Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 11C
Galatians 5:22, 23
Bob Rakestraw
November 30, 2008
How to Become Kind
I’ve had a huge privilege throughout my adult life—I’ve lived with a remarkably kind person for over 41 years. My wife, Judy, is also the most unselfish person I’ve ever known. One of the two most important ways to learn to be kind is to be around kind people. Observe how they speak and act in specific situations, and then attempt this way of life yourself. The second most important way to learn kindness—it actually precedes imitation—is to turn your life over to God in every respect.
According to the apostle Paul, “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23 New Living Translation). It is putting the cart before the horse if we try to be kind without first yielding our whole selves—body, heart, spirit, mind—to God. But when we commit ourselves to be radical disciples of Jesus, desiring to live all of our days according to his example and will, we will become more patient, more joyful, more self-controlled…and more kind. It’s the supernatural flow of the Spirit. And its also the in-the-moment direction of the Spirit: “If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:25, NLT).
In addition, I find it extremely motivating to call to mind why I need to be kind to others, even to those who are not kind: they are created in the image of God, and in some way represent God on earth. To be kind to “the least of these” is to be kind to God!
How to Show Kindness
There are a lot of ways you can show kindness. Hold the door open for the next person coming through. Say “Thank you” often. Say “You too” to the cashier after he or she gives the obligatory “Have a nice day.” Smile at people—looking into their eyes. Tell someone abut a flaw in his or her life. That’s right! This is a really tough one, and you should do this only after much thought and prayer, and after you have come to know the person well. After agonizing for many months, I finally mentioned to a student his consistently bad breath. He received it well, but I hated to do it. I know I would want someone to tell me. “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses” (Proverbs 27:6).
Introduce yourself to your neighbors, and make attempts to know them. Most likely, they will not do it first. Pray about this, and pray for them, before you knock on their apartment or house door. Bring them a tin of cookies or a calendar. Invite them into your home. Yes, these things take time and boldness, but you will be amazed at how God gives you the courage and the words when you take the first step. As a chronically ill person, I have had to ask God to help me be kind to the doctors who come into my hospital room. Their often-repeated, seemingly endless rounds of questions surely do not prompt me to be kind. I have sometimes become irritated at them, because talking is so exhausting for me, and I have regretted this afterward. I have often had to repent of unkindness throughout my life—especially in words and thoughts—and God always forgives me through his kindness.
My Greatest Struggle
As a college and graduate school professor I have had the most difficulty grading papers and assigning grades for the course. I will never know how some students were accepted into one of the schools where I taught—they were so unprepared intellectually. I tried always to be kind to them and help them, but I could not in good conscience give them good grades, or even passing grades, at times. They simply did not know the material, nor did they know how to learn. They were greatly distressed over their poor grades, and I felt distress as well. Some students are not equipped to be in college or graduate school, and it is actually unkind (and dishonest) to push them through the courses. They should not be led to believe they are something they are not. God will still use them to serve him according to the way he has gifted them.
Over the length of your lifetime you will make many thousands of decisions. Often these decisions are made on-the-spot. Ask God to control your whole life—yield yourself to him totally—and you will be led at the time with what to say or do, or not say or do. Once you’ve made the big decision to follow Christ all of your days, you will experience more and more wisdom, insight, patience,…and kindness in your everyday decisions. You will be increasingly joyful and peaceful in yourself, and increasingly kind to others. Many will be richly blessed through you—more than you will ever know!
John Wesley offers us some valuable words:
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
A Personal Note
I offer thanks to God today for directing one-and-a-half years of “The Benediction Project” blog. There have been times when, due to my poor health, I have thought of suspending or even ending the project, but I am grateful that God has enabled me to continue. Thank you for walking with me during this journey. I value your participation greatly.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
The Flow of the Spirit is Kindness: What if It's Not my Personality
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 11B
Galatians 5:22, 23
Bob Rakestraw
The fruit (flow, outcome, result) of the Holy Spirit in a person is a lot of things: love, joy, peace…and kindness (Galatians 5:22-23). If anyone calls himself or herself a follower of Jesus, we should see these qualities in that person’s life.
In the last posting I wrote about the meaning of kindness throughout the New Testament, and this time I will focus on the power behind kindness. Why are some people kind and others are not? What is it that produces kindness?
Personal Difficulties
I struggle at times to be kind, but I am very grateful for three things: I usually am aware (after a while, at least) that I need to be kind in a given situation; I usually gain some recognition of what kindness calls for in that situation; I can usually stop unkindness at the thought level, before it comes out in words or actions. But, above all, I am grateful for the power of God’s Holy Spirit within me to produce the flow—the fruit—of divine life through me. I also insist that it is God who works in me to generate the three aspects of kindness mentioned above, as well as any kind thoughts, words or actions toward others.
I cannot claim any inherent goodness that somehow produces kindness. I really have a nasty, selfish streak in me that tends to jump on people (in my mind) that I don’t like—sometimes even with those I do like—and I consider myself superior to them. My biggest concern in this blog posting is to show that one’s ability to be kind does not come from a natural disposition or personality, but from the life of the Spirit in those who have been born of the Spirit and are seeking to be conformed to God’s image.
Where to Turn for Help
Over the years of my Christian life I have found that the book of Galatians contains some valuable teachings about the third person of the Trinity—the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is presented as the spiritual power within us who, after giving us a new birth (Gal. 4:6-7; John 3:1-8), produces the good things of God within us and through us (Gal.3:1-14; 5:1-26).
I often quote Galatians 5:22-23 to myself simply as “The fruit of the Spirit is….” But I also need to keep in mind the whole context of Galatians 5, and the whole book of Galatians. I recommend that you read the book, since I am able to give only a few of its thoughts in what follows.
There is something in human nature that resists the free grace of God. The message of God’s great favor to us in Christ, giving us eternal life beginning now, seems to be too easy. We are, instead, drawn to a religion of law. We need to feel that we are not so bad—that we have the goodness in us to keep a set of laws in order to live as decent persons and earn whatever salvation there may be after this life. Religions around the world teach their followers to say endless rounds of prayer beads, practice self-denial in extreme measures, repeat one’s mantra, and practice impossibly high standards of righteousness from within our own selves.
The New Testament, however, taken as a whole, teaches that people in themselves are sinful…and lost. We need to be “born-again” according to Jesus (John 3). We are then dead to the law. Paul said: “I have been put to death with Christ on his cross, so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:19-21, Today’s English Version).
The Spirit’s Action First
It is impossible to follow a system of law perfectly. And, while some non-Christians are very kind people, they must continue to try and find resources within themselves to live this way consistently. I am very thankful for the Spirit of Christ within, developing a life of kindness in and through me. Yes, I must respond to the Spirit’s leading in specific situations, but I am aware of God’s prior work in me. Two passages in Galatians 5 show this balance. In verse 16 we read: “What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature.” Then, according to verses 25-26, “The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another” (Today’s English Version). God’s Spirit within us produces the motivation and the strength, and then we are to do—or not do—those things that correspond to kind living.
It is not a matter of one’s personality, but of one’s relationship with a Person. The Spirit changes even the nastiest, crudest and most self-centered people into truly kind men and women, boys and girls. Never excuse your harsh, abrasive manner by saying that it is just your personality, or that your family line are all that way, or that “no one is perfect.” Yes, God’s standards are high, because he is a holy God, but he never asks us to do what he does not give us the power to do (Philippians 4:13).
Next time I intend to be more personal and more specific on how to become kind and how to show kindness.
Galatians 5:22, 23
Bob Rakestraw
The fruit (flow, outcome, result) of the Holy Spirit in a person is a lot of things: love, joy, peace…and kindness (Galatians 5:22-23). If anyone calls himself or herself a follower of Jesus, we should see these qualities in that person’s life.
In the last posting I wrote about the meaning of kindness throughout the New Testament, and this time I will focus on the power behind kindness. Why are some people kind and others are not? What is it that produces kindness?
Personal Difficulties
I struggle at times to be kind, but I am very grateful for three things: I usually am aware (after a while, at least) that I need to be kind in a given situation; I usually gain some recognition of what kindness calls for in that situation; I can usually stop unkindness at the thought level, before it comes out in words or actions. But, above all, I am grateful for the power of God’s Holy Spirit within me to produce the flow—the fruit—of divine life through me. I also insist that it is God who works in me to generate the three aspects of kindness mentioned above, as well as any kind thoughts, words or actions toward others.
I cannot claim any inherent goodness that somehow produces kindness. I really have a nasty, selfish streak in me that tends to jump on people (in my mind) that I don’t like—sometimes even with those I do like—and I consider myself superior to them. My biggest concern in this blog posting is to show that one’s ability to be kind does not come from a natural disposition or personality, but from the life of the Spirit in those who have been born of the Spirit and are seeking to be conformed to God’s image.
Where to Turn for Help
Over the years of my Christian life I have found that the book of Galatians contains some valuable teachings about the third person of the Trinity—the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is presented as the spiritual power within us who, after giving us a new birth (Gal. 4:6-7; John 3:1-8), produces the good things of God within us and through us (Gal.3:1-14; 5:1-26).
I often quote Galatians 5:22-23 to myself simply as “The fruit of the Spirit is….” But I also need to keep in mind the whole context of Galatians 5, and the whole book of Galatians. I recommend that you read the book, since I am able to give only a few of its thoughts in what follows.
There is something in human nature that resists the free grace of God. The message of God’s great favor to us in Christ, giving us eternal life beginning now, seems to be too easy. We are, instead, drawn to a religion of law. We need to feel that we are not so bad—that we have the goodness in us to keep a set of laws in order to live as decent persons and earn whatever salvation there may be after this life. Religions around the world teach their followers to say endless rounds of prayer beads, practice self-denial in extreme measures, repeat one’s mantra, and practice impossibly high standards of righteousness from within our own selves.
The New Testament, however, taken as a whole, teaches that people in themselves are sinful…and lost. We need to be “born-again” according to Jesus (John 3). We are then dead to the law. Paul said: “I have been put to death with Christ on his cross, so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:19-21, Today’s English Version).
The Spirit’s Action First
It is impossible to follow a system of law perfectly. And, while some non-Christians are very kind people, they must continue to try and find resources within themselves to live this way consistently. I am very thankful for the Spirit of Christ within, developing a life of kindness in and through me. Yes, I must respond to the Spirit’s leading in specific situations, but I am aware of God’s prior work in me. Two passages in Galatians 5 show this balance. In verse 16 we read: “What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature.” Then, according to verses 25-26, “The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another” (Today’s English Version). God’s Spirit within us produces the motivation and the strength, and then we are to do—or not do—those things that correspond to kind living.
It is not a matter of one’s personality, but of one’s relationship with a Person. The Spirit changes even the nastiest, crudest and most self-centered people into truly kind men and women, boys and girls. Never excuse your harsh, abrasive manner by saying that it is just your personality, or that your family line are all that way, or that “no one is perfect.” Yes, God’s standards are high, because he is a holy God, but he never asks us to do what he does not give us the power to do (Philippians 4:13).
Next time I intend to be more personal and more specific on how to become kind and how to show kindness.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Flow of the Spirit is Kindness: Like Christ, our Kind Savior
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 11A
Galatians 5:22, 23
Bob Rakestraw
I have focused a lot over the years on Galatians 5. It has become one of the most important chapters in the Bible for me, and I am very grateful that the Spirit of God led the apostle Paul to write this section of scripture. For this month’s postings I want to dwell on verses 22 and 23, and one word in particular—kindness. The passage always grips me forcefully: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23, New International Version.
In Galatians 5:22-23, the apostle Paul lists nine dimensions of the fruit, or flow, of the Spirit. Note that “fruit” is in the singular, because the well-rounded servant of God is developing and demonstrating all of these spiritual qualities together. You and I cannot be truly joyful persons and not be faithful person. You and I cannot be truly peaceful persons if we are not self-controlled persons. If we speak of “fruits” of the Spirit, we may tend to think of these virtues in isolation from one another. The fruit of the Spirit, however, grows like a sweet melon on the vine, with all parts and systems of the fruit developing simultaneously.
The Meaning of Kindness
The Greek word (the noun) for “kindness,” as sounded out in English, is krestotes, or chrestotes, with the accent on the second syllable. The word is used ten times in the New Testament, all in the epistles of Paul: Romans 2:4a; 3:12; 11:22 (three times); 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 3:12; and Titus 3:4.
Another form of the word (the adjective) is krestos, or chrestos, and in Greek as well as in English there is only one letter difference between krestos and the word for Christ, Kristos, or Christos. Because of this, and because both words have the accent on the second syllable, the words sound almost the same in Greek as they do in English. How frequently the early Greek-speaking Christians joined the words together to declare that their Kristos—their anointed one, their Messiah—is a krestos Savior, we’ll never know, but I suspect that it was often. Krestos is used seven times in the New Testament: Matthew 11:30; Luke 5:39; 6:35; Romans 2:4b; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Ephesians 4:32; and 1 Peter 2:3.
The words krestotes and krestos have the sense of being useful, suitable, worthy, pleasant, morally upright, reputable, kind, loving and generous. These words obviously cover a wide range of meaning, so the context is key to understanding the sense in a given passage.
The Life Changing Word of God
A careful reading of the seventeen scriptures listed above may significantly change your life. If you read them in their biblical context, with your mind and heart open fully to God, and meditate in them—listening to God about living a kind and Christlike life—you may never be the same. Even though I have been studying the subject of kindness for many years, and have been trying intentionally to live kindly, I was amazed when I reviewed these powerful texts for this brief study. They speak of both the kindness of God and the kindness that we are to show (and think, and even feel, I believe) because the Spirit of our kind Savior is living in us and desiring to flow through us.
I chose to list all of the Bible verses using these words for “kind” and “kindness” with the hope that some of you—if only one or two—will look them up. I know that the tendency (I do it myself) is to hurry past Bible references, and so, to encourage you to go farther, I just want to write out a few of these verses and very briefly comment on them.
I have discussed earlier this year how Christ’s “yoke” is kind: “My yoke is easy (kind, gentle, not abrasive) and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). I continue to be lifted up and soothed by this teaching as I struggle with significant heart-transplant issues every day. Christ’s words strike me again in the famous text exhorting us to love our enemies. The reason Jesus says to love them and “do good to them” is because “the Most High…is kind to the ungrateful and wicked” (Luke 6:35). In my natural self I do not want God to be kind to these ones, but then I stand with mouth wide open when I realize that I myself have often been “ungrateful and wicked”!
One of the most important Bible texts used by God in my coming to him as Savior and Lord at the age of 19 is Ephesians 2:7-10. I saw clearly—enlightened by the Spirit of God—that it is “by grace…through faith,” not human effort or good deeds, that I could be saved. And now, these many years later, I am more aware then ever that this gift of eternal salvation is God’s “kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (verse 7). I have never been the same since that Thanksgiving Day in 1962! It was then that I “tasted that the Lord is kind” (I Peter 2:3). It is a remarkable testimony to God’s kindness when I reflect on my three birthdays during this calendar week: my physical birthday, my heart-transplant birthday (five years) and my spiritual birthday.
Finally, I close with one of the most powerful texts anywhere in the Bible: “Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Romans 2:4). I tend to think that God’s anger leads people to repentance, and it sometimes does—God’s intolerance of sin was a factor in my own conversion. But there is a remarkable kindness—a gentleness and generosity—that pulls us to him. Some of you know this personally, and I pray that if you do not, that you will come to him soon. In Jesus there is forgiveness, friendship, and daily, living hope for this life and for the next.
For you who know Christ, you have a powerful Agent of change within you—the Holy Spirit of God. Ask him today and in the days to come to make you a kind person. Practice often and intentionally to speak, act and think kindly toward everyone in your life. I assure you from personal experience you will enter a new dimension of life. You may even become a new person!
Galatians 5:22, 23
Bob Rakestraw
I have focused a lot over the years on Galatians 5. It has become one of the most important chapters in the Bible for me, and I am very grateful that the Spirit of God led the apostle Paul to write this section of scripture. For this month’s postings I want to dwell on verses 22 and 23, and one word in particular—kindness. The passage always grips me forcefully: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23, New International Version.
In Galatians 5:22-23, the apostle Paul lists nine dimensions of the fruit, or flow, of the Spirit. Note that “fruit” is in the singular, because the well-rounded servant of God is developing and demonstrating all of these spiritual qualities together. You and I cannot be truly joyful persons and not be faithful person. You and I cannot be truly peaceful persons if we are not self-controlled persons. If we speak of “fruits” of the Spirit, we may tend to think of these virtues in isolation from one another. The fruit of the Spirit, however, grows like a sweet melon on the vine, with all parts and systems of the fruit developing simultaneously.
The Meaning of Kindness
The Greek word (the noun) for “kindness,” as sounded out in English, is krestotes, or chrestotes, with the accent on the second syllable. The word is used ten times in the New Testament, all in the epistles of Paul: Romans 2:4a; 3:12; 11:22 (three times); 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 3:12; and Titus 3:4.
Another form of the word (the adjective) is krestos, or chrestos, and in Greek as well as in English there is only one letter difference between krestos and the word for Christ, Kristos, or Christos. Because of this, and because both words have the accent on the second syllable, the words sound almost the same in Greek as they do in English. How frequently the early Greek-speaking Christians joined the words together to declare that their Kristos—their anointed one, their Messiah—is a krestos Savior, we’ll never know, but I suspect that it was often. Krestos is used seven times in the New Testament: Matthew 11:30; Luke 5:39; 6:35; Romans 2:4b; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Ephesians 4:32; and 1 Peter 2:3.
The words krestotes and krestos have the sense of being useful, suitable, worthy, pleasant, morally upright, reputable, kind, loving and generous. These words obviously cover a wide range of meaning, so the context is key to understanding the sense in a given passage.
The Life Changing Word of God
A careful reading of the seventeen scriptures listed above may significantly change your life. If you read them in their biblical context, with your mind and heart open fully to God, and meditate in them—listening to God about living a kind and Christlike life—you may never be the same. Even though I have been studying the subject of kindness for many years, and have been trying intentionally to live kindly, I was amazed when I reviewed these powerful texts for this brief study. They speak of both the kindness of God and the kindness that we are to show (and think, and even feel, I believe) because the Spirit of our kind Savior is living in us and desiring to flow through us.
I chose to list all of the Bible verses using these words for “kind” and “kindness” with the hope that some of you—if only one or two—will look them up. I know that the tendency (I do it myself) is to hurry past Bible references, and so, to encourage you to go farther, I just want to write out a few of these verses and very briefly comment on them.
I have discussed earlier this year how Christ’s “yoke” is kind: “My yoke is easy (kind, gentle, not abrasive) and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). I continue to be lifted up and soothed by this teaching as I struggle with significant heart-transplant issues every day. Christ’s words strike me again in the famous text exhorting us to love our enemies. The reason Jesus says to love them and “do good to them” is because “the Most High…is kind to the ungrateful and wicked” (Luke 6:35). In my natural self I do not want God to be kind to these ones, but then I stand with mouth wide open when I realize that I myself have often been “ungrateful and wicked”!
One of the most important Bible texts used by God in my coming to him as Savior and Lord at the age of 19 is Ephesians 2:7-10. I saw clearly—enlightened by the Spirit of God—that it is “by grace…through faith,” not human effort or good deeds, that I could be saved. And now, these many years later, I am more aware then ever that this gift of eternal salvation is God’s “kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (verse 7). I have never been the same since that Thanksgiving Day in 1962! It was then that I “tasted that the Lord is kind” (I Peter 2:3). It is a remarkable testimony to God’s kindness when I reflect on my three birthdays during this calendar week: my physical birthday, my heart-transplant birthday (five years) and my spiritual birthday.
Finally, I close with one of the most powerful texts anywhere in the Bible: “Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Romans 2:4). I tend to think that God’s anger leads people to repentance, and it sometimes does—God’s intolerance of sin was a factor in my own conversion. But there is a remarkable kindness—a gentleness and generosity—that pulls us to him. Some of you know this personally, and I pray that if you do not, that you will come to him soon. In Jesus there is forgiveness, friendship, and daily, living hope for this life and for the next.
For you who know Christ, you have a powerful Agent of change within you—the Holy Spirit of God. Ask him today and in the days to come to make you a kind person. Practice often and intentionally to speak, act and think kindly toward everyone in your life. I assure you from personal experience you will enter a new dimension of life. You may even become a new person!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Health Update: Five Years after Heart Transplant
Bob Rakestraw
November 6, 2008
I need to send a huge “Thank You” to you, my dear friends, loved ones, blog readers, and acquaintances for your encouragement, love, prayers, and specific assistance in numerous ways in recent years. On November 17 I will celebrate five years since my heart transplant, and I believe I am alive today because of the will of God and the working of your prayers and kindnesses in cooperation with the plan of God.
Most of you know that the road has been quite rough for me since the transplant—physically and psychologically. I have been perplexed with knowing how to answer the question: “Are you glad you had the transplant?” I can answer that I am glad, but that I struggle a lot with the daily side effects of medications and life with chronic rejection (transplant vasculopathy).
One-and-a-half years ago I was told I probably had no more than six months to live, so I enrolled in hospice. After eight months my medical team removed me from hospice because I continued to live. I am greatly encouraged by this and by the scriptures. I just finished spending about a year in the Psalms. I know God has his hand on me and that, as I continue to walk with him daily, I will be on this earth no more and no less than the time he has for me (Psalms 57:2; 139:16; Acts 13:36).
My desire is to live all my remaining days for the glory of God. My physical strength is, unfortunately, decreasing, but my hunger for God is strong. I am mostly homebound. The days are long…and difficult. The main way I now connect with most people is through my blog: http://bobrakestraw.blogspot.com. I miss teaching at Bethel Seminary. I will value your continued prayers; I am weak and breathing is getting more difficult.
As I learn of your needs I want to pray for you. Thank you again for your kindnesses—in thoughts, words and actions. I look forward to spending eternity with you through the mercies of God.
Here is a marvelous benediction for each of you.
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NRSV)
November 6, 2008
I need to send a huge “Thank You” to you, my dear friends, loved ones, blog readers, and acquaintances for your encouragement, love, prayers, and specific assistance in numerous ways in recent years. On November 17 I will celebrate five years since my heart transplant, and I believe I am alive today because of the will of God and the working of your prayers and kindnesses in cooperation with the plan of God.
Most of you know that the road has been quite rough for me since the transplant—physically and psychologically. I have been perplexed with knowing how to answer the question: “Are you glad you had the transplant?” I can answer that I am glad, but that I struggle a lot with the daily side effects of medications and life with chronic rejection (transplant vasculopathy).
One-and-a-half years ago I was told I probably had no more than six months to live, so I enrolled in hospice. After eight months my medical team removed me from hospice because I continued to live. I am greatly encouraged by this and by the scriptures. I just finished spending about a year in the Psalms. I know God has his hand on me and that, as I continue to walk with him daily, I will be on this earth no more and no less than the time he has for me (Psalms 57:2; 139:16; Acts 13:36).
My desire is to live all my remaining days for the glory of God. My physical strength is, unfortunately, decreasing, but my hunger for God is strong. I am mostly homebound. The days are long…and difficult. The main way I now connect with most people is through my blog: http://bobrakestraw.blogspot.com. I miss teaching at Bethel Seminary. I will value your continued prayers; I am weak and breathing is getting more difficult.
As I learn of your needs I want to pray for you. Thank you again for your kindnesses—in thoughts, words and actions. I look forward to spending eternity with you through the mercies of God.
Here is a marvelous benediction for each of you.
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NRSV)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Who Cares about Joy? A Different Slant on Strength
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 10C
Nehemiah 8:10
Bob Rakestraw
One of the best things about writing this blog is that I often discover new insights on the scriptures in my preparation. I have another one this time—something I had never seen before.
What is our Strength?
This is my third and last posting on Nehemiah 8:10, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” My new insight—surely a gift from God—has to do with the word “strength.” For all my adult life I have understood “strength” here to be the equivalent of inner energy and power, in the sense of “grace” when that word is used as God’s empowering Spirit.
As I did some research I found that the Hebrew word for strength in Nehemiah 8:10 also means “stronghold,” or “fortress.” In fact, this is its primary sense. The verse does not seem to be focusing on an inner boost of power but rather a rock-solid citadel in which we take refuge and into which the enemy cannot penetrate. When I first discovered this truth, I was a bit disappointed, because I had always considered the verse to be promising energy. A major health issue for me, both before and after my heart transplant, has been a lack of energy—a profound weakness and inability to work, speak and serve as I did earlier in life.
Help for the Mind and Body
The more I have meditated, however, on the joy of the Lord being my fortress, the more encouraged I have become. Let me explain. Since my heart transplant in November, 2003, I have faced two enemies that I had seldom fought before: depression and anxiety. I have also battled bodily weakness, as mentioned above, and surely have benefited from the scripture texts that teach of God’s strengthening us inwardly in order to get through the day. But depression and anxiety need a different kind of help than physical energy and strength. These involve battles of the mind as well as the body.
Satan and his forces attempt to invade my mind at times with depressing and anxiety-producing thoughts, and I find huge relief and encouragement in knowing the joy of the Lord not only offers me inner strength but is also my fortress, stronghold and protection. As such, it serves as a blockade to the invading enemy thoughts. As I praise God and focus on his greatness and goodness, and receive deep joy from doing so, this joy builds a fortress around my mind and keeps out the negatives. I have actually been experiencing this protection in recent days, and it is a major help to me. I find, however, that I may need to activate this cycle (praise – joy – mental protection) several times a day. This keeps me close to God, because I desperately want to block the invaders from creating harmful moods.
I am glad, as well, that even though the Hebrew word for “strength” (maoz) is primarily fortress, protection or stronghold, it also seems to have, at times, the idea of energy or power (as in 2 Samuel 22:33 in the Dead Sea Scrolls and some Greek versions of the Old Testament, and perhaps in Ezekiel 24:25). In any case, the Bible—using other words—clearly teaches that God is the source of our strength and power (Psalm 29:11; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). He is both our protection and stronghold as well as the supplier of daily energy to live for Him and serve those who need help.
Joy Unspeakable
It is “the joy of the Lord” that brings the protection we need to live successfully. Several days ago a friend said she feels like she is “going out of her mind with joy.” She can’t contain the joy that God is generating in her, even though she and her family have had some very difficult issues to live through in recent years. She had been reading in the book of Isaiah when she phoned and gave my wife and I this encouraging report. God is remarkably alive to her! This is the joy of the Lord. It is God’s own inner joy as Father – Son – Spirit which God then communicates to us, and which becomes our joy in God. We receive it by praise, thanksgiving, reviewing all of God’s promises in the scriptures, and understanding and obeying God’s teachings. In Nehemiah’s day, “all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.” “From the days of Joshua son of Nun until [this seven-day feast of booths], the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great” (Nehemiah 8:12, 17).
God cares about our joy—yours and mine. I used to think that joy was something optional in the Christian life—it’s nice if you can have it but it’s not absolutely necessary. Now I realize it is vital to daily living, both defensively and offensively. The fruit of the Spirit is indeed joy (Galatians 5:22).
Referring to the thrice-repeated statement in Nehemiah 8:9-12 that “this is a sacred [holy] day,” Dr. Derek Kidner makes the following remarks. I will close with them, wishing you God’s very best always.
“Three times in this short paragraph it is pointed out that holiness and gloom go ill together. What makes it rather striking, to our ears, is the calm assumption that this should go without saying. … To be ‘altogether joyful’ was the prospect held before the guests of God (Deuteronomy 16:15), and the words that went most naturally with ‘holiness’ were not only ‘justice and righteousness’ but ‘glory,’ ‘beauty,’ ‘strength’ and ‘joy’.” See, for example, Psalms 96 and 99 and Isaiah 35. [Ezra and Nehemiah, InterVarsity Press, 1979, p. 107.]
Nehemiah 8:10
Bob Rakestraw
One of the best things about writing this blog is that I often discover new insights on the scriptures in my preparation. I have another one this time—something I had never seen before.
What is our Strength?
This is my third and last posting on Nehemiah 8:10, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” My new insight—surely a gift from God—has to do with the word “strength.” For all my adult life I have understood “strength” here to be the equivalent of inner energy and power, in the sense of “grace” when that word is used as God’s empowering Spirit.
As I did some research I found that the Hebrew word for strength in Nehemiah 8:10 also means “stronghold,” or “fortress.” In fact, this is its primary sense. The verse does not seem to be focusing on an inner boost of power but rather a rock-solid citadel in which we take refuge and into which the enemy cannot penetrate. When I first discovered this truth, I was a bit disappointed, because I had always considered the verse to be promising energy. A major health issue for me, both before and after my heart transplant, has been a lack of energy—a profound weakness and inability to work, speak and serve as I did earlier in life.
Help for the Mind and Body
The more I have meditated, however, on the joy of the Lord being my fortress, the more encouraged I have become. Let me explain. Since my heart transplant in November, 2003, I have faced two enemies that I had seldom fought before: depression and anxiety. I have also battled bodily weakness, as mentioned above, and surely have benefited from the scripture texts that teach of God’s strengthening us inwardly in order to get through the day. But depression and anxiety need a different kind of help than physical energy and strength. These involve battles of the mind as well as the body.
Satan and his forces attempt to invade my mind at times with depressing and anxiety-producing thoughts, and I find huge relief and encouragement in knowing the joy of the Lord not only offers me inner strength but is also my fortress, stronghold and protection. As such, it serves as a blockade to the invading enemy thoughts. As I praise God and focus on his greatness and goodness, and receive deep joy from doing so, this joy builds a fortress around my mind and keeps out the negatives. I have actually been experiencing this protection in recent days, and it is a major help to me. I find, however, that I may need to activate this cycle (praise – joy – mental protection) several times a day. This keeps me close to God, because I desperately want to block the invaders from creating harmful moods.
I am glad, as well, that even though the Hebrew word for “strength” (maoz) is primarily fortress, protection or stronghold, it also seems to have, at times, the idea of energy or power (as in 2 Samuel 22:33 in the Dead Sea Scrolls and some Greek versions of the Old Testament, and perhaps in Ezekiel 24:25). In any case, the Bible—using other words—clearly teaches that God is the source of our strength and power (Psalm 29:11; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). He is both our protection and stronghold as well as the supplier of daily energy to live for Him and serve those who need help.
Joy Unspeakable
It is “the joy of the Lord” that brings the protection we need to live successfully. Several days ago a friend said she feels like she is “going out of her mind with joy.” She can’t contain the joy that God is generating in her, even though she and her family have had some very difficult issues to live through in recent years. She had been reading in the book of Isaiah when she phoned and gave my wife and I this encouraging report. God is remarkably alive to her! This is the joy of the Lord. It is God’s own inner joy as Father – Son – Spirit which God then communicates to us, and which becomes our joy in God. We receive it by praise, thanksgiving, reviewing all of God’s promises in the scriptures, and understanding and obeying God’s teachings. In Nehemiah’s day, “all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.” “From the days of Joshua son of Nun until [this seven-day feast of booths], the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great” (Nehemiah 8:12, 17).
God cares about our joy—yours and mine. I used to think that joy was something optional in the Christian life—it’s nice if you can have it but it’s not absolutely necessary. Now I realize it is vital to daily living, both defensively and offensively. The fruit of the Spirit is indeed joy (Galatians 5:22).
Referring to the thrice-repeated statement in Nehemiah 8:9-12 that “this is a sacred [holy] day,” Dr. Derek Kidner makes the following remarks. I will close with them, wishing you God’s very best always.
“Three times in this short paragraph it is pointed out that holiness and gloom go ill together. What makes it rather striking, to our ears, is the calm assumption that this should go without saying. … To be ‘altogether joyful’ was the prospect held before the guests of God (Deuteronomy 16:15), and the words that went most naturally with ‘holiness’ were not only ‘justice and righteousness’ but ‘glory,’ ‘beauty,’ ‘strength’ and ‘joy’.” See, for example, Psalms 96 and 99 and Isaiah 35. [Ezra and Nehemiah, InterVarsity Press, 1979, p. 107.]
Friday, October 24, 2008
Who Cares about Joy? Humanity Wired by God
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 10B
Nehemiah 8:10
Bob Rakestraw
In the last posting on “The Benediction Project” I introduced the subject of “the joy of the Lord” from Nehemiah 8:10, our Bible text of the month. This has been one of my top twelve favorite scripture passages throughout my Christian life, and I want to look here at its biblical context and some of its practical application for today.
It is risky, I know, to try to write about joy—true, deep, inner joy—in such turbulent times as these. The world has gone mad, pure and simple. In addition, as I said in the last posting, I am struggling with some difficult health issues related to my heart transplant of five years ago. How can I be so bold as to write about joy, especially “the joy of the Lord?”
I am writing on the topic because I believe God has “wired” (created, designed, constructed) every human being to seek and experience joy, in the same way that he wired us to desire beauty, truth, love and creative expression. The Bible speaks often of joy, or uses similar terms such as rejoicing, delight, happiness, and gladness. If God’s Word mentions joy so frequently it is obvious that God intends us to understand the topic and live it out in daily life. The “fruit of the Spirit” is love, joy, peace and other virtues that radiate the presence of God from within us to others (Galatians 5:22-23). Joy is an essential mark of all Christians, not an optional quality for some special people who are naturally more optimistic than others.
The Historical Background
The date of the events in Nehemiah 8:10 was about 445-444 B.C. It was the first day of the seventh month, Tishri (September-October), the beginning of the civil new year. The time was after the captivity of the Jewish people in Babylon. Several groups of captives had traveled the four-month route (900 miles) to return to the land of Judea and to Jerusalem. When Nehemiah, the governor of the Jewish people, returned to the promised land, he viewed the broken-down walls of Jerusalem and stirred the people to rebuild them. After the walls were finished there was a great assembly in the city square before the Water Gate.
Because Ezra had been the priest, scribe and spiritual leader of the Jews in Babylon, and their ongoing spiritual guide for the 13 years since they had been back in Jerusalem, the people asked this highly-respected man to read and teach from the law of Moses. According to the scriptures,
“On the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.” (Nehemiah 8:2-3, NIV)
After a time of public worship there was a time of public teaching. The Levites “read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.” Surprisingly “all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law” (vss. 8-9).
The scripture readings were from the first five books of the Bible, and some of it was obviously from Leviticus (compare Nehemiah 8:9-18 with Leviticus 23:23-44). The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles all were to be observed during the seventh month, and Ezra and the Levites explained these matters in a way that touched the people powerfully.
Emotions of Sorrow and Joy
Notice the contrasting emotions of sorrow and joy as the people heard the Word of God read, interpreted and applied. Why were they mourning and weeping, and then turning from sorrow to great joy? Dr. H. G. M. Williamson, Professor of Hebrew at Oxford, offers some fine insights:
“The initial reaction [weeping] is probably not to be explained by the fact that the law was unfamiliar to them so much as that the interpretation which Ezra and the Levites provided (vss. 7-8) brought home its relevance to their situation in a fresh way…. Ezra (perhaps for the first time) developed a means of interpreting Scripture whereby parts which had been thought to be out-of-date were shown to reveal the underlying principles of God’s will which were of timeless relevance. The result of this was to stir the people’s consciences as they came to realize how far short of God’s standards their lives had fallen” [“Nehemiah,” in New Bible Commentary, 21st Century Edition, D. A. Carson, et al., eds. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), p. 437].
I have thought for years about the words of Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites to all the people: “Do not mourn or weep.” “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” If the people were grieving over their collective sin of neglecting the Law of Moses—in this case, observation of the feasts of Leviticus 23—then wouldn’t it be appropriate for them to grieve and mourn? After all, the Feast of Tabernacles had not been celebrated properly for 1,000 years—since the days of Joshua (Nehemiah 8:17).
Surely it was not wrong for the people to grieve over their sin. Three weeks later there would be a major time of repentance, fasting, wearing of sackcloth and confession of sin—“their sins and the wickedness of their fathers” (Nehemiah 9:1-2). But, as Dr. Williamson notes so well,
“This [awareness of God’s high standard], however, is neither the sole nor the dominant message either of the OT law or of Scripture as a whole. By reminding them that this day [Feast of Trumpets, Leviticus 23:24] was sacred (vss. 9, 11)—a day on which they were especially to recall God’s past acts of grace and salvation towards Israel—and that the joy of the Lord was the source of their strength (v. 10) as they linked themselves by faith with the experience of their ancestors, Ezra set their legitimate sense of failure within the wider context of God’s grace and invitation. Confession would have its proper place (ch. 9), but the first response to hearing God’s word should be of joyful acceptance (vss. 10-11). It is a pattern of response not unlike that in Acts 2:37-39” (Williamson, pp. 437-38).
The Fullness of Divine Joy
This is such a important point that I felt it needed to be said before moving to the more practical aspects of joy in our next posting on Nehemiah 8:10. For many years I simply lifted the key words out of the chapter—“the joy of the Lord is your strength”—and sucked on them like a piece of hard candy. I even sang them, as some of you may have. While this text does bring gladness to my heart when I simply read it, sing it or recall it, it brings much deeper confidence and delight when I reflect on the whole chapter, and the following one as well. The book of Nehemiah makes it clear that the people celebrated “with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them” (8:8, 12, 17). This proper interpretation of the law of Moses, set within the context of God’s broad invitation and deep, full river of grace, brings inner gladness to our hearts even though we cannot forget some of our past failures.
Before we come together again I truly long for you—as I long for myself—to develop an increasingly deep awareness of God’s joy becoming our strength. The gracious, loving, pure, and delightful trinitarian life of Father, Son and Spirit, when properly understood, will pull us in toward the very heart of God, “charging” us with true divine joy and grace that become our daily strength. Yes, your circumstances may be difficult and even heartbreaking in some cases, but I encourage you—from a lifetime of experience and a solid confidence in the written Word of God—to “be still,” to “not grieve,” to “eat and drink,” and to “send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy” (vss. 11-12). As you come to see ever more clearly the remarkable, amazing grace of God, his joy will be your strength!
Nehemiah 8:10
Bob Rakestraw
In the last posting on “The Benediction Project” I introduced the subject of “the joy of the Lord” from Nehemiah 8:10, our Bible text of the month. This has been one of my top twelve favorite scripture passages throughout my Christian life, and I want to look here at its biblical context and some of its practical application for today.
It is risky, I know, to try to write about joy—true, deep, inner joy—in such turbulent times as these. The world has gone mad, pure and simple. In addition, as I said in the last posting, I am struggling with some difficult health issues related to my heart transplant of five years ago. How can I be so bold as to write about joy, especially “the joy of the Lord?”
I am writing on the topic because I believe God has “wired” (created, designed, constructed) every human being to seek and experience joy, in the same way that he wired us to desire beauty, truth, love and creative expression. The Bible speaks often of joy, or uses similar terms such as rejoicing, delight, happiness, and gladness. If God’s Word mentions joy so frequently it is obvious that God intends us to understand the topic and live it out in daily life. The “fruit of the Spirit” is love, joy, peace and other virtues that radiate the presence of God from within us to others (Galatians 5:22-23). Joy is an essential mark of all Christians, not an optional quality for some special people who are naturally more optimistic than others.
The Historical Background
The date of the events in Nehemiah 8:10 was about 445-444 B.C. It was the first day of the seventh month, Tishri (September-October), the beginning of the civil new year. The time was after the captivity of the Jewish people in Babylon. Several groups of captives had traveled the four-month route (900 miles) to return to the land of Judea and to Jerusalem. When Nehemiah, the governor of the Jewish people, returned to the promised land, he viewed the broken-down walls of Jerusalem and stirred the people to rebuild them. After the walls were finished there was a great assembly in the city square before the Water Gate.
Because Ezra had been the priest, scribe and spiritual leader of the Jews in Babylon, and their ongoing spiritual guide for the 13 years since they had been back in Jerusalem, the people asked this highly-respected man to read and teach from the law of Moses. According to the scriptures,
“On the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.” (Nehemiah 8:2-3, NIV)
After a time of public worship there was a time of public teaching. The Levites “read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.” Surprisingly “all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law” (vss. 8-9).
The scripture readings were from the first five books of the Bible, and some of it was obviously from Leviticus (compare Nehemiah 8:9-18 with Leviticus 23:23-44). The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles all were to be observed during the seventh month, and Ezra and the Levites explained these matters in a way that touched the people powerfully.
Emotions of Sorrow and Joy
Notice the contrasting emotions of sorrow and joy as the people heard the Word of God read, interpreted and applied. Why were they mourning and weeping, and then turning from sorrow to great joy? Dr. H. G. M. Williamson, Professor of Hebrew at Oxford, offers some fine insights:
“The initial reaction [weeping] is probably not to be explained by the fact that the law was unfamiliar to them so much as that the interpretation which Ezra and the Levites provided (vss. 7-8) brought home its relevance to their situation in a fresh way…. Ezra (perhaps for the first time) developed a means of interpreting Scripture whereby parts which had been thought to be out-of-date were shown to reveal the underlying principles of God’s will which were of timeless relevance. The result of this was to stir the people’s consciences as they came to realize how far short of God’s standards their lives had fallen” [“Nehemiah,” in New Bible Commentary, 21st Century Edition, D. A. Carson, et al., eds. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), p. 437].
I have thought for years about the words of Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites to all the people: “Do not mourn or weep.” “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” If the people were grieving over their collective sin of neglecting the Law of Moses—in this case, observation of the feasts of Leviticus 23—then wouldn’t it be appropriate for them to grieve and mourn? After all, the Feast of Tabernacles had not been celebrated properly for 1,000 years—since the days of Joshua (Nehemiah 8:17).
Surely it was not wrong for the people to grieve over their sin. Three weeks later there would be a major time of repentance, fasting, wearing of sackcloth and confession of sin—“their sins and the wickedness of their fathers” (Nehemiah 9:1-2). But, as Dr. Williamson notes so well,
“This [awareness of God’s high standard], however, is neither the sole nor the dominant message either of the OT law or of Scripture as a whole. By reminding them that this day [Feast of Trumpets, Leviticus 23:24] was sacred (vss. 9, 11)—a day on which they were especially to recall God’s past acts of grace and salvation towards Israel—and that the joy of the Lord was the source of their strength (v. 10) as they linked themselves by faith with the experience of their ancestors, Ezra set their legitimate sense of failure within the wider context of God’s grace and invitation. Confession would have its proper place (ch. 9), but the first response to hearing God’s word should be of joyful acceptance (vss. 10-11). It is a pattern of response not unlike that in Acts 2:37-39” (Williamson, pp. 437-38).
The Fullness of Divine Joy
This is such a important point that I felt it needed to be said before moving to the more practical aspects of joy in our next posting on Nehemiah 8:10. For many years I simply lifted the key words out of the chapter—“the joy of the Lord is your strength”—and sucked on them like a piece of hard candy. I even sang them, as some of you may have. While this text does bring gladness to my heart when I simply read it, sing it or recall it, it brings much deeper confidence and delight when I reflect on the whole chapter, and the following one as well. The book of Nehemiah makes it clear that the people celebrated “with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them” (8:8, 12, 17). This proper interpretation of the law of Moses, set within the context of God’s broad invitation and deep, full river of grace, brings inner gladness to our hearts even though we cannot forget some of our past failures.
Before we come together again I truly long for you—as I long for myself—to develop an increasingly deep awareness of God’s joy becoming our strength. The gracious, loving, pure, and delightful trinitarian life of Father, Son and Spirit, when properly understood, will pull us in toward the very heart of God, “charging” us with true divine joy and grace that become our daily strength. Yes, your circumstances may be difficult and even heartbreaking in some cases, but I encourage you—from a lifetime of experience and a solid confidence in the written Word of God—to “be still,” to “not grieve,” to “eat and drink,” and to “send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy” (vss. 11-12). As you come to see ever more clearly the remarkable, amazing grace of God, his joy will be your strength!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Who Cares about Joy? Is Anyone Really Happy?
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 10A
Nehemiah 8:10
Bob Rakestraw
I have just finished listening to the news. I had planned to catch a brief summary of national and international events and then start working on this piece about “the joy of the Lord.” I am doing that, but now I am more hesitant as I begin. The news was wretched: economics, wars, violence, politics, ethics, horrible crimes against persons, and the travail of nations. Not only does the news make me hesitate to write about joy, but my personal circumstances do as well.
Why Write about Joy?
This is a difficult time for me—health-wise and in several other ways—and I would rather write on just about any other scripture text than this one. Of all times, why am I now choosing to write on the joy of the Lord? The reason is twofold.
1. I am coming to the end of calendar year 2008, and there are only three months remaining to write on my top twelve all-time favorite scripture passages, and I know Nehemiah 8:10 has to be covered soon if I am going to write honestly on what the most crucial texts have been throughout my Christian life.
2. This really is the best time to write on this Bible verse because if it is true, as I believe in my head it is, it must apply in the down times as well as the upbeat times. I need to write on this promise precisely at this difficult time in my life, not when I am in easier circumstances or in a happier frame of mind. In this way I believe my words will be most real and helpful to you, my readers.
Lots of Questions
It is a fascinating sentence from the Bible that I wish to focus on this month: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). While I will be looking at the historical context of these words in another posting, I want to raise some questions linking the ancient text with the present day.
• What is the joy of the Lord?
• In what sense is this joy one’s strength?
• Is grieving always forbidden?
• How can we experience the joy of the Lord when the world is filled with so much suffering, sadness, and evil?
• Is this Bible verse simply a literary device to comfort us, or is there real substance behind it?
• How do circumstances—positive or negative—affect our mood?
• Is this a conditional or unconditional promise?
• Are there certain steps or beliefs one must follow in order to obtain this joy?
• Does it work in my own life and in the lives of those I know well?
I do not intend to answer all of these questions now, but hope to address them in a subsequent essay. However, simply to raise questions such as these is in itself a significant step in the direction of understanding and benefiting from our text of the month.
Real Problems and Real Joy
Last evening was a rough time, as evenings often are for me. Here is what I wrote.
"I am lying here in bed, frustrated with life. I am irritable, discouraged, burning hot (but have no fever), nauseated, weak, headachy, angry at my circumstances, and feel like yelling and crying at the same time. An hour or so ago, sitting on the sofa with my wife, I blurted out, ‘I want to die.’ She said, ‘No.’ I answered ‘Yes.’ Then I repeated the words. What prompted my outburst was a question Judy asked about something. I didn’t feel like discussing anything, or living any longer, so I said so. I’ve said this often (mostly within my own mind) during the past five years since my heart transplant, but probably not for a couple of months."
I hope I have not disappointed you by printing the above. I always want to be honest in this blog, and if I am discussing joy, I need to say it as it is. I have never claimed to float on some cloud above the storms of life. I know I wrote in July that I believe firmly in Christ’s yoke being easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:30). Am I now contradicting myself, and saying that I don’t believe that? No, but I am saying that I sometimes find the circumstances of life to be very difficult, especially regarding my health, and I do not always do as well with my attitude as I would like to, and believe possible by God’s grace.
I want to close by holding out this amazing scripture text to you (and to myself) with the confidence I have developed in it over many years. Joy is not the same as happiness, since people tend to measure their happiness by the circumstances in their lives. The more pleasant the circumstances the greater the happiness. This is a fact of life. Christian joy, however, is a deep delight and satisfaction with the person and mission of God, and increases more and more as one identifies with and enters into the heart and mission of God. Joy is the atmosphere of the Godhead: Father, Son and Spirit celebrating and loving one another and inviting the people of this world into that love. Until next time, ask God sincerely and expectantly to make the joy of the Lord your strength.
My brothers and sister, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, NRSV)
Nehemiah 8:10
Bob Rakestraw
I have just finished listening to the news. I had planned to catch a brief summary of national and international events and then start working on this piece about “the joy of the Lord.” I am doing that, but now I am more hesitant as I begin. The news was wretched: economics, wars, violence, politics, ethics, horrible crimes against persons, and the travail of nations. Not only does the news make me hesitate to write about joy, but my personal circumstances do as well.
Why Write about Joy?
This is a difficult time for me—health-wise and in several other ways—and I would rather write on just about any other scripture text than this one. Of all times, why am I now choosing to write on the joy of the Lord? The reason is twofold.
1. I am coming to the end of calendar year 2008, and there are only three months remaining to write on my top twelve all-time favorite scripture passages, and I know Nehemiah 8:10 has to be covered soon if I am going to write honestly on what the most crucial texts have been throughout my Christian life.
2. This really is the best time to write on this Bible verse because if it is true, as I believe in my head it is, it must apply in the down times as well as the upbeat times. I need to write on this promise precisely at this difficult time in my life, not when I am in easier circumstances or in a happier frame of mind. In this way I believe my words will be most real and helpful to you, my readers.
Lots of Questions
It is a fascinating sentence from the Bible that I wish to focus on this month: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). While I will be looking at the historical context of these words in another posting, I want to raise some questions linking the ancient text with the present day.
• What is the joy of the Lord?
• In what sense is this joy one’s strength?
• Is grieving always forbidden?
• How can we experience the joy of the Lord when the world is filled with so much suffering, sadness, and evil?
• Is this Bible verse simply a literary device to comfort us, or is there real substance behind it?
• How do circumstances—positive or negative—affect our mood?
• Is this a conditional or unconditional promise?
• Are there certain steps or beliefs one must follow in order to obtain this joy?
• Does it work in my own life and in the lives of those I know well?
I do not intend to answer all of these questions now, but hope to address them in a subsequent essay. However, simply to raise questions such as these is in itself a significant step in the direction of understanding and benefiting from our text of the month.
Real Problems and Real Joy
Last evening was a rough time, as evenings often are for me. Here is what I wrote.
"I am lying here in bed, frustrated with life. I am irritable, discouraged, burning hot (but have no fever), nauseated, weak, headachy, angry at my circumstances, and feel like yelling and crying at the same time. An hour or so ago, sitting on the sofa with my wife, I blurted out, ‘I want to die.’ She said, ‘No.’ I answered ‘Yes.’ Then I repeated the words. What prompted my outburst was a question Judy asked about something. I didn’t feel like discussing anything, or living any longer, so I said so. I’ve said this often (mostly within my own mind) during the past five years since my heart transplant, but probably not for a couple of months."
I hope I have not disappointed you by printing the above. I always want to be honest in this blog, and if I am discussing joy, I need to say it as it is. I have never claimed to float on some cloud above the storms of life. I know I wrote in July that I believe firmly in Christ’s yoke being easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:30). Am I now contradicting myself, and saying that I don’t believe that? No, but I am saying that I sometimes find the circumstances of life to be very difficult, especially regarding my health, and I do not always do as well with my attitude as I would like to, and believe possible by God’s grace.
I want to close by holding out this amazing scripture text to you (and to myself) with the confidence I have developed in it over many years. Joy is not the same as happiness, since people tend to measure their happiness by the circumstances in their lives. The more pleasant the circumstances the greater the happiness. This is a fact of life. Christian joy, however, is a deep delight and satisfaction with the person and mission of God, and increases more and more as one identifies with and enters into the heart and mission of God. Joy is the atmosphere of the Godhead: Father, Son and Spirit celebrating and loving one another and inviting the people of this world into that love. Until next time, ask God sincerely and expectantly to make the joy of the Lord your strength.
My brothers and sister, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, NRSV)
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