Call Me Clingy

The Word is first...

Psalm 63:8 (NIV)

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

I have some friends who are rock climbers. Though I can't climb a canyon wall, I delight in seeing them scamper up the side of a cliff as though it were ladder. But there are times when the going gets tough and they have to hold on with all their might lest they fall. Their hands are strong from years of use and hours upon hours of clinging to small outcroppings and crevices in the rock formations.

I've seen similar hand strength displayed by other people who are far less conditioned for such activity. For instance, I've thrown a rope to a person who is trapped in the middle of a raging river and in imminent danger of being swept away. It is amazing how tightly they were able to cling to that rope as we pulled them in against the current. Once they reached the shore, it was equally amazing how reluctant they were to relinquish their grasp on that literal lifeline.

Both these examples share some things in common. They both involve physical strength and they are both about what an individual can do when properly motivated. They are also practical examples, metaphors if you will, of the concept of clinging to that which offers us hope, safety and salvation. Both serve to illustrate the importance of holding on to the appropriate thing at the appropriate time that life may be preserved.

Now take that concept and apply it to spiritual matters where it is even more important to cling to that which sustains and to release that which drains. For truthfully, if the rock climber loses his grip, he loses his life and if the canoeist loses their grip on that rope they are swept away in the current to be dashed against the rocks downstream. But if our soul clings to something that is unstable, if we pin our eternal life upon something that is false, then have lost something far more important that our physical life; we lose eternal peace. If our soul relinquishes its grasp upon that which is stable or willfully removes its piton from the one true hope, then all hope is lost as we are swept away in the current of worldly living. And in the end, when the truth is revealed, we too shall cry out for one more chance only to hear the empty echo of our own voice calling back to us.

Today's study verse was written by David as he traversed the desert. Though hunger and thirst ravaged his body, though physical death was ever present, David never relinquished his clinging grasp upon the rock that is our God. He wrote "My soul clings to you" as a proclamation of his faith and as an example to us. But he didn't stop there for that concept again speaks only of the efforts of the individual and does not adequately portray the truth of the matter.

Consider the drowning man to whom I threw a lifeline. As you envision the situation, put yourself in that position. And now, honestly evaluate the circumstances by which you were saved. Did God throw you a lifeline? I believe He threw me a line to hold on to but he didn't haul me out of the raging current of my sinfulness by that line. I was sinking beneath the surface when he plunged his hand into the river and scooped me out of the water. It was not by the rope that I was saved, it was by His hand that I was rescued. It was his beautiful, nail-scarred hand that lifted me to new life. Was it the same for you?

Apparently it was the same for David for even as he wrote "My soul clings to you" he continued with "your right hand upholds me." Isn't that a beautiful picture to consider? Our clinging to God as he carefully picks us up out of death and lifts us to a new life in Him?

And now that God has saved me from the suffocating flood of selfish, sinful, wastefulness I too cling to Him and I too am upheld by His right hand. You can call me clingy if you like, I call it blessed.

Shalom,

Carl

Help Me Out Here

The Word is first...

Romans 8:3-4 (NIV)
³ For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

There are just some things I cannot do alone. For instance, yesterday I was reminded that by myself I am unable to get a 150lb water heater into the attic. In order to get that tank up into the attic not only did I have to broaden the opening but I also had to identify, ask, accept and depend upon help from another. It took two men the better part of the day to accomplish the job but in the end, it was finished.

Inasmuch as I am unable to do that job by myself, so too am I unable to meet the righteous requirements of God's Perfect Law. No matter how much I might struggle and strain, my sin nature condemns me under the law as I am unable to carry it out. I can't blame my ancestors for I myself have sinned and fallen far short of God's glorious standards.

In my youth (and my folly) I tried to broaden the way to Heaven. I mistakenly thought that if I could just make it a little bit wider, more inclusive so to speak, then I could make it through the opening and into the presence of God. Not only was I unable to broaden that gate, it was the wrong gate at the end of the wrong road. Long before I ever set out for that destination, my sin and The Law had already sealed my fate.

But even before I struck out on that journey, another knew my need and he himself threw open the gates by paying the penalty of my sinfulness on my behalf. He built bridges from the road I was destined to travel that I could escape the dead-end of sin and cross over onto the Highway of Holiness (nod to Dr. Stephen Olford who articulated this for me).

Though I had sinned and fallen short, though by my own efforts I could not overcome the righteous requirement of God's Perfect Law, by his sacrifice the sin in me was condemned and I was set free. Not only was I set free from the chains which I had fashioned myself but I was declared righteous. I was given a new life in Christ to be lived according to the Holy Spirit and by that the requirements were met.

All I had to do was to identify the risen Christ as my Lord and Savior. I had to ask for God's forgiveness for my sin. I had to accept the sacrifice of Jesus as a blood offering on my behalf. And I have to depend upon Him for the daily strength to live according to the call He has placed upon my life. It took a death upon the cross and the better part of my life to accomplish the job but in the end, it is finished.

Perhaps like me, you are trying to do this job by yourself. Perhaps like me, you think that by broadening the opening and trying harder you accomplish the task. Trust me when I say that this is one job that you absolutely, positively can not do. You need the help of Jesus. There! The first step is done; that is to identify the one who can give you the help you desperately need. Now it's up to you to ask, accept and depend. As soon as you do, that job is done, it is finished.

Shalom,
Carl

In The Midst of Problems

The Word is first...

Jeremiah 45:5 (NIV)

⁵ Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

During the troubling economic times in which we live, there are many who have lost their jobs, lost their savings, lost their cars, their homes and many other earthly possessions. By conventional wisdom it would seem that we have little to celebrate. Yet of all the things from which we are separated, we are neither separated from life itself nor from the love of God. By godly wisdom we have a great deal to celebrate. Though the stock-market may fall, it is but the loss of an idol. Though our car be repossessed, the fact that it is repossessed is clear indication it was not ours to begin with! Though we be forceably evicted from our home, we continue to be welcomed in God's house.

Truthfully, during such times we have an opportunity to exercise our faith in God and this afterall is the right response he desires. If we step back and look at the situation objectively we can see that our Sovereign God is putting the nation to the test. He is allowing us to suffer the consequences of our idolatry and faithlessness. Yet, he has not forsaken nor abandoned us anymore than we forsake our children when allowing them, in the spirit of discipline, to suffer the consequences of their actions.

But even now, there are those that seek to not only survive the test but to excel. It is a peculiar desire that in the midst of destruction we seek not only to be spared but also to prosper. It is particularly perplexing to hear someone say that "they don't deserve" this suffering or that they somehow are entitled to prosper even as all those around them are confronted with calamity.

It is somehow comforting for me to know that this is not a unique phenomena. Today's study verse is God's response to Baruch who in the midst of destruction thought that he was somehow entitled to something better than everyone else. Based on earthly lineage Baruch expected to be a high-ranking government official but instead had the office of secretary to an unpopular king. Even as the entire nation was being punished by divine judgment, Baruch moaned and groaned about his position and his circumstances. Rather than crying out for relief for his people he cried out about how God's judgment added sorrow to his pain.

Our merciful God responded to him that even as I (God) am overthrowing what I have built and uprooting what I have planted, everywhere... "Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life."

In this passage we can sense the frustration God must have felt towards the people who turned their backs on him and disobeyed his commandments. Yet even in the midst of such frustration he showed mercy to Baruch in that he allowed him to live. He gently rebuked Baruch for his self-serving aspirations and corrected him by pointing out that which remained even though all else would be removed.

As I watch my life savings dwindle away I have two choices. On the one hand I could bemoan my misfortune and lament the loss of money. Or, on the other hand, I could thank God not only for my life but also for my family and for his continued provision of our needs. I could be bitter about the loss or I can rejoice in the opportunity to exercise my faith as I learn to more fully rely on God.

You too face a similar choice. Will you grieve the death of the idols of wealth, financial security and retirement? Or will you rejoice in the eternal life that God has freely given? God did not free me from sin so that I could be bound by golden chains to financial success. He freed me from sin that I could live. That's the choice I make. That's the challenge we all face. How will you choose?

In His Grip,
Carl

Consistent and Persistent

The Word is first...

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

My daily prayer is to be different today. Specifically, I pray to be closer to the image of Christ today than yesterday. I also pray that tomorrow I will be closer than today. In that way, I acknowledge who I was, who I am and who I want to be. The truth of the matter is that I am a work in progress, in a transient state and in a sense inconsistent. Of course, it is wonderful not to be consistent in the state I was in yesterday, the old me! I praise God for taking me out of that life, giving me a new life and a model, in His Son, that I am to emulate.

One of the many beautiful things about Jesus is reflected in today's study verse; he is unchanging. Not only has he existed since the beginning, he exists today and he will continue to exist forever. He is persistent in his existence. More than that though is that his character is consistent. As Scripture tells us "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." There are two points for me to ponder in these ten words.

First, is this tense of this passage; it is present tense. It does not say that Jesus Christ was the same yesterday as he is today. Nor does it say that he will be the same tomorrow. It says that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow." This gives me a sense of the eternal presence or persistence of Christ in that he exists outside of time as we know it. The tense paints a vivid picture for me of the fact that God, Jesus and The Spirit exist in my three known tenses (past, present & future) simultaneously. Whether this reveals an understanding of how time really 'works' is of no consequence to me. I pass through time in a linear fashion in that I was yesterday and am no longer. I am today and shall soon be no longer and prayerfully I will be tomorrow, God willing. The Holy Trinity by way of contrast just is and this of course reminds me that God identified himself to Moses as I AM. Jesus Christ is persistent across all time.

The second point that fascinates me is that this verse celebrates the immutability of Christ. He is neither prone to nor susceptible to change. Hallelu Yah! As He is in the beginning so too is He now. As He is now, so too is He tomorrow. He does not change in any fashion. The attributes and characteristics inherent to Him never diminish or expire. There is no room for improvement nor fear of vascillation for he is perfect. He never wavers, changes his mind or regrets for he is consistent. This is in stark contrast to mortal man, to me.

I am as grass in the field, here today but gone tomorrow. I am as a reed blowing in the wind, back and forth, to and fro and I am just as likely to change my mind moment to moment as the sun is to shine. Whereas Christ is perfect, my greatest characteristic is that there is room for change, lot's and lot's of room for change. Hallelu Yah! Whereas Christ is complete I am a work in progress and as I move ever closer towards the image of Christ I am improved. Hallelu Yah! Whereas Christ is fully mature, I am but a baby; immature and full of potential.

It is important for me to have something solid in my life, something that I can depend on, something upon which to build my house. Praise God that Jesus Christ is that something for me. In fact, he is my everything. He is.

Not Yet Done,
Carl

The Measure of Treasure

The Word is first...

2 Corinthians 6:10 (NIV)
10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

I see this bumper sticker around town that reads "Don't let my car fool you, my real treasure is in Heaven." Usually it's plastered onto the back of a car that is well past it's prime but just the other day I saw it on the back of a brand new luxury car. At the time I thought that was an odd statement to make on that particular vehicle. But in retrospect I realize that I based that opinion on false assumption and a misplaced value. You see, I was thinking that the person didn't need to make excuses for their vehicle as was the case with those cars that are 'past their prime.' I was thinking that the car itself IS the treasure. Both these statements reflect a problem in me that wrongly assigns value to Earthly things based on their outward appearance. I had lost touch or perhaps I have not yet matured as a Christian to the point where I can eschew things of this world to the extent that God would have.

The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, in his letter to the Church at Corinth articulates a value system that is based on faith in God and the total confidence that accompanies such a fervant belief. In the passage presented for study today Paul writes of the challenges he faces in terms of contrast. In the verses that precede v10 he contrasts; glory and dishonor, bad report and good report, genuine yet regarded as impostors, known yet regarded as unknown, dying yet living on, beaten but not killed. In each of these pairs we see one aspect that is enough to discourage and one aspect that is sufficient to encourage. The one which governed the life and attitude of Paul was whichever he chose and so it is with us. By worldly standards, Paul had plenty of reasons to pout and protest. Yet he did not and the reason he did not was because of the faith which fueled him. By his faith he was able to chose the aspect of every situation that was encouraging.

In v10 Paul remarks that as a servant of God he commends himself to... sorrow yet always rejoicing. I believe that the sorrow that motivated Paul was not the petty anxiety of concern over his situation. Rather I believe it was a deep compassion and empathy for the lost. I believe that Paul's sorrow was for his fellow man and the road not taken. Yet he rejoiced; he rejoiced in the fact that he served a God of second chances who can, will and does pluck the repentant off the path to destruction and place their feet on the highway to holiness. As a redeemed sinner, Paul had plenty over which to rejoice and welcomed every opportunity to spread the Good News of Christ Jesus.

Paul further speaks of poverty; "poor, yet making many rich." Of course, he was not making people rich by the giving of money but rather through the act of charity that is sharing the truth of salvation and the promise of eternal life. Paul was following the example of Jesus Christ in reaching out to the poor, both from a conventional perspective and from a spiritual perspective. Where the redemption offered by Christ is there to are riches beyond comprehension. Thus a person can be at once poor (monetarily) and extravagantly rich if he has but the love of Jesus in his heart.

Paul continued in this vein when he spoke of "having nothing, yet possessing everything." I find this concept to be irreconcilable with the world and culture in which I live. Not only is possession nine-tenths of the law, it is ten-tenths of perceived success. But if we examine this not with respect to money but with respect to eternal matters, we can see the wisdom of it. As Christians we recognize that we are only stewards of Earthly things which means we 'have' nothing. Yet by demonstrating our ability to be faithful with that which God has entrusted to us, we find ourselves rewarded with still greater responsibility. In this way, we possess everything that we may give it back to God. Further, as Christians we recognize that this world is not our eternal home and that though we may 'have' things of this world, it is only for a season and then it is gone. However, the matters of love, faithfulness, gentleness and joy, though have no substance in the world, they are the very things that we may possess forever.

With this new and improved understanding I can see that the drivers of both cars, the one past it's prime and the one that is pristine, perhaps have a better grasp on the principles of Paul than I give credit for. The wisdom given by God and the conviction delivered by The Spirit must be put to use in my life. I must move past the point where outward appearance is equated with success.

Growing,
Carl

Redemption by First Fruits

The Word is first...
1 Corinthians 15:20 (NIV)

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Beginning in Genesis and continuing throughout Scripture we see a consistent requirement that God receive the first fruits of our lives. Not just of our labors, nor just of our money but in every matter be it of the heart, the soul, the mind or the body, God deserves and expects that our very finest be given unto him.

The matter between Cain and Abel was a matter of the intentional setting aside of first fruits versus the haphazard giving of whatever was laying about. It was the willingness to give of the best, the first choice so to speak that elevated Abel's sacrifice to the level of acceptability to God.

Abraham was called to give his first-born Son as a sacrifice and he purposefully set about to do that very thing. Yet in the final moment, God intervened and spared the life of Abraham's son. Nevertheless, it was Abraham's willingness to give his first fruits to God that allowed him to find favor in the sight of God and he was accordingly judged faithful.

When God revealed The Law to the nation of Israel, he set forth the penalties of sinfulness to be a sacrifice; a sacrifice of the first fruits. And when God set forth the requirements for tithing, it too was to be of the first fruits.

And so we see God's expectation. We know that God reconciled us to himself by the sacrifice of his own first fruit and it is by that sacrifice that we have the surety of salvation. As further proof of our redemption, he has placed his seal upon us in the form of The Holy Spirit. From our own experience we can testify to the reality of the indwelling Holy Spirit and by it's proddings, groanings and guidance, we know with certainty that we have been adopted into the family of God and are claimed as his own. This work was accomplished, finished by Jesus as he died upon the cross as the vicarious sacrifice for our sins.

In my mind, this is but half of the mystery. It is by the sacrifice of God's first fruits that I have been redeemed, freed from the bondage of sin. I do not believe that it was the death of Christ Jesus that secured my eternal life. It is the resurrection of Christ Jesus that, his victory over death, that assures me of eternal life. Inasmuch as I participate in his death by dying to myself, I participate in his resurrection by being reborn in him the surety of which is the new life which I now live, yet not I but Christ lives in me.

By Jesus' sacrifice, the penalty for sin has been satisfied and I have been declared worthy in the sight of God. By Jesus' resurrection, death has been defeated and all those that have died in Christ shall also be resurrected in the final days and will then live forever in God's presence. The resurrection of Christ is the firstfruit which enables all believers to be included in the resurrection.

So then I live my life in constant remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross which freed me from sin. And I celebrate the empty tomb which testifies to the resurrection of my Lord and gives me faith that I too shall be resurrected in the next life into his presence.

In His Grip,
Carl

Are You Hated?

The Word is first...

John 15:19 (NIV)

¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Of constant interest to me is the charge that we are to live in the world yet not be about the world. By that I mean that we are not to chase after things of the flesh and we are to cast aside all the carnal desires that are so important to people who are about the world. As Christians, we are to love not just one another but everyone no matter their faith or lack of faith. We are to forgive ourselves, our brothers and sisters as well as our neighbors; basically everyone. We are to be salt in light in the world that those who do not yet know Jesus are encouraged to come taste of him and to come bask in the light of His glory. We are, at every opportunity, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone that crosses our path.

If we live up to our charge, if by the power of Holy Spirit we are successful in doing all these things, we can expect to be hated by the very people that we serve. This is not for any wrongs we have committed against those we serve but rather because of the 'rights' we have committed in their sight. By living joyful and exemplary lives in front of them while at the same time eschewing their entire value system, we reveal them for what they are; lost, hopeless, frustrated, disappointed, shallow people. For our ability to love them we shall be hated.

This ability to love is a divine blessing and an inheritance that accompanied our adoption into the family of God. And that adoption is the proof that we have been chosen by Jesus to be called his own. So our service to others in love and forgiveness marks us as Christians and invites those who bow at the altar of idols to hate us.

If then the proof of who owns us is measured by whether we are hated by the world I must ask you "Are you hated?" Do you recoil at the very thought that someone might hate you? Is that because you spend your time and energy trying to convince everyone that you are lovable? When you sense that someone hates you does your mind immediately go to "what have I done?" Consider the very real possibility that you have done nothing, what is hated in you is what Christ has done.

It seems counter-intuitive that if we love so fully and forgive so completely, if we are so clearly associated with Jesus Christ as to be unmistakably His disciples, then we will be hated. Yet, there it is in John 15:19.

So I leave you now with this charge... love so much, forgive so much, sacrifice so much that you are hated.

In His Grip,
Carl

A Promised Reward

The Word is first...

Revelation 2:17 (NIV)

¹⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

Today's study passage is contained in the letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. In this letter, Christ commends the church for its faithfulness though existing in the very seat of sin described as "where Satan lives" and he admonishes them for continuing fellowship with "people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam.. who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans."

A quick study of the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans reveals a propensity towards idolatry, the consumption of food sacrificed to idols and towards sexual immorality. The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible indicates the Nicolaitans were a "heretical sect" whose sins were equated with the teaching of Balaam. We have to go to the OT to find out exactly what those sins were and it is there that we learn that it was Balaam who advised Balak to prey upon the Israelites weaknesses so as to separate them from fellowship with God. These weaknesses included intermarriage with the Moabites, the worship of idols and sexual immorality associated with the Moabite religious practices.

It saddens me to say that thousands of years later, we as a people are susceptible to the same bag of tricks. It is far too easy for us to run after every opportunity for profit and to rush headlong into one of mankind's oldest traps; namely idolatry. Throughout the Bible we read of entire nations that turned away from the One True God and towards idols of stone, wood and metal. Though the materials of which the idols are constructed are different, nevertheless, modern idolatry is real.

We need look no further than the sports page of the local newspaper or to scan the channels of our television sets to see that there is a plethora of substitutes proffered by man for us to worship. There are people who spend thousands of dollars so that they can see a sports star play a game yet they neither tithe nor give to charity; idol worship. There are millions of people who sit glued to the television set to see who will be given the title of 'idol' in a competition of talent and popularity; idol worship. There are millions of people who chase after the thrill of illicit sex, whether virtual or literal and bow at the altar of sexual indulgence; idol worship.

These same people don a mask on Sunday mornings and file into our churches that they may give lip service to the Almighty God and maintain the appearance of righteousness. They are modern-day Nicolaitans and they too hold to the teaching of Balaam. Though they do not know the name and in fact call themselves by other names, they are nevertheless, idolaters.

In the letter in which our study passage is found, Christ calls upon the church to REPENT! Otherwise, he himself will come and "fight against them with the sword of [his] mouth." A mighty weapon is the Word of God and sharp is the sword of Christ's mouth. I want no part of that battle!

Therefore, the word today calls us to PAY ATTENTION. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." REPENT. And for those that hear, for those that engage the battle of repentance now, for those that turn away from the idols of this world and turn towards the kingdom of God, there is a promised reward. RECEIVE. Christ says "To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."

The condition for the fulfillment of the promise is to be an overcomer. We need only to depend upon God, enjoy his fellowship through Jesus and to live lives led by the Spirit to meet this divine condition.

The content of the promise is 'hidden manna' and 'a white stone with a new name written on it'. I turned to Merriam-Websters for further understanding of what this might entail. I was rewarded with the concept of "divinely supplied spiritual nourishment" and "a sudden and unexpected source of gratification, pleasure, or gain." Now I will freely admit that using a secular dictionary has its' pitfalls but I believe the concept is valid. That is, those that overcome receive a special dispensation from Christ himself.

As for the 'white stone with a new name' I do not know whether it means that a new stone has been added to the breastplate of the high priest with the new name being a tribe name or whether each individual receives a new name along the lines of Simon called Peter. But what I do know is that Christ has promised a reward to those who overcome. I know that Christ would not offer something of worldly value but rather offers more than I can comprehend.

Therefore, I hear and I listen and I call upon you to do the same. Turn away from the idols of the world in which we live. Commit yourselves to the true teaching of Christ Jesus and stand your ground in his name. In doing so, not only will you live a life that is full and rich serving God in this life but you will lay aside eternal treasures to be realized in the life hereafter.

Shalom,
Carl

Not As Silver

The Word is first...

Isaiah 48:10 (NIV)

¹⁰ See, I have refined you, though not as silver;

I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

In the passage that precedes this verse, God is reminding the nation of Israel of their wickedness and of the fact that his redemption of them is for His sake, not theirs. This is a fact that we can all take to heart. Being the selfish lout that I am, I have a tendency to think that God redeemed me so that I could be with Him; that's simply not the case. God redeemed me so that He could be with me. In the former statement, the focus is on me, my needs and my benefit. In the latter statement the focus if rightly on God, his desire and his will. That is a fundamental change in perspective or paradigm that I would be well-served to internalize and live out. As Rick Warren said "It's not about [me]."

The study verse today speaks of how the people had been refined at the hands of God. It is this refining process that brings us to the point of "presentability" to God; this is the nature of sanctification. However, God draws an important distinction in this passage between the common metaphor of the silversmith and the reality of what God is doing.

God said "though not as silver" and herein is the point. We often think of ourselves as the silver and God as the silversmith. It's a fair metaphor that helps us to understand the process of sanctification. However, there are two points that we need to consider.

First, we need to be careful not to overvalue ourselves. For us to compare ourselves to silver is to assign a value to us that may not be realistic. I'm made from clay, a common component that is walked upon every day. I'm made by God and called according to his purposes. In that realization there is true value. Think of it this way... I'm a painting. If I'm a painting by Carl Schultz, I will never fetch a high price at auction. But if I'm a painting by Renoir or Rembrandt or Monet, I will be worth a fortune at auction. As a painting, I have no intrinsic value but as a creation of a master, I am invaluable.

Second, in the practice of refining silver the silversmith heats the silver and draws away the dross or contaminants. This practice is continued until there is virtually no contaminant in the silver; it is pure; sterling. Now compare this concept to the nation of Israel who repeatedly turned from God to idols and sinfulness. If God were to refine them as silver, after removing all the dross, in the end there would be nothing left and they would be thrown out. Rather, God has refined them to a point, partially refined them if you will to the point where He finds them acceptable yet not pure.

So it is by the refining process of affliction that the good in us is brought out. It is by our sharing in the suffering that we may become the vessels of noble purpose which God intends for us. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, our afflictions reveal God's glory and it is for His sake that we are tested and refined. Though indeed we benefit from the process and from His favor, we must not forget that it is for His sake that we are.

Peace,

Carl