Personal Application
PERSONAL APPLICATION
1. Chrysostom wrote that prayer is a splendid display of God's treasure and power. Have you witnessed this? Take time to read the prophet Daniel's prayers or about John Chrysostom's life and writings.
2. It's easy to turn prayer into a means to an end. How can the reminder of God's indwelling presence change the way you pray today?
REARRANGING THE
FURNITURE
The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, .. If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it."
GENESIS 4:4-7
istory has a way of provoking life's most basic questions, sometimes with deadly forcé. Standing beside ruins and devastation, newscasters daily relay horrors. As harsh realities take hold, the irrepressible Why? often surfaces. Occasionally, even International conscience is so aroused as to ask, Why?
Yet in reality, the question of Why? in a violent act, as painful as such a mindless atrocity can be, is nevertheless meaningless to raise unless we also ask the question of life itself: Why are we here? But alas! that question is dismissed as no longer relevant in an academically sophisticated culture. Is this not, then, a self-destructive contradiction for one who debunks the notion of objective morality? Those who reduce the world to merely the physical cheat when they stray into the metaphysical.
In stark distinction, it is here once again that God beckons with His pleas to a morally deaf world. Granted, the questions raised come from two groups. The deep and prívate pain of those for whom the loss is personal and devastating cannot be simplistically addressed. For them there is One who speaks from a cross. But there is another side to this query, and that is in understanding how and why hatred and murder can be conceived and nurtured in the human heart in the first place.
Again, the very first murder in the Bible did not occur because of two
irreconcilable political theories. The murder of a man by his own brother was an act unmistakably borne out of their differing responses to God. God saw Cain's jealousy and hatred toward Abel and warned him to deal with it: "If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it."
There are only two options: either go to God on His terms and ñnd our perfect peace in His acceptance of us, or play God with self-defining morality and kill— becoming as a result restless wanderers, ever running from the voice of our brothers' blood that cries out from the ground. At its core life is sacred and of inestimable valué, whether it is the life of a child in the fresh blossom of childhood, or the life of an elderly recluse. Both have one thing in common: they are made in the image of God.
We may try by intellectual duplicity to rearrange the furniture of life and define it only in material terms, but each time we sit back and read of genocide or human trafficking, we shift and turn with revulsión, realizing that there is no harmony in the secular "decor," for the cry within of the sacred cannot be suppressed. That is the reason we scream forth Why? at the headlines: we cannot silence the still, small voice inside that speaks of the intrinsic sanctity of life and that it ought not to be violated.
Try as we will, the logical ontworking of a denied absolute cannot be escaped.
God said it to Cain then and God says it to us now: "If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you." Cain became a murderer because he willfully refused to worship the living God and chose, by violence, to enthrone himself. This is an aspect of modern society we have grossly underestimated, and in the process we have robbed ourselves of even common sense. God is not only the Creator who defines us philosophically, but God is also the Provider who meets us existentially in our greatest need and gives us the confidence and comfort that we are beloved and not orphaned in this world.
If we are ever to ñnd an answer to the haunting problem of violence, there will need to be a radical shift in our understanding. We must recognize not only the seen, but also the reality of the unseen, for the latter precedes the former. We would do well to take note that long before headlines hit like explosives in our minds, an even greater implosión takes place in the minds and hearts of those
who set the news in motion. Human rule cannot deal with that internal devastation, but God can. That unseen war is a spiritual struggle—the choice between turning to God and playing God. For that triumph only God is big enough, and the sooner we realize and acknowledge our need, the closer we will be to moving from the symptomatic rearranging of furniture to the cure of coming home.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Consider some of the ways we attempt to rearrange the "furniture of life" to suit our view of how the world ought to be.
2. What is the unseen war we struggle with, and what is the solution?
PERSONAL APPLICATION
í. The Scriptures reveal that we are all prone to murder in our hearts. If you have anger and unresolved conflict, ask God to work in you and to bring peace, forgiveness, and healing.
2. Has violence and pain brought home your own need for God? How might you minister to someone in a similar place?
THE VALUE OF
SOMETHING
Since we have been justiñed through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesús Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
ROMANS 5:1-5
uring a speaking engagement at an American university, I was handed a question scribbled on a note card from a student who hesitated to come to the microphone. It read, "The State of humankind as we know it is on a serious downward spiral, and from my perspective, it's only getting worse. Do you have any hope in the future of humankind and specifically our generation, and if so, why?"
I was both saddened and heartened to read his question. Overwhelmed by the maze of conflicts facing humanity, this young heart sought a way out. And I believe he represents large numbers of young people in the world. Contrary to the "couldn't care less" image we are often given of university students, he reveáis how cióse to pessimism—and despair—many of them actually are.
Students today are not easily taken in; they do not trust readily. But their questions show a depth and an understanding of our world that is lost in the loud shouts of cultural cynicism or cries of hopeless pessimism. G. K. Chesterton makes a significant point: there is a world of difference between sorrow and pessimism. He explains, "Sorrow is founded on the valué of something, and pessimism upon the valué of nothing."- In terms of hope for the future, this
makes all the difference.
I once had breakfast with an atheist who repeatedly insisted that there was no evidence for God—absolutely none. At one point during our meal he told me how much he loves his wife and painfully recounted the details of her battle with disease. His wife was dying, and he could do nothing. After all the intellectual arguments had run into a headstrong, willful resistance, I asked him why he loved his wife. He stared at me. "Don't you see her as a unique woman of intrinsic valué to you?" I asked.
"Yes," he answered.
"But how can she have such valué," I replied, "if all life is nothing more than Chemicals?"
Suddenly, the conversation took a turn. As we got up from the table, he said, "You just keep doing what you're doing in life. You are bringing back common sense into our heads."
I relate that illustration because I say once again that intrinsic worth and the problem of pain and evil ultimately point to the reality of God's existence. The question then becomes, Who is God?
Again, only in Christian theism is love preexistent within the Trinity; thus, love precedes human life and becomes the absolute valué for us. This absolute is ultimately found only in God, and in knowing and loving God we work our way through the struggles of pain, knowing of its ultimate connection to evil and its ultimate destruction by the One who is all-good and all-loving—who in fact has given us the very basis for the words good and love both in concept and in language.
What thoughts occupy my mind as I ponder the world at this present time?
Above anything else, I, like the young man from the university, want to believe in hope for the future. I see reason for sorrow, but it is founded on the valué of so much. Hope, like character, takes years to build and minutes to shatter. But hope, like character, can also rise beyond the moment to reinvest in what is of ultimate valué: an eternal relationship with God.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
í. What are the many dimensions of hope presented in Romans 5?
2. Explain Chesterton's observation, "Sorrow is founded on the valué of something."
PERSONAL APPLICATION
1. "Hope, like character, takes years to build and minutes to shatter." How might this perspective direct your steps this week?
2. What are you hopeful about, and where does your hope rest?
THE GIFT OF FAITH
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing fumace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
DANIEL 3:16-18
w e may be familiar with the concept that faith in God results in works— but we often forget that the reverse is also trae. One of the fundamental distinctives of the Hebrew way of thinking that we ñnd in the Scriptures is the understanding that the knowledge of truth comes by obedience. Christians regard faith as "belief" or "trust," as the Greek word in the New Testament is often translated.
And yet the word for faith in the Oíd Testament is rendered as "faithfulness," suggesting that obedience builds and strengthens one's faith.
A classic demonstration of this principie can be seen in the encounter between God and Moses. When Moses demanded proof that God had indeed called him,
God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain" (Exodus 3:12). The proof of God's cali was after the obedience, not before.
Similarly, Ezekiel, Hosea, and Jonah did not feel like doing what God had asked them to do and questioned Him. In fact, every heartbeat within them was impelling them to do otherwise. Yet God said they were to obey. The remedy was not to do because they felt like doing it, but just to do and their faith would be strengthened.
There are several other instances in the Bible of this urgent struggle to achieve confidence in the wisdom and will of God, even under the impending shadow of death. Think of the prophet DanieTs three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego facing King Nebuchadnezzar's very real threat to toss them into a fiery furnace if they did not bend to his authority. He was not a charitable man, but they refused to disavow their commitment to God, boldly declaring: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it. . . . But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." God honored their faith and, in His mercy, delivered them even after they were thrown into the fire. They, in tura, experienced the triumph of faith when they stood their ground.
Being aligned with God's will is no light matter. Nebuchadnezzar had plundered Jerusalem and its temple and took the Jewish people into captivity. He ordered
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel to be instructed in the Babylonian language and philosophy for three years, preparing them to serve in his kingdom.
Although Daniel and his friends were subjected to a foreign culture, they held to three principies that allowed them to stand against the powerful forces of their day: they drew a line of resistance, a line of dependence, and a line of confidence in God.
They resisted the temptation to accommodate themselves to the pagan culture of Babylon. They depended upon God and knew where knowledge and education ended, and where trust and wisdom in God began. And they had confidence that God alone was Judge—even as Daniel's own ñame indicates. (Daniel means
"God is my judge.") What happened as a result of their obedience to God? Three pagan kings crossed over from their sides to God's side. Three pagan kings prayed to the God of heaven by the time the book of Daniel ended. The kings steeped the young men in Babylonian philosophy and tried to change their ñames and worldview. But God's faithful servants ended up changing the kings' allegiances and identities.
Can it still happen? Yes, it can. Certainly it is sometimes easier to resist God's will than to have faith and confidence in Him and in His specific purpose for each one of us. But from the halls of Washington to the boardrooms of Singapore, God is still at work among His people— especially through those who pray.
Prayer teaches us faith—and prayer is hard work. It is not a guarantor of getting
what we want or a substitute for action. Rather, it undergirds our action with the strength that makes the difference. Faith is that sublime dependence upon God that even though we may not get what we want, we know and love the One who denies us for His good reason and for our ultimate good. It is the assurance that our Lord superintends our lives in our needs and our dependencies, in our successes and accomplishments. The most significant relationships in life are based on this kind of faith. Such faith faces the defeat of desire with the victory of certainty in the One who is in control.
I would suggest that sometimes we lose our ability to sense God or see Him at work because we choose not to obey Him. The inherent danger within all of us is that no matter what God does, we may wish He had done it differently. The gift of faith is precisely what makes it possible for us to accept that God works in His own way (which is not always our way), in His own time, and for His purpose. It is for us to put aside our doubts and fall in line with God's purpose, always looking forward and waiting patiently for the last link to fall into place. Such are the glorious lessons of faith itself. We do, we obey, we yield, we submit to God even when our natural inclination wants to drag us in the opposite direction.
Only through exercising this kind of faith can the moment be accepted and understood as a small portion of God's bigger story. For some of us that individual story may entail a journey that may be long and hard and arduous, but it will be accomplished one moment at a time, one day at a time, each moment and day undergirded by the strength of the indwelling presence of God. Surely we can rest in Him, confident like Daniel and his friends that the God we serve is able to deliver us—and He will deliver us.
True faith depends not only on God's power but also on His wisdom. The world may caricature it by misunderstanding it. G. K. Chesterton was right when he said, "Faith is always at a disadvantage; it is a perpetually defeated thing which survives all its conquerors."
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What are some biblical examples that support the idea that our knowledge of God's truth comes by obedience?
2. What happened as a result of Daniel and his friends' obedience to God? Is there a contemporary example of their faithfulness that inspires you?
PERSONAL APPLICATION
í. What are the three principies that allowed Daniel and his friends to obey God in a dire situation? Have you drawn these boundary lines as well? How and where?
2. Sometimes we are unable to sense God at work because we choose not to obey Him. Is there an area in your life you need to surrender to God and trust
Him to meet you in His way and time?
LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
MATTHEW 5:14-16
ndia is the largest movie-producing nation in the world, and to grow up in India is to grow up in a culture where anything on the screen brings a crowd. Romance on the screen was, at the time I was growing up, very typical. Since kissing was not permitted, romantic encounters routinely consisted of a boy-meets-girl scenario that ended with starry-eyed expressions, each chasing the other around trees, with melodramatic music playing. It is best described as grown-ups playing peekaboo in a jungle. Just as the long-awaited moments of embrace carne, the scene would change and the audience would applaud.
An Indian comedian who wrote a question-and-answer column in a national film magazine was once asked, "What is the difference between love on the Western screen and love on the Indian screen?" His answer was one word: "Trees." Much has changed in the Indian movie world since, but I shall not chase that issue down.
In the existential questions of our lives and in the struggles of our minds, the trees that sepárate the worlds of cultures are numerous. Behind all of our superficial distinctives lie the weighty differences: those of valúes, religión, and worldview. In my work of offering a defense of the Christian faith, God has given me the privilege of speaking on every continent and in dozens of cities, often to those holding a radically different outlook on spiritual matters from my own. I know firsthand that religious issues can be discussed without compromise, yet without animosity, with gentleness, and with respect. While specific beliefs may offend, it is possible to present them without being personally offensive.
I once stayed in Southeast Asia, where I met a wonderful Muslim man. He was the room attendant at my hotel. Every day when he carne in to make up my room, he would also make me a cup of tea, and we would talk. He even bought some oíd Indian movies for me to enjoy. On his day off, he took me sightseeing, and we visited many places of worship. I will never forget him.
On one occasion he invited my wife and me to a lovely dinner at his home. We became very good friends. He knew of my completely different belief to his and would ask me questions. I wish more people showed the kindness he did.
And that is the point I wish to make: we can be worldviews apart without anger or offense. What I believe, I believe very seriously. Indeed, the foundation of my entire life's work is the conviction that Jesús Christ alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Being myself persuaded of this, I am compelled to share that message with others. Yet far more than merely discussing tenets or dogma, I hope to live a life of gentleness and respect, undergirded with love for all people so that the light of the gospel can shine through our differences.
In a world where the trees that sepárate us are large and discussions of ultimate truth often generate more heat than light, we must seek to come together to consider truth in the open. The barriers to belief may be many. The bridges to every heart ought never to be lost. Then and only then can genuine peace come, made possible by the grace of God.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
í. Can you think of some cultural differences between you and others that tend to divide when issues of valúes and religión are discussed?
2. According to 1 Peter 3:15, what two elements are critical when we engage others who may be worldviews apart from us?
PERSONAL APPLICATION
1. Do you know someone whose culture and worldview are radically different from yours? Consider how your friendship and kindness could be a bridge to reveal the love of Christ.
2. The tenets of the Christian faith are essential, but if we have not love, we are
"clanging cymbals" (see 1 Corinthians 13). Learning to love involves a lifetime, but what could you do today to grow in love and shine the light of the gospel?
SHOW US THE FATHER
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesús answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,
'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority.
Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work."
JOHN 14:8-10
t a Christmas Eve Service we attended one year, a short play was featured. It was a monologue by Joseph as, moments after the birth of Jesús, he held the little one in his arms and spoke to Him. He looked into the face of the baby and, with all the musings of a new father, playfully talked about His resemblance to His mother. But then he paused and in all seriousness whispered, "I wonder what
Your Father looks like." One could sense that the hundreds in the audience echoed those sentiments.
Throughout history artists, writers, musicians, scholars, and all who have read the life of Jesús have wondered what He looked like. Interestingly enough, those who actually saw Him took the search a step further: "Show us the Father," they said. Indeed, one of the first questions the disciples asked of Jesús was, "Where do you live?" (Sheer humor would have wanted Him to respond, "You'd never believe Me if I told you!") Whether the Jesús of history or God the Creator, many have wondered what He looked like.
Saint Augustine wrote of a Faustian-type encounter when a momentary delight was offered to him. The only condition was that he would forfeit the pleasure of ever seeing God. He concluded without hesitation: "No pleasure is worth that loss."
In the Father's grace and wisdom, God has blessed us with intellects and senses that long to see, to hear, and to know Him. At the same time, God has allowed our imaginations both liberty and limitation. God cautioned us never to make a
graven image. It bears reminding that though we exalt a person by carving him or her in stone or painting on canvas, attempting the same for God, we are warned, only reduces God. Circumscribing God is fraught with the peril of our own prejudice, to say nothing of its being contradictory.
The Scriptures tell us little about the physical appearance of Jesús. We shall all, therefore, have to await the day when "every eye will see him." But where physical features have been guardedly presented, and with reason, the Scriptures are profuse in describing for us God's person, God's character, and His loving revelation to us in the person of Jesús. In mining the wealth of that contení, we come to understand how profoundly God has responded to the cry of the human heart, Who are You, God? This ought to be the paramount quest of every man, woman, and child, because from that knowledge flows every other answer to the cries of the heart and mind.