Devotionals @ The Mount Church

Abraham is marking time as years go by / Hiding his pain in laughter / Every night he’s counting stars that fill the sky / So certain his dreams have passed him by / Doubting his vision is not so clear / What did God say, what did I hear / Has heaven forgotten, is God still there / He says learn to trust me

On the album “Mercy”, Bryan Duncan has a song that is sometimes hard to listen to. It is so powerful and heart wrenching. It is called “I’ll Not Forget You”; the two main characters are Sarah and Abraham. Taken by itself, the song might actually be the reverse of hope. It is a song of brokenness, with the characters asking God for answers, seeking the path forward, wondering when and how God will live up to his promises to them.

But we come to the song already knowing the end of the story, the way in which God has fulfilled his promise. This side of Jesus’ life and death, we know that God was completely trustworthy. But as in our own lives, in the midst of trials it can be hard to trust, hard to cling to the hope in his promises. From the very start, Abraham has a hard time accepting God’s message (Genesis 15:2). And Sarah laughs at the thought that she and he could bear a child in their advanced age (Genesis 18:11-12). They even take matters into their own hands to help God’s promise come to fruition (Genesis 16). But God is faithful.

It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children - a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth. And obviously people who talk like that are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had meant the country they came from, they would have found a way to go back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why god is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them.

Hebrews 11:11-16

When God’s word speaks of trusting, of enduring, of holding onto hope, it is not overly rosy. It is not painting a pretty picture and denying reality. We all have to deal with pain and suffering.  It is a “feature” of our sin-broken world. It is not always a punishment. But it is always under God’s control. He will give us the strength to bear up under it. We can hold onto hope because we know the faithfulness of our God.

And God’s answer to Abraham and Sarah in the song? It is an intensely personal reply; one that speaks to many today:

I’ll not forget you when you walk alone / I’ll not forget you when you break inside / I’ll not forget you when a loved one dies / I’ll not forget you when your youth has gone / I’ll not forget you in an empty home

What is our hope based on? God knows us personally - we are his - he will not forget about us. If you are struggling to understand God’s will in your life today, finding it difficult to understand God’s purpose in the circumstances of your life, I want to encourage you to hold on to hope. Jesus is our prize, and a treasure that endures. He knows what he is doing and will be faithful, even when we are found lacking in faith. This place is temporary. And pain is a reminder to those in Christ, a reminder that there is a better home awaiting.

And if you have not turned your heart, mind and will over to Jesus today, you can. He is our lasting comfort - the source of hope. He wants to hold us, to let us know how much he shares in our suffering. We can experience God’s compassion, because he longs to give it. As the song offers, “He says learn to trust me…”

action

Take a minute to pray for someone who is hurting, emotionally or spiritually. Let it be someone else, if possible - but if you need to pray for your own circumstances, ask God to help you trust him no matter what.

Today’s song is from the album “Painting the Invisible”, by Vicky Beeching - a song entitled “Suddenly”. Here are the opening lines:

Awaken us to see / The reality of eternity and feel it near / Awaken us to pray / As we watch and wait and anticipate with Holy fear / For the day you’ll return again / Is closer now than it’s ever been…

From start to finish it is a song of expectancy. Something is about to happen! Let’s be ready, vigilant, prepared - can I get another synonym? But she sings of watching and waiting and anticipating Jesus, revealed in glory. Not just watching for all God’s promises and all the prophecies ever made to be fulfilled - but watching for the presence of the king, the one we have placed all our hope on. For his return is not an end. It is a beginning - a beginning of sharing in eternal glory, surrounded by the light of the one who illuminates all of heaven.

This imagery - us living in the midst of heaven’s light is a repeating theme. As Paul tries to encourage believers at Thessalonica - as he tries to help them understand the hope they have in the Jesus’ return - he offers to them the fact that they are children of light and day. He wants them to recognize that they are to live in the light of this truth:

But you aren’t in the dark about these things [Jesus' return], dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober. Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk. But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of his return. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11

Paul moves quickly from the theme of light and darkness and points them to the fact that they should have confidence in their salvation. They won’t be taken by surprise, because God will prepare us. They don’t need to fear the approach of Jesus - though he be the most powerful king ever. They can look to his return with joy. And so can we. Jesus’ return is not a threat of judgment for us, but an encouragement to put all our being into his will, into his activity, becoming like him in every way possible.

Suddenly, every eye will see / As you return in glory / Suddenly, every knee will fall / Before heaven’s coming King / Jesus, here we stand, lifting up our hands / Asking you to purify our lives / So on that glorious day / When we stand face to face / Unashamed, we’ll dance in heaven’s light

It is about hope. Jesus is coming back. When he returns, we get to experience him in all his splendor. Right now, we experience the power he displays through others. We even get a glimpse of Jesus as he empowers us. But one day, we will see him, crowned as king and receiving the praise that is his alone - from all. He is preparing us for that day so that we can stand before him unashamed.

application

Write down one thing you can do that you think would please God.  How is God trying to craft you in his image? What have you been resisting? Or avoiding?

parting thoughts

Paul, after encouraging the church about the approach of Jesus, goes on to share some things that will help them live a godly life. Here is a paraphrased list for you to think on:

Honor good workers and leaders.
Love them and be peaceful.
Don’t be lazy.
Help the timid to be bold.
Care for the weak.
Endure difficult people, no matter who they are.
Surprise people with mercy.
Be full of joy.
Pray. Then pray again.
Tell everyone, “thank you”. Including God.
Don’t sneer at God’s supernatural activity around you.
But test it to be sure that’s what it is.
Cling to the good things.
Run from the rest.

I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness.

John 12:46

Have you ever experienced darkness at midday? The cold winter months seem devoid of sun in the north. The daylight never comes, though it taunts that it might. It can make one weary, make one despair of ever seeing the bright light again.

This stark setting is the backbone of Andrew Peterson’s song “All Shall Be Well”, from the Album “The Far Country”. But far from a dismal sulk, this song is hopeful - reminding us that the light does eventually come. The day returns. The rushing river - frozen solid under the darkness - breaks apart under the warming light in a crashing fury that can take your breath away.

And the night can be so long, so long / You think you’ll never get up again / But listen now, it’s a mighty cloud of / Witnesses around you -  they say / “Hold on, just hold on” / Hold on to the end / And all shall be well

Hope is hard to come by these days. The economy has many wondering - wondering how they will make it another day. Many loved ones struggle under the weight of terminal illnesses, struggling to see light at the end of the tunnel. There are children longing for affection they never receive - leading them into making choices that will darken their future - furthering their darkness rather than restoring the light. There are marriages struggling to find that glimmer of love that bore them. Friendships torn apart and little hope of restoration. All these things can seem to engulf us in a shadow. It is like that long, dark night of winter. We ask for the end. When will it come? Will it come? Or is this all there is?

The difference is “life”. Living without hope is more like survival. It is getting from one day to the next. But we have a hope that gives us strength - that allows us to endure. It is not a flippant hope - “It’ll be alright someday…” It is a certain hope - “All shall be well!”; a hope that even in the midst of dark is illuminated by the light and warmth of the Savior’s love. Will we focus on the night, or recognize that day is coming?

Andrew Peterson’s song shares even this with immense power. For even in the midst of the darkness, there is the encouragement to watch, to be ready for that lost sheep on the edge of camp. The image of a thawing river in the first verse - so awesome - is a reminder that God’s power can melt the hardest heart, frozen by the darkest night. But that means that we have to be holding out the light, offering a place by the fire, looking for the day. The power to do this is the hope within us - a hope given by God himself.

All shall be well, all shall be well / Break the chains of the gates of hell / All shall be well, all shall be well / The Word of God will never fail / And all manner of things will be well

We are not only filled with hope so that we can be happy or well-adjusted. We are filled with hope so that we can take the gates of hell by storm, releasing people from the darkness that blinds them and intimidates them - keeping them from the life that God offers. We can be certain that God is with us - and certain that he will live up to his word to hold us fast. He is coming for us - all who will respond to his invitation. He is preparing a place for us where we will no longer have the threat of night or cold; a place illuminated by God himself and warmed by his presence.

There’s a light in the darkness / There’s an end to the night

for further study
The imagery of light and darkness is all throughout scripture. But you might review a couple of things Jesus had to say about light and darkness. Some examples are Luke 11:33-36 and John 3:18-21.

Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Has there been a song on your mind so far today? Was it there as a reminder or encouragement to be faithful - or was it a distraction from following God’s voice? Poetry - well placed words that call to our imagination - combined with musical accompaniment, has been a feature of the worship of God throughout scripture. It continues to help us focus on Jesus today. Psalms, among many other passages in the Bible, speak to the tenacity and power of song to inspire us and focus our attention.

For the next couple weeks, we will take a look at a number of songs and relevant scripture, all reflecting themes related to the celebration of Advent. Some of these songs you may be familiar with, some not. They span multiple generations of Christians - but all speak to the longing, the desire, the expectation and heart of Advent. Of course, many believers today are not familiar with the practice of Advent. Though a long-standing historical celebration within Christianity, many today have lost sight of its purpose - replacing a celebration of “coming”  - past, present and future - with a celebration of the birth of Jesus alone.

Advent is more than just a celebration of the birth. It is a celebration and consideration of Jesus’ birth, his presence in our lives today, and his final return as Lord over everything. These elements often intertwine even in Scripture, and the same is true in Christian thought. Usually, four key elements get the focus - hope, peace, love, and joy. There are slight deviations from this, but this provides the core.

Hope and expectation highlight the way that our spiritual predecessors waited patiently for God to reveal himself. It also helps encourage us as we daily seek God’s hand and voice. And it always helps us to keep our eyes focused on the promised coming day - the day when we will see Jesus face to face in all his glory.

Peace illustrates for us the fact that God has made a bridge between us. Elements of forgiveness, mercy and grace all play pivotal roles in our understanding of God’s peace. But more than this, God’s peace causes us to live in a completely different way with our neighbors - Christian or otherwise. For God has made a way of peace that is available to all who will come in humility recognizing their need of a savior.

Love takes peace and places it on a firm foundation. Peace is not just a whim. It is not just an arbitrary decision by God. It is the direct result of his love for us -  a love that was lived out in absolute sacrifice. Love has been demonstrated by Jesus in a way that changes the way we can now love and live.

Finally - joy. What can be offered but praise for our God once we have recognized his face? Having seen his love, justice, faithfulness, patience and care, we cry out, “Holy!” And rightly so. The perspective on life is new - even in the midst of darkness, in the midst of death, sickness, fatigue, or economic distress - we now realize that this place is temporary. We see a grander picture, a higher calling. We find a God who wants us to be family. A God who wants to be close.

So take a moment to read and consider what God is trying to share with you this season. Then remind each other of your wonderful God and Savior in any way that you can! Shout (or sing) about what he has done, is doing and will do. What a great God we serve!

“For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes.  And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.”

Ephesians 6:13

Experiencing hard times is an inevitability in this life.  None of us escape having to face suffering.  All of us encounter difficult circumstances and trials at various points and seasons in our lives, and to think we can somehow avoid them or cheat our way out of them is naive and irresponsible.  We must accept the fact that perseverance and endurance are two character traits that we must possess if we are to navigate this life successfully.  And in order to utilize those attributes properly when the time comes, we must know how to be prepared.

Ephesians chapter six talks about the armor of God in detail.  These are the things that we are to “put on” in order to withstand the attacks of our enemy, which will often times show up in the form of hardships in this life.  We must have the Belt of Truth fastened securely around our waist.  This means we must know how to rightly divide fact from fiction, the Truth of God and His Word from the falsehoods and lies of Satan.  We must also make sure we’re wearing the breastplate of righteousness.  The breastplate is a very important piece of armor (as they all are) because it covers the area over our heart.  Making certain that we’re staying in God’s Word, studying His manual for how we’re supposed to be living our lives, and daily applying that helps us understand the path of righteousness that we’re supposed to be walking.  Keeping our hearts pure and and dedicated to God is an imperative aspect of surviving the perils of this life.

We need to be walking “sure-footedly” in the gospel of peace.  We need to be sowing seeds of peace and unity that we may reap a harvest in like kind.  We need to be sharing the Good News of Jesus with those around us and do everything we can to live in peace with everyone.   We must have our shield of faith raised at all times, so that it can ward of the flaming arrows our enemy is constantly aiming at us.  The link between our faith and our survival cannot be understated!  If our enemy can dash our hope and get our eyes centered on our problems rather than on God’s sufficiency and sovereignty, we’re doomed!  Our shield of faith must be held high and we must never lay it down.  When our arms get tired of holding our faith up, as they sometimes do, we must not give up.  We must continue to pray and ask God for His strength and we must rely on the strength of other fellow Christian soldiers to help us stay strong too.  We must stand side by side, arm in arm, advancing on the enemy.

Our heads are covered and protected by the helmet of salvation.  Our mind, the control center of our entire body, lies underneath that helmet, so it is imperative that we are certain of our salvation and know without a shadow of a doubt that our destiny lies within Christ.  He is the one who paid the ultimate price for our eternity, and we have to remember that our redemption is rock solid and guaranteed as we place our belief and trust in Him.  Don’t let Satan play mind games with you.  He knows who you belong to, and we cannot allow him to trick us into forgetting Whose we are either.  When he tries to deceive you, to cause you to doubt your ability to hang on, to persevere, to endure…when he is whispering in your ear to throw in the towel, give up on your marriage, stop trying to reach out to your wayward child, forsake your prayer life, turn your back on your career, turn to an addiction in order to cope, or even give up on life itself, you have got to stand!  You have to never say retreat and you have to wield your weapon, the Sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word, and you have to go on the counter-attack!  Dive into the Bible, find Scriptures that you can memorize to shoot like bullets back at Satan whenever he tries to mess with your mind and discourage and defeat you.

I love the idea that Ephesians 6 reminds us that when we’ve done everything we can to stand, when we’re feeling exhausted and drained and like we just can’t take another step, we’re still told to “stand!”  Retreat is not an option for the follower of Christ, and that is evidenced by the fact that in all of the  the armor we’re supposed to be wearing, there is no mention of anything to cover our backs!  We are to face our enemy and the difficulties of this life head-on and trust God every step of the way.  To retreat would leave us exposed because there is no armor described for covering our backsides! And that is because God never intended for His children to run from Satan or the difficulties of this life.  We’re told to resist the Devil (James 4:7), not run from him.  In fact, when we resist him, he is the one who will flee!  Satan knows what it is to retreat and to have to run away, God does not!! And we must never forget that when all is said and done in this life and eternity is underway, God is the Victor!  That has already been decided and sealed.  Satan’s final destiny is one of defeat, so as members of the Lord’s team, we’re already on the winning side!

Does that mean we won’t get tired and weary?  No.  But it does mean that when those times come, we still never give up, we never give in, we never back down, and we never lose hope.  For our Hope is Christ and He endured everything for us.  When Calvary was looming large and He was agonizing over the path He knew laid in front of Him, He still stood strong; for you, for me, for us.  We cannot do anything less.

So, when you’ve done all you can to stand, keep your eyes on Jesus and He’ll help you keep standing!