Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 9A
James 4:8
Bob Rakestraw
The Bible text for this month is James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (NIV). I cannot remember when this scripture first gripped me strongly, but it was at least twenty-five years ago. I know this because during the latter 1970’s and early 1980’s I was going through a major re-thinking of my ideas about God and how God interacts with the people of this world. I was searching carefully through the scriptures, with the published help of some wise Christian scholars, studying the issue of divine-human reciprocity: who moves first in the relationship, God or the person, and who or what governs the sequence of action and reaction in our relationships with God?
The Principle of Reciprocity
Being of a mathematical/scientific mind, I came up with a “law [or principle] of reciprocity.” I cannot recall how or where I discovered this principle, but—when combined with an expanding, more biblically-grounded view of God’s grace—it began to answer a number of tough questions for me. I began to see more and more the beauty and mystery of God’s actions toward us and our responses to him, as well as our actions toward God and his responses to us. James 4:8 is just one of many scriptures that expresses the principle of reciprocity. It is also seen in Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has [i.e., responds well to the grace of God already given] will be given more. … Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” We see the law of reciprocity also in Zechariah 1:3: “ ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you’ ” (see also Malachi 3:7).
By “the principle of reciprocity”—operating in the way God intends it to work—I mean that God gives himself (his grace) freely and lavishly to those who call upon him with sincerity (single-mindedness), humility and a submissive spirit, and we receive God’s grace with a grateful and godly spirit, bringing about further gifts of grace. Other terms for reciprocity are mutuality and complementarity. Reciprocal or mutual affection, for example, means that two people give and receive affection between each other. Reciprocal or complementary trust means that each trusts the other. The concept of reciprocity is truly rich, even if it is a bit difficult to understand. It is closely intertwined with another very special word: grace.
The Grace of God
During my early years as a Christian I came to understand grace as God’s “unmerited favor” because of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. I still see this as the primary meaning of grace according to the Bible. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9). When I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of 19, I knew this salvation I was receiving was a pure gift of God, a work of his grace through the cross of Christ.
About 15 years later the Spirit showed me from the Bible that there was more to grace than his “unmerited favor.” Grace is also God’s energy, power, and dynamic presence. It is not a substance or essence or something in the material realm like electrical power, but neither is it merely an attitude or favorable disposition. I saw a balance in scripture between these two poles. Grace, in addition to being God’s merciful favor and kindness, is also the force or strength of God himself working in and through his people. I desperately needed then, as I do now, the strength of God within me, to enable me to speak, think, act and love as I should. I will be forever grateful to God for showing me the dynamic, actual reality of his powerful presence.
There are dozens of scripture texts that teach this often-neglected aspect of God’s grace. In the epistle to the Hebrews, for example, the writer urges: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The latter half of this verse makes much more sense if “grace” is understood as God’s power, strength, and energy and not merely his attitude of favor. Of course, his favor logically precedes his actual help. His power working for us, in us and through us is the result of his incredible love, grace and mercy.
God’s M.O.
What does the above have to do with James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you”? The answer is that God comes toward us, and at times moves away from us, in the manner, method, mode or process of his grace. We sometimes speak of a person’s M.O.—his or her modus operandi—one’s mode of operating or doing something. God’s M.O. is by grace, which is another way of speaking of God’s presence—the Holy Spirit himself—working in us or withdrawing from us. We are not to think of God, however, as some kind of material substance or essence, but as the self-sustaining and active being of eternal power, purity and love. This is, of course, beyond our full understanding, but it is not a teaching that we should therefore ignore. It is, rather, vitally important.
As I indicated above, the Bible speaks very often of grace as both divine favor and divine power. Just two verses before this month’s text we read that God “gives us more grace,” and that he “gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Grace is something real, just as God is real, just as the Spirit of God is real. In fact, I sometimes substitute the term “Holy Spirit” for “grace” when the biblical context allows for that reading, just to remind myself how close the two are. These are not identical, however. The divine author of scripture led the writers to speak of God’s grace as separate from himself, but very closely related. He is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10).
I know this essay has not presented James 4:8 with personal application, but I felt I needed first to explain the reciprocal nature of God’s gracious movements in our lives. I encourage you to “Come near to God,” keeping the whole section—James 4:6-10—in view, and I look forward to being with you again soon to consider our text more personally.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Justice, Mercy and Humility: The Life of Loyal Love
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 8C
Micah 6:8
Bob Rakestraw
This is the last of three postings on Micah 6:8—one of the most impressive and helpful verses in all of the Bible on the topic of how we are to live as the people of God. Last time we looked at God’s desire for us to act justly. Here we will consider the Lord’s will for us “to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Mercy is the second key component of the threefold way to a good and happy life. It is not simply mercy that God desires, however, but loving mercy. All three legs of the stool of God’s will—acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with him—are all virtues that involve action. The good life, which is also the happy life, is the active life as well. Since God is active (some theologians refer to him as actus purus—“pure act”), he desires his children to be active as well. We are created for meaningful activity. Just because many people go to excess in their activities—leaving little or no time for contemplation with God and substantial relationships with others—does not justify a life that lacks consistent service and benevolence.
The Meaning of Mercy
The Hebrew word for “mercy” in Micah 6:8 (hesed) is a word rich with meaning, and has been the object of much study by biblical scholars. It is used about 250 times in the Old Testament, and in the NIV Bible version about half of these occurrences have the translation “love.” Other translations are “kindness,” “unfailing love,” “great love,” and “mercy.” The word has a strong sense of loyalty and faithfulness in it, and has been understood by many scholars as “loyal love.” One version translates Micah 6:8 as “to love loyalty” (NEB), while another has “to show constant love” (GNB). Hesed is a covenant word, and speaks of the proper covenant behavior and solidarity one partner in the covenant expresses toward the other. It can refer to God’s relations to us, our relations to God, or our relations with one another.
Because of the depth of the word hesed, to translate it simply as “love” does not seem strong enough to me. Perhaps this is because the word “love” has become so diluted in today’s world, and means little more than warm feelings, liking something or someone, or even casual sex (“make love”). I am impressed with the strong covenant sense of loyalty and consistency in the word. God has made a covenant with his people, and therefore he remains true to us whatever circumstances may come. And he desires this covenant love from us and between us as the people of God.
Loving the Way of Mercy
It is significant that God urges us “to love mercy.” A merciful, kind, and loyal way of life is not something that we should merely tolerate or endure, but we are to love it! The form of the word translated “love” in this expression “to love mercy” is an intense noun used dozens of times to speak of human-to-human love, sometimes sexual love. It is used in the Song of Solomon: “love is as strong as death, … many waters cannot quench love” (8:6-7). God’s people are to have a deep, strong love of mercy. In fact, we are to be like God in this respect: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). I was delighted when I discovered recently in the next chapter after our text of the month, these words addressed to God, “You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (7:18). The people of God are to love and delight in mercy, because this is the nature of our God!
Because of my poor health, I am the recipient of numerous acts of mercy. I deserve none of these, nor do I expect them. I often feel embarrassed by them. I have neighbors filled to overflowing with hesed, who graciously mow our lawn, shovel our snow, and do numerous fix-up jobs around our house, sometimes spending many hours a day out of pure compassion. When I think of them I think of the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Mt. 5:7).
The Works of Mercy
Over the centuries of church history, seven traditional “corporal works of mercy” have been recognized: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the stranger, visiting the sick, ministering to prisoners, and burying the dead. All but the last of these are mentioned by Jesus in his teaching on the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:35-46). Here we find Jesus’ gripping words: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me,” and “Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
There are also seven traditional “spiritual works of mercy:” converting the sinner, instructing the ignorant, counseling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving injuries, and praying for the living and the dead. While the scriptures (the 66 commonly accepted books of the Protestant Bible) nowhere exhort us to pray for the dead, the other spiritual works of mercy are all biblically-based. [Prayer for the dead is mentioned in the apocrypha, in 2 Maccabees 12:42-45.]
When we think of neighbor-love, mercy is, along with justice, one of the two major qualities God desires of his people. I love studying both virtues and it stirs me when I see both qualities together in the scriptures, woven together in a powerful collage. Even the corporal and spiritual works of mercy are blended together, as are exhortations to avoid sins of omission in the areas mentioned. Notice the godly harmony in the following words. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In you hearts do not think evil of each other.’” (Zechariah 7:9-10; see also Romans 12:9-21). I am totally overwhelmed by the comprehensiveness, graciousness and depth in this scripture!
Choosing to Walk Humbly with God
Finally, in Micah 6:8, we find one more thing that is “good” and that God “requires of us,” namely “to walk humbly with your God.” I have thought for many years that this expression corresponds with the command in the Great Commandment to “love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.” In other words, acting justly and loving mercy correspond to the command to “love your neighbor as yourself,” and walking humbly with God corresponds with loving God. Both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of true Christian love are summarized well in Micah 6:8.
Some Bible scholars suggest other translations for “to walk humbly with your God,” such as “walk prudently (TNIV note), or “walk circumspectly (NASB margin), but the best brief rendering seems to be “walk humbly.” Literally, the Hebrew says, “to cause yourself to walk closely and modestly with God.” The Hebrew word is used only here and in Proverbs 11:2: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Micah 6:8 shows deliberate action on our part. We are to actively pursue a humble walk with God, as we see in James 4:10 (“Humble yourselves before the Lord”) and Luke 14:11 (“Those who humble themselves will be exalted”). One of the best ways to humble ourselves is to learn from the life of Jesus (Matthew 11:29), and another is to spend time reverently in the Word of God. This latter guideline is suggested in Isaiah 66:2: “This is the one to whom I will look [or, “the one I esteem,” NIV], to the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word” (NRSV).
To be humble is to see one’s shortcomings and defects, and to be very much aware of our need for divine grace and mercy. It is to see oneself accurately, not with pride or a superior attitude toward others. A humble person is modest and unpretentious, and, even though he or she may have considerable assets intellectually, financially, physically, socially, or in other ways, he is not boastful or self-centered. This one, God says, is the kind of person he esteems. Furthermore, Micah speaks of our humble life with God as walking, and not only that, but walking with God. It has always been helpful for me to think of the Christian life as a daily walk with the Lord himself.
I want to close this posting with one of the most beautiful texts in the Bible, speaking powerfully of our walk with God, and his walk with us. May this be a grace-filled benediction to you always!
"For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite’" (Isaiah 57:15, NIV).
Micah 6:8
Bob Rakestraw
This is the last of three postings on Micah 6:8—one of the most impressive and helpful verses in all of the Bible on the topic of how we are to live as the people of God. Last time we looked at God’s desire for us to act justly. Here we will consider the Lord’s will for us “to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Mercy is the second key component of the threefold way to a good and happy life. It is not simply mercy that God desires, however, but loving mercy. All three legs of the stool of God’s will—acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with him—are all virtues that involve action. The good life, which is also the happy life, is the active life as well. Since God is active (some theologians refer to him as actus purus—“pure act”), he desires his children to be active as well. We are created for meaningful activity. Just because many people go to excess in their activities—leaving little or no time for contemplation with God and substantial relationships with others—does not justify a life that lacks consistent service and benevolence.
The Meaning of Mercy
The Hebrew word for “mercy” in Micah 6:8 (hesed) is a word rich with meaning, and has been the object of much study by biblical scholars. It is used about 250 times in the Old Testament, and in the NIV Bible version about half of these occurrences have the translation “love.” Other translations are “kindness,” “unfailing love,” “great love,” and “mercy.” The word has a strong sense of loyalty and faithfulness in it, and has been understood by many scholars as “loyal love.” One version translates Micah 6:8 as “to love loyalty” (NEB), while another has “to show constant love” (GNB). Hesed is a covenant word, and speaks of the proper covenant behavior and solidarity one partner in the covenant expresses toward the other. It can refer to God’s relations to us, our relations to God, or our relations with one another.
Because of the depth of the word hesed, to translate it simply as “love” does not seem strong enough to me. Perhaps this is because the word “love” has become so diluted in today’s world, and means little more than warm feelings, liking something or someone, or even casual sex (“make love”). I am impressed with the strong covenant sense of loyalty and consistency in the word. God has made a covenant with his people, and therefore he remains true to us whatever circumstances may come. And he desires this covenant love from us and between us as the people of God.
Loving the Way of Mercy
It is significant that God urges us “to love mercy.” A merciful, kind, and loyal way of life is not something that we should merely tolerate or endure, but we are to love it! The form of the word translated “love” in this expression “to love mercy” is an intense noun used dozens of times to speak of human-to-human love, sometimes sexual love. It is used in the Song of Solomon: “love is as strong as death, … many waters cannot quench love” (8:6-7). God’s people are to have a deep, strong love of mercy. In fact, we are to be like God in this respect: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). I was delighted when I discovered recently in the next chapter after our text of the month, these words addressed to God, “You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (7:18). The people of God are to love and delight in mercy, because this is the nature of our God!
Because of my poor health, I am the recipient of numerous acts of mercy. I deserve none of these, nor do I expect them. I often feel embarrassed by them. I have neighbors filled to overflowing with hesed, who graciously mow our lawn, shovel our snow, and do numerous fix-up jobs around our house, sometimes spending many hours a day out of pure compassion. When I think of them I think of the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Mt. 5:7).
The Works of Mercy
Over the centuries of church history, seven traditional “corporal works of mercy” have been recognized: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the stranger, visiting the sick, ministering to prisoners, and burying the dead. All but the last of these are mentioned by Jesus in his teaching on the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:35-46). Here we find Jesus’ gripping words: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me,” and “Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
There are also seven traditional “spiritual works of mercy:” converting the sinner, instructing the ignorant, counseling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving injuries, and praying for the living and the dead. While the scriptures (the 66 commonly accepted books of the Protestant Bible) nowhere exhort us to pray for the dead, the other spiritual works of mercy are all biblically-based. [Prayer for the dead is mentioned in the apocrypha, in 2 Maccabees 12:42-45.]
When we think of neighbor-love, mercy is, along with justice, one of the two major qualities God desires of his people. I love studying both virtues and it stirs me when I see both qualities together in the scriptures, woven together in a powerful collage. Even the corporal and spiritual works of mercy are blended together, as are exhortations to avoid sins of omission in the areas mentioned. Notice the godly harmony in the following words. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In you hearts do not think evil of each other.’” (Zechariah 7:9-10; see also Romans 12:9-21). I am totally overwhelmed by the comprehensiveness, graciousness and depth in this scripture!
Choosing to Walk Humbly with God
Finally, in Micah 6:8, we find one more thing that is “good” and that God “requires of us,” namely “to walk humbly with your God.” I have thought for many years that this expression corresponds with the command in the Great Commandment to “love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.” In other words, acting justly and loving mercy correspond to the command to “love your neighbor as yourself,” and walking humbly with God corresponds with loving God. Both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of true Christian love are summarized well in Micah 6:8.
Some Bible scholars suggest other translations for “to walk humbly with your God,” such as “walk prudently (TNIV note), or “walk circumspectly (NASB margin), but the best brief rendering seems to be “walk humbly.” Literally, the Hebrew says, “to cause yourself to walk closely and modestly with God.” The Hebrew word is used only here and in Proverbs 11:2: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Micah 6:8 shows deliberate action on our part. We are to actively pursue a humble walk with God, as we see in James 4:10 (“Humble yourselves before the Lord”) and Luke 14:11 (“Those who humble themselves will be exalted”). One of the best ways to humble ourselves is to learn from the life of Jesus (Matthew 11:29), and another is to spend time reverently in the Word of God. This latter guideline is suggested in Isaiah 66:2: “This is the one to whom I will look [or, “the one I esteem,” NIV], to the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word” (NRSV).
To be humble is to see one’s shortcomings and defects, and to be very much aware of our need for divine grace and mercy. It is to see oneself accurately, not with pride or a superior attitude toward others. A humble person is modest and unpretentious, and, even though he or she may have considerable assets intellectually, financially, physically, socially, or in other ways, he is not boastful or self-centered. This one, God says, is the kind of person he esteems. Furthermore, Micah speaks of our humble life with God as walking, and not only that, but walking with God. It has always been helpful for me to think of the Christian life as a daily walk with the Lord himself.
I want to close this posting with one of the most beautiful texts in the Bible, speaking powerfully of our walk with God, and his walk with us. May this be a grace-filled benediction to you always!
"For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite’" (Isaiah 57:15, NIV).
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Justice, Mercy and Humility: All That God Expects
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 8B
Micah 6:8
Bob Rakestraw
How can we know what God expects of us? Since God is morally perfect, it may seem that his list of expectations is infinitely long and impossible to keep. But we need not despair. The Bible (see, e.g., 2 Cor. 5:14-21; Gal. 3:1-14) makes it clear that Jesus Christ, by giving his life for all people, set us free from any system of law-keeping based on human effort. All we need to do is come to the foot of Christ’s cross in repentance and faith, acknowledge our innumerable violations of God’s requirements, and receive Christ and his forgiveness along with freedom from guilt, shame and despair.
I came to Christ in this way at the age of 19, and have never turned back. If I should die today I know I would be welcomed into the presence of God forever, not because of my inherent goodness or obedience to God’s laws, but because of the saving work of Jesus at Calvary, who died in my place for my sins.
Living from Gratitude
Even with this glorious freedom and hope of eternal life, however (in fact, because of it), I still have a strong desire to obey God’s will fully. Because I am assured of everlasting glory with God, I desire more than ever, out of gratitude and for the sake of my own happiness, to live totally for my Savior. I can’t imagine any other life. This is why I am so excited about our scripture of the month: Micah 6:8.
In our last posting we introduced this verse and some of its background. Now I wish to develop the text a bit more.
He has showed you, O [mortal] what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (NIV)
In the first line the prophet speaks of the good life, which we discussed in our last posting as being tied closely to the happy life. Next, Micah raises the question of what the Lord requires of us as his people, and then presents the threefold way as the key to how we should live: the path of justice, mercy and humility. Instead of the 613 laws of the Jewish people in Jesus’ day, Micah sums up God’s expectations for us in these three virtues. Over the years, my life has become more and more simplified by keeping Micah 6:8 fresh in my mind and life.
Practicing Justice
Justice has been defined in many different ways, and it can be a difficult concept to understand. For our purposes, however, I want to stay as simple, clear, and biblical as possible.
“To act justly” in the Hebrew is literally “to act justice.” It could also be translated “to do, to practice, to make, to carry out justice.” The idea is that we are to do far more than simply think about justice, but live a life of justice. The concept of justice is at the very heart of God’s character. The psalmist writes, “The Lord is known by his justice” (Ps. 9:16; 11:7). The word justice [mishpat] is used 425 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. It means that which is right, lawful or fair. It has a legal sense to it.
God’s view of injustice is seen several places in Micah (e.g., 2:1-2; 3:1-2, 8-11; 6:8-12). In Micah’s day, as in ours, it is highly offensive to God and terribly hurtful to people, to practice such injustices as fraud, bribery, dishonest scales, lying and deceit.
Years ago one of my students told me that he had to quit his job as a photographer for a certain mail-order catalog company. He said that he had to place the product on a table or display, and then photograph it in such a way that it would look appealing. There is nothing wrong with this, as such, but my student said that the product was really a piece of junk that he had to photograph in a tricky way, deceiving the prospective buyer. It’s true that the camera does not lie, but the photographer and catalog designer could deceive the reader by the position of the product, the angle of the light, and other tricks of the trade. This is injustice in God’s eyes, and I’m glad my student quit working with that company.
If you work for a company where your employer is asking you to cut corners or somehow cheat the customers, go to your boss and explain to him or her why you cannot, as a Christian, do the things he requires. It is the Lord who requires you “to act justly.” This, God says, is “what is good” (Micah 5:8).
Justice as Love
When you begin to study the hundreds of times “justice” is referred to in the Bible you will see why it is one of the three main requirements of the Lord, and why it is an essential part of the good life. Justice is really a form of love. In fact, justice and love are inseparable in the true follower of the Lord. We are told to love our neighbor as ourselves, and one way that we do this, according to both Old and New Testaments, is to practice justice. Jesus rebuked the religious teachers and spiritual leaders of his day by calling them hypocrites. He pointed out that they tithed their possessions faithfully, but, he said, “you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” (Matthew 23:23). May God give us the strength of character to be just, as he is just.
Micah 6:8
Bob Rakestraw
How can we know what God expects of us? Since God is morally perfect, it may seem that his list of expectations is infinitely long and impossible to keep. But we need not despair. The Bible (see, e.g., 2 Cor. 5:14-21; Gal. 3:1-14) makes it clear that Jesus Christ, by giving his life for all people, set us free from any system of law-keeping based on human effort. All we need to do is come to the foot of Christ’s cross in repentance and faith, acknowledge our innumerable violations of God’s requirements, and receive Christ and his forgiveness along with freedom from guilt, shame and despair.
I came to Christ in this way at the age of 19, and have never turned back. If I should die today I know I would be welcomed into the presence of God forever, not because of my inherent goodness or obedience to God’s laws, but because of the saving work of Jesus at Calvary, who died in my place for my sins.
Living from Gratitude
Even with this glorious freedom and hope of eternal life, however (in fact, because of it), I still have a strong desire to obey God’s will fully. Because I am assured of everlasting glory with God, I desire more than ever, out of gratitude and for the sake of my own happiness, to live totally for my Savior. I can’t imagine any other life. This is why I am so excited about our scripture of the month: Micah 6:8.
In our last posting we introduced this verse and some of its background. Now I wish to develop the text a bit more.
He has showed you, O [mortal] what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (NIV)
In the first line the prophet speaks of the good life, which we discussed in our last posting as being tied closely to the happy life. Next, Micah raises the question of what the Lord requires of us as his people, and then presents the threefold way as the key to how we should live: the path of justice, mercy and humility. Instead of the 613 laws of the Jewish people in Jesus’ day, Micah sums up God’s expectations for us in these three virtues. Over the years, my life has become more and more simplified by keeping Micah 6:8 fresh in my mind and life.
Practicing Justice
Justice has been defined in many different ways, and it can be a difficult concept to understand. For our purposes, however, I want to stay as simple, clear, and biblical as possible.
“To act justly” in the Hebrew is literally “to act justice.” It could also be translated “to do, to practice, to make, to carry out justice.” The idea is that we are to do far more than simply think about justice, but live a life of justice. The concept of justice is at the very heart of God’s character. The psalmist writes, “The Lord is known by his justice” (Ps. 9:16; 11:7). The word justice [mishpat] is used 425 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. It means that which is right, lawful or fair. It has a legal sense to it.
God’s view of injustice is seen several places in Micah (e.g., 2:1-2; 3:1-2, 8-11; 6:8-12). In Micah’s day, as in ours, it is highly offensive to God and terribly hurtful to people, to practice such injustices as fraud, bribery, dishonest scales, lying and deceit.
Years ago one of my students told me that he had to quit his job as a photographer for a certain mail-order catalog company. He said that he had to place the product on a table or display, and then photograph it in such a way that it would look appealing. There is nothing wrong with this, as such, but my student said that the product was really a piece of junk that he had to photograph in a tricky way, deceiving the prospective buyer. It’s true that the camera does not lie, but the photographer and catalog designer could deceive the reader by the position of the product, the angle of the light, and other tricks of the trade. This is injustice in God’s eyes, and I’m glad my student quit working with that company.
If you work for a company where your employer is asking you to cut corners or somehow cheat the customers, go to your boss and explain to him or her why you cannot, as a Christian, do the things he requires. It is the Lord who requires you “to act justly.” This, God says, is “what is good” (Micah 5:8).
Justice as Love
When you begin to study the hundreds of times “justice” is referred to in the Bible you will see why it is one of the three main requirements of the Lord, and why it is an essential part of the good life. Justice is really a form of love. In fact, justice and love are inseparable in the true follower of the Lord. We are told to love our neighbor as ourselves, and one way that we do this, according to both Old and New Testaments, is to practice justice. Jesus rebuked the religious teachers and spiritual leaders of his day by calling them hypocrites. He pointed out that they tithed their possessions faithfully, but, he said, “you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” (Matthew 23:23). May God give us the strength of character to be just, as he is just.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Justice, Mercy and Humility: God's Prescription for Happiness
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 8A
Micah 6:8
Bob Rakestraw
The longer I live the more I am convinced that the happy life is the good life, and the good life is the happy life. Happiness and goodness are closely related, even though most people seem to pursue the former more than the latter. Perhaps because the word “goodness” has a moral connotation to it, and morality suggests restrictions, some tend to think that goodness may work against their pursuit of happiness and fun. But goodness, properly understood, is not a system of burdensome laws, but a quality of life that brings deep joy and hope—not only to oneself but to others as well.
The Path to Happiness
The path to happiness, stated in terms of everyday living, is to seek to be a benediction, or blessing, to every person with whom we come in touch. This path seems contrary to the popular idea of seeking one’s happiness by self-love, purchases, travel, exclusive relationships and accomplishments. There is nothing wrong, necessarily, with the items just mentioned, but when we give ourselves to the pursuit of happiness without desiring the will of God above all else, and without seeking to be a blessing to others, we will find not satisfaction but sorrow, not happiness but emptiness.
One way we can be certain that we are living as a benediction to others, is to focus on those scriptures that present a concise summary of God’s expectations, and then to concentrate on living in the way described there. One of the most clear and concise such Bible verses is Micah 6:8:
He has showed you, O [mortal], what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (NIV)
I have selected this scripture text as one of my all-time favorite Bible passages because it struck me forcefully over forty years ago when I was searching for a way to summarize the way I should live. I had already discovered the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:36-40:
‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He [Jesus] said to him [the lawyer asking the question], ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (NRSV)
As stated above, this scripture portion, given in similar form in Mark 12:31-32, came to me before Micah 6:8. When I found the latter text I now had one summary statement from the New Testament and one from the Old, each speaking very plainly and similarly about how God desires people to live. Love for God with all our being is another way of saying what Micah says: “to walk humbly with your God.” And to love one’s neighbor as oneself is another way of summarizing Micah’s words: “to act justly and to love mercy.”
The Important Background
One of the most important lessons I learned in my early years as a Christian is to look closely at the context of the Bible verse or verses I am studying, It does not satisfy the requirements of careful Bible study to simply glance at our text and then begin speaking of justice, mercy, and humility. We need to look, at least briefly, at the overall purpose of the Bible book, the writer, the date, the historical circumstances, the intended recipients, and the connection of the scripture passage with the preceding and following verses. It is also important to note the similarity of the text with other texts on the same topic throughout the Bible, as we drew attention to the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:36-40. I do not intend to write about all of the above matters of Biblical interpretation just mentioned, but only those that have a bearing on Micah 6:8. But I always try to keep these background matters in mind as I write.
Reading through the book of Micah is an excellent way to see what the Lord is teaching his people—including us today. God is making accusations against his chosen people—both the northern kingdom, Israel, and the southern kingdom, Judah. The prophet Micah, from southern Judah, prophesied between 750 and 686 B.C., and, like his contemporary Isaiah, both threatens punishment and promises justice for God’s people. Punishment is coming to them because of their idolatry, injustice, rebellion, witchcraft and empty ritual. Yet throughout the book, there are predictions of hope and deliverance—some of them very tenderly expressed—as well as prophecies of gloom and judgment.
The Threefold Way
The three virtues that summarize the good life in Micah 6:8—justice, mercy, and humility—are all pointed out by the prophet because they are in direct opposition to three specific evils rampant throughout the land: injustice, unkindness and pride. One of the best ways to understand what God means by justice, mercy and humility is to read the book of Micah while noting the sins for which Israel, Judah and the surrounding nations are being judged. In addition, being serious about purging the contemporary equivalents of these sins from our lives, while keeping before us the positive language of Micah 6:8, will lead us to a life of fulfillment and deep satisfaction.
To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God are the three qualities of the godly person’s life that summarize both the life of Jesus and the expected life of his followers. Loving our neighbor as ourselves, and loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, lead with increasing confidence and satisfaction to the truly happy life. Next time we will look more closely at justice, mercy and humility and try to give specific examples of these from everyday life.
Micah 6:8
Bob Rakestraw
The longer I live the more I am convinced that the happy life is the good life, and the good life is the happy life. Happiness and goodness are closely related, even though most people seem to pursue the former more than the latter. Perhaps because the word “goodness” has a moral connotation to it, and morality suggests restrictions, some tend to think that goodness may work against their pursuit of happiness and fun. But goodness, properly understood, is not a system of burdensome laws, but a quality of life that brings deep joy and hope—not only to oneself but to others as well.
The Path to Happiness
The path to happiness, stated in terms of everyday living, is to seek to be a benediction, or blessing, to every person with whom we come in touch. This path seems contrary to the popular idea of seeking one’s happiness by self-love, purchases, travel, exclusive relationships and accomplishments. There is nothing wrong, necessarily, with the items just mentioned, but when we give ourselves to the pursuit of happiness without desiring the will of God above all else, and without seeking to be a blessing to others, we will find not satisfaction but sorrow, not happiness but emptiness.
One way we can be certain that we are living as a benediction to others, is to focus on those scriptures that present a concise summary of God’s expectations, and then to concentrate on living in the way described there. One of the most clear and concise such Bible verses is Micah 6:8:
He has showed you, O [mortal], what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (NIV)
I have selected this scripture text as one of my all-time favorite Bible passages because it struck me forcefully over forty years ago when I was searching for a way to summarize the way I should live. I had already discovered the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:36-40:
‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He [Jesus] said to him [the lawyer asking the question], ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (NRSV)
As stated above, this scripture portion, given in similar form in Mark 12:31-32, came to me before Micah 6:8. When I found the latter text I now had one summary statement from the New Testament and one from the Old, each speaking very plainly and similarly about how God desires people to live. Love for God with all our being is another way of saying what Micah says: “to walk humbly with your God.” And to love one’s neighbor as oneself is another way of summarizing Micah’s words: “to act justly and to love mercy.”
The Important Background
One of the most important lessons I learned in my early years as a Christian is to look closely at the context of the Bible verse or verses I am studying, It does not satisfy the requirements of careful Bible study to simply glance at our text and then begin speaking of justice, mercy, and humility. We need to look, at least briefly, at the overall purpose of the Bible book, the writer, the date, the historical circumstances, the intended recipients, and the connection of the scripture passage with the preceding and following verses. It is also important to note the similarity of the text with other texts on the same topic throughout the Bible, as we drew attention to the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:36-40. I do not intend to write about all of the above matters of Biblical interpretation just mentioned, but only those that have a bearing on Micah 6:8. But I always try to keep these background matters in mind as I write.
Reading through the book of Micah is an excellent way to see what the Lord is teaching his people—including us today. God is making accusations against his chosen people—both the northern kingdom, Israel, and the southern kingdom, Judah. The prophet Micah, from southern Judah, prophesied between 750 and 686 B.C., and, like his contemporary Isaiah, both threatens punishment and promises justice for God’s people. Punishment is coming to them because of their idolatry, injustice, rebellion, witchcraft and empty ritual. Yet throughout the book, there are predictions of hope and deliverance—some of them very tenderly expressed—as well as prophecies of gloom and judgment.
The Threefold Way
The three virtues that summarize the good life in Micah 6:8—justice, mercy, and humility—are all pointed out by the prophet because they are in direct opposition to three specific evils rampant throughout the land: injustice, unkindness and pride. One of the best ways to understand what God means by justice, mercy and humility is to read the book of Micah while noting the sins for which Israel, Judah and the surrounding nations are being judged. In addition, being serious about purging the contemporary equivalents of these sins from our lives, while keeping before us the positive language of Micah 6:8, will lead us to a life of fulfillment and deep satisfaction.
To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God are the three qualities of the godly person’s life that summarize both the life of Jesus and the expected life of his followers. Loving our neighbor as ourselves, and loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, lead with increasing confidence and satisfaction to the truly happy life. Next time we will look more closely at justice, mercy and humility and try to give specific examples of these from everyday life.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Great Invitation: Unforced Rhythms of Grace
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 7B
Matthew 11:28-30
Bob Rakestraw
Last time we began to look at one of the most remarkable passages in all of the Bible. I have called it “The Great Invitation.” These astounding words of Jesus are found in Matthew 11:28-30.
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light” (New Living Translation).
This scripture portion has been one of my top-twelve all-time favorites for over four decades, but it has become especially meaningful—even revolutionary—to me during the past few weeks. What has helped me so greatly in my practical, everyday life has been there all the time, looking out at me from the gospel of Matthew and even stored in my memory. I wrote about the new insight in my previous posting, so I will only briefly review it here.
In essence, I realized I had been denying the full truth of Matthew 11:30. I felt that the yoke of Christ was uncomfortable, and that his burden was heavy. I was resting in the knowledge of sins forgiven, eternal life, and the truth that he was working everything—even adversity—for my good. I was also looking to God daily for strength, patience, and love. But I found life hard. I came to see that I needed to make a major attitude adjustment, which I have begun to do during the past few weeks. While I still find external aspects of life difficult, especially because of my poor health, I am now viewing my life from a different perspective. I am focusing on the grace-full quality of Christ’s expectations for me (his “easy” yoke) and the true lightness of the burden he places on me daily.
Before I move on, I want to present Eugene H. Peterson’s paraphrase of our text in The Message:
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:28-30).
Only in Matthew’s gospel do we find this remarkable invitation. It follows Jesus’ words of thankfulness to his Father, and his joy in the Spirit at the divine revelation of God’s secrets to “infants”—those who are not proud of their position or intellectual skills, but are simple, dependent, and eager to learn God’s teachings (Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21).
The Order in Jesus Invitation
It is quite helpful to note the order in Jesus’ invitation. He first says, “Come to me.” In the original language this is not so much an imperative as an urging, “Come, come on,” Jesus says. You are so tired and worn out from the pressures of life and heaviness of your load, that you need to come to me. The pronoun “me” is emphatic; no one else will do. The invitation is to all: young, old, boys, girls, men, women, educated, unskilled, religious, non-religious, and whatever color or race you are. Literally: “Come on to me, all of you, you ones becoming weary and being burdened, and I (emphatic) will refresh you and rest you.” I am the one who is able and willing to help you—to teach you the things that are hidden from the proud and arrogant but are revealed to you who come to me as infants.
The second and third steps of Jesus’ invitation are imperatives, and are meant to be observed closely together: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” “Take” is “lift up, take up” my yoke—this symbol of your obligation, loyalty, submission, and discipleship to me. This is an act of the will, just as when we come to Jesus at first. We see Jesus holding out his yoke to us—an easy, gentle frame to help us pull or carry our burdens through life. Jesus is not saying that we will have no burdens, but that he will teach us to pull them and carry them in such a way—figuratively speaking—that does not jerk our bones or tear into our flesh. His yoke is gentle (literally kind, good, comfortable).
The yoke in biblical times was a wooden bar that connected two or more draft animals at their necks so that they might work effectively together, pulling a plow or load or working in other ways. This is the literal sense of the word. The Bible also uses the term metaphorically to refer to work or bondage (Genesis 27:40). Sometimes the yoke was placed on God’s people by foreign rulers and sometimes by Israel’s own kings (2 Chronicles 10:4-14). When a person carried a yoke, he or she would carry it on one’s shoulders as a sign of submission to the ruling power (Jeremiah 27:2-12). Jewish people spoke of carrying the yoke of God’s law and the yoke of his kingdom, which one accepted by acknowledging that God was one and by keeping his commandments. Our “Great Invitation” text immediately precedes a passage showing how the “yoke” of God’s law, as interpreted by the Jewish leaders, was a miserable, harsh, and legalistically weighty burden (Matthew 12:1-14). How refreshing Jesus’ words would have been to them!
The Ongoing Cycle
There is a continuing cycle in these verses, beginning with one’s initial coming to Christ at conversion. Jesus is saying, “Come on.” (I picture him with outstretched arms, perhaps on the cross, or maybe in a recliner chair.) We come to him and receive forgiveness of sins and a new relationship with God. This is called regeneration—the “new birth.” People who become weary enough, or burdened enough by their sin and other trials, come to Jesus for that initial rest he gives. Jesus then, knowing that we are made for work—knowing that fruitful, honest labor is good for us—offers us his yoke. We place his yoke on our shoulders and find that it is surprisingly comfortable. It fits well and feels good as we learn (become discipled by experience) from observing and serving with Jesus (learn “from me” is emphatic—we must learn ultimately from the Master himself). We learn because he is such a humble teacher, not arrogant or rough with us, and we learn that he is humble and willing to take the lower position, being humble in his heart.
It is when we become diverted from this God-ordained cycle that we find ourselves becoming weary, overloaded, and stressed-out again. Then we need to come to Jesus again, admitting that we have been trying to handle life in our own strength. He rests us again, offers to exchange his yoke for the painful one we somehow managed to pick up, and then we get back to plowing the fields—living life—and learning from our Master Teacher again. We find it so much easier that we wonder why we moved away from him. We seem to need to learn this lesson over and over in life, yet Jesus still stands there, arms outstretched, saying “C’mon, Come to me.”
Community and Commitment
There are two final thoughts that should be mentioned before we close this piece. First, in Matthew 11:28-29, from the exclamation, “Come on,” to the mention of rest for our souls, the language is plural. Jesus is addressing all of us, and saying that we all need to do this together. Of course, each person individually needs to come to Christ, but even here others usually need to help us come. And when we are his disciples, we need to learn from Jesus together. It is too difficult to serve God as lone-rangers. We simply will not do it well, and others will know we are not doing it well. Take Jesus’ yoke, learn and serve people together, and, as a group committed to Christ and to one another, you will find rest for your souls.
Second, already obvious from above, there is no distinction in the teachings of Jesus, or in the New Testament, between receiving Jesus as Savior and receiving Jesus as Lord. There is no use in asking whether The Great Invitation is Jesus’ appeal for “salvation” or for “discipleship.” Yes, the word for “disciple” (“learn”) is found in the middle of verse 29, but this is expressed as part of the one invitation: “Come…take my yoke…learn.” Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee of our lives and calls us to come—at whatever stage in life we are, and in whatever spiritual condition. The solution to our weary, restless, burned-out souls is the same: “Come to me.… Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me, and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (The Message).
Matthew 11:28-30
Bob Rakestraw
Last time we began to look at one of the most remarkable passages in all of the Bible. I have called it “The Great Invitation.” These astounding words of Jesus are found in Matthew 11:28-30.
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light” (New Living Translation).
This scripture portion has been one of my top-twelve all-time favorites for over four decades, but it has become especially meaningful—even revolutionary—to me during the past few weeks. What has helped me so greatly in my practical, everyday life has been there all the time, looking out at me from the gospel of Matthew and even stored in my memory. I wrote about the new insight in my previous posting, so I will only briefly review it here.
In essence, I realized I had been denying the full truth of Matthew 11:30. I felt that the yoke of Christ was uncomfortable, and that his burden was heavy. I was resting in the knowledge of sins forgiven, eternal life, and the truth that he was working everything—even adversity—for my good. I was also looking to God daily for strength, patience, and love. But I found life hard. I came to see that I needed to make a major attitude adjustment, which I have begun to do during the past few weeks. While I still find external aspects of life difficult, especially because of my poor health, I am now viewing my life from a different perspective. I am focusing on the grace-full quality of Christ’s expectations for me (his “easy” yoke) and the true lightness of the burden he places on me daily.
Before I move on, I want to present Eugene H. Peterson’s paraphrase of our text in The Message:
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:28-30).
Only in Matthew’s gospel do we find this remarkable invitation. It follows Jesus’ words of thankfulness to his Father, and his joy in the Spirit at the divine revelation of God’s secrets to “infants”—those who are not proud of their position or intellectual skills, but are simple, dependent, and eager to learn God’s teachings (Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21).
The Order in Jesus Invitation
It is quite helpful to note the order in Jesus’ invitation. He first says, “Come to me.” In the original language this is not so much an imperative as an urging, “Come, come on,” Jesus says. You are so tired and worn out from the pressures of life and heaviness of your load, that you need to come to me. The pronoun “me” is emphatic; no one else will do. The invitation is to all: young, old, boys, girls, men, women, educated, unskilled, religious, non-religious, and whatever color or race you are. Literally: “Come on to me, all of you, you ones becoming weary and being burdened, and I (emphatic) will refresh you and rest you.” I am the one who is able and willing to help you—to teach you the things that are hidden from the proud and arrogant but are revealed to you who come to me as infants.
The second and third steps of Jesus’ invitation are imperatives, and are meant to be observed closely together: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” “Take” is “lift up, take up” my yoke—this symbol of your obligation, loyalty, submission, and discipleship to me. This is an act of the will, just as when we come to Jesus at first. We see Jesus holding out his yoke to us—an easy, gentle frame to help us pull or carry our burdens through life. Jesus is not saying that we will have no burdens, but that he will teach us to pull them and carry them in such a way—figuratively speaking—that does not jerk our bones or tear into our flesh. His yoke is gentle (literally kind, good, comfortable).
The yoke in biblical times was a wooden bar that connected two or more draft animals at their necks so that they might work effectively together, pulling a plow or load or working in other ways. This is the literal sense of the word. The Bible also uses the term metaphorically to refer to work or bondage (Genesis 27:40). Sometimes the yoke was placed on God’s people by foreign rulers and sometimes by Israel’s own kings (2 Chronicles 10:4-14). When a person carried a yoke, he or she would carry it on one’s shoulders as a sign of submission to the ruling power (Jeremiah 27:2-12). Jewish people spoke of carrying the yoke of God’s law and the yoke of his kingdom, which one accepted by acknowledging that God was one and by keeping his commandments. Our “Great Invitation” text immediately precedes a passage showing how the “yoke” of God’s law, as interpreted by the Jewish leaders, was a miserable, harsh, and legalistically weighty burden (Matthew 12:1-14). How refreshing Jesus’ words would have been to them!
The Ongoing Cycle
There is a continuing cycle in these verses, beginning with one’s initial coming to Christ at conversion. Jesus is saying, “Come on.” (I picture him with outstretched arms, perhaps on the cross, or maybe in a recliner chair.) We come to him and receive forgiveness of sins and a new relationship with God. This is called regeneration—the “new birth.” People who become weary enough, or burdened enough by their sin and other trials, come to Jesus for that initial rest he gives. Jesus then, knowing that we are made for work—knowing that fruitful, honest labor is good for us—offers us his yoke. We place his yoke on our shoulders and find that it is surprisingly comfortable. It fits well and feels good as we learn (become discipled by experience) from observing and serving with Jesus (learn “from me” is emphatic—we must learn ultimately from the Master himself). We learn because he is such a humble teacher, not arrogant or rough with us, and we learn that he is humble and willing to take the lower position, being humble in his heart.
It is when we become diverted from this God-ordained cycle that we find ourselves becoming weary, overloaded, and stressed-out again. Then we need to come to Jesus again, admitting that we have been trying to handle life in our own strength. He rests us again, offers to exchange his yoke for the painful one we somehow managed to pick up, and then we get back to plowing the fields—living life—and learning from our Master Teacher again. We find it so much easier that we wonder why we moved away from him. We seem to need to learn this lesson over and over in life, yet Jesus still stands there, arms outstretched, saying “C’mon, Come to me.”
Community and Commitment
There are two final thoughts that should be mentioned before we close this piece. First, in Matthew 11:28-29, from the exclamation, “Come on,” to the mention of rest for our souls, the language is plural. Jesus is addressing all of us, and saying that we all need to do this together. Of course, each person individually needs to come to Christ, but even here others usually need to help us come. And when we are his disciples, we need to learn from Jesus together. It is too difficult to serve God as lone-rangers. We simply will not do it well, and others will know we are not doing it well. Take Jesus’ yoke, learn and serve people together, and, as a group committed to Christ and to one another, you will find rest for your souls.
Second, already obvious from above, there is no distinction in the teachings of Jesus, or in the New Testament, between receiving Jesus as Savior and receiving Jesus as Lord. There is no use in asking whether The Great Invitation is Jesus’ appeal for “salvation” or for “discipleship.” Yes, the word for “disciple” (“learn”) is found in the middle of verse 29, but this is expressed as part of the one invitation: “Come…take my yoke…learn.” Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee of our lives and calls us to come—at whatever stage in life we are, and in whatever spiritual condition. The solution to our weary, restless, burned-out souls is the same: “Come to me.… Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me, and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (The Message).
Friday, July 25, 2008
The Great Invitation: The Heaviness and Lightness of Life
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 7A
Matthew 11:28-30
The scripture passage for this month is found in Matthew 11:28-30. It is a well-known section of God’s Word, spoken by Jesus, and is packed with spiritual insight.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
(New International Version)
Every word of this amazing scripture portion is so rich with meaning that I want to encourage you, first of all, to soak long and often in its healing waters. Fill your tub with the warm water of God’s Spirit, add these mineral-rich words of Jesus, and climb in. Receive the rest God gives you (verse 28b is literally, “I will rest you”) and, at the same time, inspect every word with an attitude of anticipation and submission. Memorize these verses, quote them often aloud, obey them faithfully, and the spiritual nutrition in them will sustain you for the rest of your life. I say this from personal experience. Whether you are a Christian or follower of some other religion or perhaps have no religion at all, Jesus invites you to come. There is no greater service I can offer you than to point you to the Author of these words, and the literally life-saving and life-sustaining truth in them. I am convinced that every one of you who asks God with a sincere heart the meaning and application of these words for your life, will find true hope and help for this life—every day—and for the life to come.
Denying the Words of Christ
The Heaviness and Lightness of Life
Here is where the matter gets a bit complicated. While Jesus says that his yoke is easy and his burden light, he also says that his followers will face trials and sufferings, and he expects of us a very high level of Christian commitment. He told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mt.
This is not simply an academic issue for me. I am struggling with it as I write these words, and I struggle with it daily. The greatest health issues for me since my heart transplant, in the sense of physical symptoms, are dizziness, breathing problems, bodily weakness, and headaches. These leave me drained and pained daily.
Until recently, I would look upon these afflictions as part of my calling here on earth. I asked God for the strength daily to endure them without complaining, and to have courage, stamina, and ability to continue serving him with joy and grace. I still believe and pray this way, but the difference is that I now have begun to view my day not as a hard and burdensome ordeal but in the light of Matthew
Have my circumstances changed with this past week or two? No. Life is pretty much the same. The difficulties have not lessened, and I continue to need to call upon the Lord daily for strength, freedom from pain, stamina, spiritual and mental focus, and kindness to those I encounter. My starting point and outlook are different, however. I choose to believe Matthew 11:30 is an all-encompassing statement of life for me and each one of Christ’s followers—even those with chronic illnesses, financial burdens, family issues and other stressful situations—or I will be denying one of the key, life-giving teachings of Christ about existence here on earth.
In my next posting I hope to unfold the remainder of our text. May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ teach us all the true meaning and application of this remarkable scripture passage.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Benediction Manifesto: The Power of the Indwelling Jesus
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 6B
Philippians 4:13
Bob Rakestraw
I consider myself a committed Christian—not a perfect Christian, for sure, but a committed one. I desire to follow Jesus completely in his life and teachings and ongoing mission. I also suffer at times from depression. At least it seems to me to be depression. I have never been diagnosed by any medical professional, but from my reading on the topic and taking two brief questionnaires (one was the popular nine-question depression scorecard, known as the PHQ9), it does seem evident to me that I sometimes experience depression. This has especially been true since my heart transplant in 2003.
What I am calling depression is a very real—almost tangible—condition that is similar to but much deeper than discouragement and sadness. It is associated with circumstantial changes and significant loss, and is a wretched foe, always trying to engender despair over against hope. It is a physical and mental condition, and has significant spiritual connections.
Is Depression Always Caused by Sin?
It is this last aspect—the spiritual side of depression—that troubles me when thinking (and writing) about depression, and even when I am experiencing it. It troubles me because of some things I have read and heard about depression by Christians throughout the years. I have received the distinct impression that many Christians are afraid to speak of depression in their lives. The taboo has, thankfully, been lifted gradually and significantly in recent decades, but it is still influential in some Christian circles. Some Christians have been led to believe that depression always involves sin on their part, and that they can overcome the problem by simply choosing to have more faith, more hope, and more joy.
Some Christian teachers tend to think that being both a committed Christian and a person who suffers from depression is a self-contradictory condition. These two sets of circumstances, they say, cannot coexist. Since a committed Christian is one who demonstrates such evidences of the Spirit as joy and peace, then those who lack these qualities cannot be—in times of depression at least—faithful disciples of Christ. By definition, according to this view, depression is a voluntary (partly at least) lack of joy and peace, and therefore the depressed person cannot be a Spirit-filled person. One prominent Christian counselor wrote in the 1970’s, “The hope for depressed persons, as elsewhere, lies in this: the depression is the result of the counselee’s sin.”
While all troubles, individually or as a human race, flow from the fact that this is a broken, sinful world, it is not necessarily the case that every disease [and, in my view at least, the tendency toward depression has an element of disease in it] is the result of the affected person’s sinful thoughts or actions. This may definitely be the case at times, as when a person nourishes self-pity, pride or unbelief, but it actually seems cruel to look down on or speak disdainfully of a depressed person who sincerely desires to live a life pleasing to God.
Having Shalom to do Everything
In our postings from last month we considered the comforting truth of Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you.” We noted that the Hebrew words for “perfect peace” (shalom, shalom) speak of wholeness, completeness and contentedness, developed in us by God’s presence and power, producing well-being in our social involvements and an awareness of satisfaction and success in our life calling.
This concept of peace relates to the condition known as depression in that it describes the wholeness from which and toward which we steadily grow as we live out our scripture text of the month: “I can do everything through him [Christ] who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13). Living with a tendency toward depression (which may be an affliction that is not necessarily sinful in itself), yet with a triumphant spirit over its downward pull, is part of the “everything” we can do through Christ. And having the “perfect peace” (shalom) that comes from a place of deep trust in God is the foundation from which we declare the manifesto, “I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me,” and live with the strength God supplies moment by moment.
The apostle Paul, a solid example for those who experience the warfare aspect of the Christian life, undoubtedly was aware of the tentacles of depression, either personally or in his ministry to those suffering from it. Quite likely he wrote his letter to the church at
In the original biblical language, Philippians
I have applied this month’s scripture to my most significant current struggle—the conflict with depression—and found Christ’s strength within me sufficient to sustain me. Even though he has allowed me to experience significant times of depression since my heart transplant and early retirement from teaching, he continually restores me to the peace and hope of shalom. This is not a once for all conquest (although the foundation for all victory was laid solidly at
“I am the subject of depression so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to. But I always get back again by this—I know that I trust Christ. I have no reliance but in him, and if he falls, I shall fall with him. But if he does not, I shall not. Because he lives, I shall live also, and I spring to my legs again and fight with my depressions of spirit and get the victory through it. And so may you do, and so you must, for there is no other way of escaping from it” (pp. 55-56).
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