walked up to the gate, where she stood, his jaw muscles flexing. "No one will be helped except for U.S. citizens." His voice was gruff and he kept his eyes looking straight ahead, not looking at anyone.

Mustafa choked back a sob. She was going to die. The shooting of her husband at a Taliban checkpoint flooded her memory. "Please," she cried. "Please, my daughter. At least take my daughter." She pulled her child's arms from her neck and lifted her up to the gate.

The soldier turned away. With stiff shoulders, he walked away.

"Please, don't leave," her breath dragged over her sobs. "Please, my daughter, for her...don't let her...take her to safety." Her arms shook. No longer able to hold her child up, she lowered her child against her chest.

Her daughter whimpered.

"Shsh, Madina." Mustafa closed her eyes, glad for the whimper, as that was the first sound the girl made in days since the terror of seeing her father killed. Where was this god of the Americans that they claim was merciful? 

Mustafa slid to the ground, exhaustion stealing the strength in her legs. Her husband, Salaam, was a translator for the Americans and now, he was dead. He'd claimed he met Jesus, became a Christian. "If I die," he told her, "know that I go to a better place." Mustafa snorted. Even the Muslims believed in Heaven.

She squeezed the tears from her eyes. Her husband had been a good man since he met the Americans. He had been good before, but he was freer, more at peace. Braver, not as angry. Would the Christian God really show mercy? Allah, the Muslim's claim, demands obedience...oh, she didn't know. She only knew the actions of men. Where was the Christian God?

Her chin dropped to rest on her daughter's head, and she closed her eyes. She'd not eaten in a week. They'd left their home with some food, but that was taken at one of the checkpoints. What little she'd concealed, she'd given to her daughter. 

Someone shook her shoulder. She opened her eyes and a man's face appeared before her. "Come," he commanded. She leaned back from him, but his eyes met hers. His eyes were the same as Salaam, but blue not brown. Eyes filled with confidence, a deeper knowledge or perhaps faith.

He flashed a smile at her, then she noted his clothing. No turban on his head. He wore American pants, not the traditional peraahan tunbaan. His shirt was like that of the cowboys in America. Could she trust him?

He held out his hand. "Come. We will get you to safety, but you must come now."

She shifted away from him, but stood, her legs wobbling beneath the weight of her and her child. "Are you a...a Christian?"

He smiled again and nodded curtly, then started walking, motioning her to join him.

Perhaps, the Christian God her husband claimed,...was there reason now to hope?

Charity vs Charitable

 Over twenty years ago, a young couple lived with us for a few weeks. The man spoke Spanish and knew little English, and his wife interpreted for him.

One night after supper, we discussed I Corinthians 13. This man stated how well the word 'charity' expressed the meaning of love. For this young couple, with a sick baby and two young children, 'charity' had become the only thing on which they could rely. He didn't have regular work, and they could not afford a home of their own.

That was a growing and stretching time for myself and my family. Lessons learned then I can now carry into my writing. His words sunk deep into my heart to be used as catalysts for future events and lessons.

I could compose beautiful stories with great technical ability, but if I do not have a desire to do good to my readers, then I'm just planting useless words and making noises in the readers imaginations.

If I write great nonfiction which reveals my superior intellect (or not) and great faith and do not have goodwill toward my readers, then I am nothing and my words are meaningless.

And if I give away all my work to charitable organizations so that others can benefit financially by it, or if I am martyred for my great faith and profound words, as occurred in history, and do not seek to do good to others, I gain no profit from it.

Charity does not come from things that bring us accolades. Charity is about character, about how we treat other people, about dying to ourselves.

That young couple understood what receiving help from others was like. They could see the difference between when someone was just doing charitable works (i.e. going through the motions of good works in order to get a 'badge' of recognition) and when someone expressed true charity describe in I Corinthians 13:4-8.

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."

Lord, help me to learn to love as You do.

Love Does not Envy

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” I Corinthians 13:4

For a period in my life I envied people who lived in those beautiful homes on grand estates. Before I fell asleep at night I would dream of one day building my own mansion. Every detail down to the paint color, molding, and curtain design became an obsession.

I'd badger my husband to buy a bigger home. Surely we could afford it.

After awhile the lust for luxury turned sour, and I found myself despising those who had those mega homes. I began to put them in the less spiritual bracket and exalt myself as being a better person, because I had a humble home. What utter nonsense. Oy. I'm ashamed to admit it.

But that's what envy does. It comes from lust for what we don't have or can't do, and then evolves into scorn. Definitely not a characteristic pleasing to God.

I don't remember when I changed my way of thinking. I only know that God continues to work in my heart. He showed me how He saw these people, and through His Word He revealed how much He loves everyone. Then, with loving hands, He pulled back the layer of pride that scaled my soul exposing the ugliness of my own sinful heart. But He didn't leave me there, exposed to the world. With gentleness only the Holy Spirit possesses, He revealed what He wanted to replace that envy and pride--humility and trust in Him, which brings Him pleasure.

"A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones." Proverbs 14:30

If I am to love as God loves, I must not envy anyone. That means I need to recognize that God will supply all my needs including talents, skills, and emotional fortitude. When I trust that He provides perfectly for me I have no reason to envy.

Sometimes things slip by. I find myself looking at some talent someone else has, or some possession they own with a longing in my heart. At such a time, I must remember Whom I really love. If I love the talent or object to the point of envying the other who possesses it I am not loving God, the One who saved me from my sin. And I'm not loving the person I envy.

When I burn with zeal to be like someone or have what that person has, I am not loving that person. I'm thinking only of myself.

We often say, "I envy you" as a way to rejoice over someone's good fortune. I think I'll keep a check on myself that I am indeed not envying you.

Lord, help me to love You above all else, and help me to love my neighbor as You have loved me.

Love Is Kind

 'Charity suffereth long, and is kind,..." I Corinthians 13:4

I know people who walk into a sick person's house and take charge. I'm afraid if they did that to me they'd end up taking me to the hospital. My pride would not stand for someone taking charge of my home. I'd stew an acid brew and break out in fever blisters worrying about what they were doing and what they were thinking about me and my home. Yeah, I know. Pretty sad, isn't it?

I know people who have come to help me and have asked what they could do. That sets me at ease immediately. Their manner demonstrates a desire to truly help me, not to just perform an act of kindness or do what they think would be helpful.

Years ago, when I was first married, my mother gave me wise advice. When someone visits and offers to help, give them something to do. Often people ask to help, because they need to keep busy to feel comfortable. My mother taught me that giving them something to do with their hands can be an act of kindness. The point being that I focus on what makes the visitors comfortable, not what makes me comfortable. Sometimes that is very difficult to do.

Like every teenager, my eldest daughter struggled with friendships. Emotions run high and oversensitivity rules. Funny how that is also the age when kids become exceedingly cruel. I remember those days and the nasty things kids would said and do to others. I'll never forget how one girl in our school was treated. Ridicule is a kind word compared to how they treated her.

The best advice I could give my daughter is much the same as my mother gave me. When you feel yourself hurting, reach out and help someone else.

Let me take a moment and tell you right now that the world's (including some Christians) concept of love is all wrong. Love isn't about emotions and pleasant feelings. Affection isn't a synonym for love. Love, as you've probably heard before, is an action.

At the ripe old age of nineteen, I went on a missions trip to England. Before our team left we had a two week training course in New York. Boy, did I feel out of my element. Take a young prairie girl to a place where farms are smushed together such that this gal thought they were still in the city where trees blocked your vision all around you. How were you supposed to see your enemy approach?

Not only that, but I had been suffering with an illness I hadn't even begun to understand. It left me feeling dumb and weak, and kept me swelled up like a blowfish. My insecurities were riding high.

The last night together at training, one of my team members took me on a walk just to tell me that I wasn't the sort of person she would have as a friend, but because we were on the same team she'd try to be civil to me. Oy, talk about a blow. I look back now and laugh, but I wasn't laughing then. I'm thinkin' she wasn't lovin' me, and she didn't even know what love was.

Charity is kind. If that team member had understood that, she would have gone out of her way to help me overcome my insecurities instead of making them a reason to not consider me a person worthy of her friendship.

When one loves another, he is useful to that other person and will act in a manner that demonstrates a genuine desire to help the other. If he doesn't know how to help, he will ask and observe, and more than anything, he will pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit's guidance. Then he will behave in a manner that benefits the other person.

I know I have a great affection for my children. I'd put myself in harm's way just to keep my children safe. But I must also choose to daily love them through behaving in a manner that benefits them. Sometimes that means listening or caring for their physical needs, and sometimes it means being open and honest with them, and even correcting them in order to help them change bad behavior. Helping them change so that they don't become an adult with bad behavior is a benefit with them. It is loving them, and it is being kind.

Unfortunately often a person does not see correction as being loving, no matter how gentle you are, but if you truly love you will do whatever it takes to benefit that person, including helping him see what he needs to change in his life. And then, being there for him when he takes those steps and needs encouragement to carry on. Love doesn’t stop at criticism. It doesn’t stop at advice. It continues with the person as he travels down the road to change, encouraging him along the way. 

I've never been very good at accepting that kind of love. My knee-jerk reaction is that the person hates me. So I unintentionally test them, cruelly so at times, by getting angry. I've learned that people who do love me endure my little temper-tantrums and stick by me while I work my way to accepting the correction they gave me. Those that truly love me help me pick myself up off the ground, wipe myself off, and move forward.

Those people who stick with me through my wretched state of denial set an example for me that I want to follow in my life. I want to show true love to others. I want to be useful in a way that benefits those I claim to love and those God loves (which is everyone).

Love Seeks Not Her Own

 Charity..."seeketh not her own..." I Corinthians 13:5

Over the years, we’ve had several dogs. Presently, we have a border collie we’ve called, Lizzie (short for Queen Elizabeth). We’ve had a cheweenie we’ve called Brownie, and before both of these dog a German Shepherd we called Jasmine. Before Jasmine, we had a sweet old monster of a dog named Bizmark. None of them resembled the others, in particular, Jasmine and Bizmark were complete opposites in personality. Where Jasmine was all about fun and thrills, Bizmark was about loyally guarding and lending an empathetic ear--well, that is how we choose to remember him.

We tend to give dogs high regard for their faithfulness, their loyalty, and their friendship. In truth, they are all about themselves. Yes, I love dogs and, I confess, much prefer their company to some people's company (dogs are less judgmental), but the reality is, they're all about themselves.

Jasmine loved grand adventures. If we happen to be going in and out of the front door too much, she could hardly contain herself. She'd whine and howl and pace. As the number of passings through the door increased, her whine intensified. She’d even break the "no dog on the couches" rule just to see us out the front window. One could easily mistake her antics as missing us and worrying about where we were. Boy, was that wrong.

First chance Jasmine could get, she’d bolt out the front door, smiling face, tail straight out and running like a crazed lunatic from house to house, through flowerbeds, greeting each neighbor’s dog, and dodging cars, kids, and anyone who threatens to stop her.

No, all that whining in the house was about her wanting to get out and have some fun. Had nothing to do with worrying about us.

So, we’d go after her whistling and calling and what would she do? Play the Gingerbread Boy Game, "Catch me if you can." She’d run straight at us and between our legs and the expression on her face was one of pure ecstasy. Oh, she was having fun. Then like lightning, she's down the street at the next neighbor's house and would stop, look over her shoulder and laugh...well, that's what it seemed like. As soon as we would get close enough to possibly grab her collar, she’d streak by us with her tail straight out, a taunting flag of victory.

Eventually she would tire (after we've spent many precious minutes and embarrassing nose dives), and she’d allow us to capture her.

No. I'm quite certain that Jasmine did not love us...at least not when a good chase could be had.

However, I must confess with shame on my face that I too can fake a great concern for someone with a motivation to obtain what I want. Come on now, you've done it too. We all have plural motives. Sometimes we help someone just for the prestige. Sometimes we help someone just to get attention. Sometimes we help someone so that he will owe us one later.

But true love will not go through life seeking to satisfy her own desires. We have an example of true love in Christ.

God didn't need to create us with a will. He didn't need us at all. But He did for His glory and His good pleasure--and then we let Him down. The sin in our life is repulsive to Him. Have you ever lied? Read Proverbs 6:16-19.

"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

I'm thinking pretty much everyone has told a lie at some time in his life, so yes, everyone has done abominable things.

Did you know that liars are destined for the lake of fire? Read Revelations 21:8.

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Now picture God agonizing over the thought that you are going to be in that lake of fire. Because He loves you, He doesn't want that for you. He's going to do all He can to rescue you. So, He comes down to earth as Jesus Christ, endures all sorts of hardships, and ultimately submits Himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross, dying for your sins.

He didn't have to do it. No one could make Him, but He chose to, because He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (yup, that's you and me). Ezekiel 33:11

"...I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live:..."

Can you beat that for love? God didn't seek His own. He could have destroyed us and created a new being to worship Him (He has the angels, after all). We don't deserve to live, but He gave up Heaven, suffered and died just for us.

Think you can follow His example of love?