What Do We Do With the Rest?

It was just a simple question, almost spoken in passing during one of Pastor's sermons. But it struck me at the time, and I wrote it down in my sermon notes.

I don't even remember the exact context of it now. I only know that the Holy Spirit used it to cause me to examine how I had used the days of "rest" during Christmas break. As I ran across this question again this week, I was reminded of the responsibility we all have to use the times of rest God gives us wisely and well.

This current crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has left many of us somewhat -if not completely- isolated, and has cleared our schedules of the external things with which we keep ourselves so busy.

So what have we done with this opportunity to rest? Have we kept ourselves busy worrying? Have we filled up our extra time with binge-watching or social media, trying to numb loneliness or fear? Have we continued to rush from distraction to distraction, or have we used this time to rest in the Lord; to be still before Him? Have we brought our burdens and fears to Him, then enjoyed the rest of knowing that He has heard and will act for our good?

As the world around us has ground to a halt, have we allowed ourselves to slow down as well?

Being too busy has become somewhat of a habit for me, and it has taken a concerted effort for me to let myself slow down and accept this season of rest. Yet I know that God has provided it for a reason, and means for it to draw me closer to Him.

I have to be careful, lest I overcrowd my days with things that distract from the Lord, but that is not the only danger during seasons of rest. We might be as equally prone to squandering the season of rest by doing nothing. This week, I have struggled to stay motivated to do what I know I need to be doing.

 It often takes just as much effort to say "yes" to what God wants us to spend time on as it does to say "no" to things He wants us to avoid.

I have found that God sometimes gives me rest by having me do something that I might not think will promote rest. For example, I usually take a nap on Sunday afternoons (doesn't everyone?). However, during this time when I have more opportunity for physical rest, I have found it helpful to use that time on Sundays for extra Bible reading and study instead. This has helped me rest spiritually and physically, since giving up my nap makes me more tired when it's time to sleep.

Whatever your season of rest looks like, it has come with a responsibility, and we must each ask ourselves, "What do we do with the rest?" The answer will be a bit different for each person, and requires that we spend time being still before the Lord, asking Him to direct us throughout each day.

As always, the key is to stay focused on God and submitted to His will -even in our times of rest.

"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." 

Matthew 11:28-29

Joy in the Midst of Crisis

Our world is in a state of crisis. It is a crisis with the potential to reach into our very homes, putting us and those we love dearest in peril of our lives. These are indeed serious times.

Yet because of the seriousness and the universality of the crisis we are facing, it is more important than ever that Christians maintain a Christlike outlook on what God has allowed at the global, national, state, and personal levels of our lives.

So how do we do this? How is a Christian to face a time of crisis such as we are living in? Hebrews 12:2 gives us the answer:

"Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

We can in this crisis, as in all others, take Jesus' conduct as the example of what our own should be. Jesus faced crisis. He was betrayed by a friend, wrongfully arrested, falsely accused, found innocent multiple times, but then sentenced to the cruelest of executions, having been passed over for a pardon in favor of an undoubtedly guilty murderer. He was beaten, mocked, made to carry a heavy cross uphill to the place of His execution, He had nails driven into His hands and feet, and then endured the agony of the cross.


And how did He handle it? This Hebrews passage, as well as the Gospel accounts, indicate that Jesus faced this enormous load of suffering calmly, patiently, and confidently. He saw the shame of the injustice of His trial and suffering as nothing. He despised it -that is, He saw it as insignificant in comparison with all it would accomplish.

The reason He was able to thus dismiss the shame of His trial and endure the weight of His suffering, is "for the joy that was set before Him". Jesus looked ahead to the joy that would come as a result of His suffering.

Matthew Henry says: "He rejoiced to see that by His sufferings He should make satisfaction to the injured justice of God, that He should make peace between God and man, that He should open a way of salvation."*

The joy of what God would do through the crisis is what kept Jesus going throughout all the suffering He endured for us; It is that same joy that can keep us going through our current crisis, and any other crises we may face.

We can face sickness, suffering, even death with the calm assurance that God's Word is true, that Romans 8:28 is not just a hope, but a reality!

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

 My pastor commented on Hebrews 12:2 once in a sermon, and I thought what he said was particularly striking. He made the statement: "Christ's joy insulates us from the happenings of life."*

Think about that. It insulates, but does not remove. The joy set before Christ didn't remove the suffering He was to endure; but it did insulate Him from the spiritual effects of that suffering by placing it within a greater purpose. He felt the physical and emotional pain, but bore it with spiritual grace and fortitude because He knew what it would accomplish.

Our current crisis has a greater purpose. We know that because we know that God has already promised to use it for good to those who love Him. --COVID-19 is included in "all things", right? Then we can trust that God will do as He has said and use it for good.

The world is watching us, to see how we respond. Will they see us gripped by fear and worry, depression and despair, or will they see us respond with joyful grace and confidence in Christ?




*Matthew Henry: Matthew Henry's Commentary p. 1926
*Dr. Ben Jaquith, from a sermon Oct. 20, 2019

The Heart of Christ's Sufferings

It is easy to look at Christ's suffering as just a fact. Something that happened, and now is done. It is a fact, but it is one that deserves our attention as well as our gratitude.

The following verses from Isaiah show just how deep the sufferings of Christ were:

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." 

Isaiah 53:3-5 

Now go back and read that passage again... I'll wait. 

While He was suffering, the very people whose punishment He was taking upon Himself stood there, watching, mocking, having rejected Him and called for His crucifixion. In an even further display of His steadfast love, Christ cries out to God the Father audibly, asking forgiveness for these who had so wronged Him -these for whom He had chosen to suffer.

But Christ's suffering was not just for those present at the crucifixion. It was not even just for the Jewish people: it was for everyone --you and I included. The following verse is so commonly memorized and quoted, sometimes we pass right by it without thinking about it.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

It is not just that Christ suffered, or that He suffered for some; His love and mercy are so great, that He chose to take on Him the punishment for all sin, not just some.

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again." 

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

At the very heart of Christ's sufferings is love. Not just love for us on a global level as one might "love" dogs or cats or horses, but individually. Christ took your sin on Himself, that you might be forgiven. 

You see, God is just. His very character requires the punishment of sin. Were God to overlook sin, He would cease to be who He is. Yet God is also merciful. That is why He made a way to satisfy His justice, while still mercifully extending forgiveness to us. 

Sin had to be punished, so Jesus -God Himself- took the punishment. He allowed Himself to bear the punishment for our sin, so that we could have His righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it this way:

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 

Yes, it was love that motivated this substitution. Love unlike anything we would expect.

 "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"

Romans 5:7-8

Christ's love is not based on any merit of our own. That is why we can come to Him as we are: sinners, deserving of God's just punishment. That is how Christ could offer free forgiveness: because His blood has paid the penalty for our sin.

"Much more then, being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

  Romans 5:9-10

 So as you think on Christ's suffering this Resurrection weekend, remember that love for you was at its heart, and your salvation was its aim.

Finding the Purpose of Your Wilderness

Have you ever been in the middle of nowhere? I remember once, on a trip with my sister, driving away from the highway into a terrain of low hills, with nothing but dirt as far as eye could see. It was late summer, and the ground was dry and dusty. The road was good, but the farther we got from “civilization”, the more I began to feel the suffocating feeling of being far from human help with no cell phone signal. 

My imagination began to conjure up “what-ifs”. The car could break down, we could get a flat tire, we could be on the wrong road entirely and not realize it until we ran out of gas, hopelessly far into the wilderness… all this ran through my thoughts within the space of a minute, then sped back through for another lap. Round and round they raced. I asked my sister how long it would be until we got there, and her reply bought me a few seconds of relief before my imagination got to work again. -I was so happy when we finally pulled into the dusty little town to which we were going!

There’s just something about being in a wilderness that is panic-inducing. I think for me it is because in a wilderness I become acutely aware of the fact that I am helpless, needy, lacking necessary resources, and completely cut off from human aid. 

I got to thinking about wildernesses today as I pondered the current state of our world. We are helpless in the face of this virus. We are needy and lacking necessary resources as workers are forced to stay home and companies reel with both the loss of business and a lack of workers. In addition to our economic resources, some other daily resources are in short supply: grocery stores have been out of staple food items, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies. Healthcare professionals in many places are facing a lack of masks, equipment, and medicine. 

As so many states and nations issue stay-at-home orders and social distancing has become the norm, we have become a people cut off from human aid, both physically and emotionally. We cannot gather together in person for encouragement or socialization, we cannot reach out to touch another person for fear of imparting or receiving a deadly illness. As masks become a more widespread precaution, we are even unable to smile at others when we do see them out in public.

Yes, this moment in history does feel very much like a wilderness.

And yet, did you know that God often takes His servants into a wilderness in order to fulfill a specific purpose? A quick scan of Scripture reveals many of God’s servants being sent into a wilderness for several purposes. Perhaps God will use one of these to encourage you today about your corner of the wilderness!

    1.      To meet with God

Moses was sent into the wilderness, where he met God, who spoke to him from the midst of a burning bush. It was in this encounter that Moses’ walk with God began. As far as I can tell from Scripture, Moses went into the wilderness viewing God solely as the God of his fathers, distant and impersonal. But by the time he left the wilderness, God was his own God, the God whom he now served and spoke with directly.

Perhaps this is you. Perhaps your wilderness is for the purpose of making God your own, of beginning or developing a true relationship with Him. Perhaps God has slowed your life down so that you will have no excuse but to take time to get to know Him.

    2.      To build your faith:

Israel spent over 40 years in the wilderness. Yes, it was in judgement for their unbelief and disobedience when they first got to the land, but God always has a loving purpose behind His judgements. He is just, but He is also merciful.

In the wilderness, their faith was tested and built over and over again. With every fresh difficulty came a fresh opportunity to learn to trust God, and to see that He is trustworthy.

The Disciples also found themselves in a wilderness at one point, and it was there that they brought to Jesus a lack of resources. They didn’t have food for the multitude, and it was too far for them all to walk to the nearest supply, but Jesus did a miracle and showed them that He was not hindered by their lack of resources.

Perhaps God is giving you an opportunity to learn to really trust Him. Look around you. Are there difficulties you can’t solve yourself? Those are the difficulties in which your faith can be the most effectively built as you learn firsthand that God is worthy to be trusted. God often removes our resources so that we can learn to trust Him to provide, just as the disciples had to trust Jesus to feed a multitude with just five loaves of bread and two small fish. (Matt. 14)

    3.      To prepare you for service

David spent years in the wilderness watching sheep, during which time God was preparing him to fight Goliath. He then spent years in the wilderness again while running from Saul, and was prepared to be king by the development of his leadership skills and the strengthening of his character. But more importantly, both of David’s wilderness periods were preparing his heart by teaching him first of all to delight in God, and then to wait upon God. He was being prepared spiritually as well as physically and mentally.

John the Baptist also lived in the wilderness until it was time for his ministry to begin. His was a solitary time, so far as I can gather, and it prepared him to hold fast to the truth God had for him to proclaim, no matter if people agreed with him or not. It prepared him to be bold with the truth and to stand firm, even when it meant prison and death.

Perhaps this time is a solitary time in which God desires to knit your heart to Himself, preparing you for later ministry through this time of decreased distractions. Perhaps the lack of human companionship is meant to teach you to delight in God, and perhaps the uncertainty of this time is meant to teach you to wait upon Him. (A book I’ve been listening to recently is Waiting on God by Andrew Murray. I highly recommend it!)

    4.      For Victory

Jesus Himself was led into the wilderness, not just to fast for forty days, not just to be tempted by Satan at the end of that time, but, --perhaps most importantly-- to have victory over temptation and the tempter.

Perhaps your corner of the wilderness is a corner fraught with temptation. This is the time to get close to God, cry out for His help, search the Scriptures for the truths that combat the lies Satan is using to try to trap you, and to finally experience the victory Christ has already won on your behalf!

Whatever the purpose is in your particular corner of this “wilderness”, know that it is a good purpose, for the will of God is “good, and acceptable, and perfect”. (Romans 12:2) Look to God, and ask Him to show you what He desires to do in your heart. Seek Him, dear reader, for He has promised to be found of you.

“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart, and I will be found of you, saith the Lord”

Jeremiah 29:13-14a

“For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Luke 11:10

Book Review: Beyond Stateliest Marble

Yesterday, I finished reading a little volume entitled Beyond Stateliest Marble: the Passionate Femininity of Anne Bradstreet by Douglas Wilson. It is part of a series called "Leaders in Action", from which I have another biography I've never quite been able to get through. I plan to try again, however, after reading this one.

The biographies in this series include several distinct parts, and admittedly, the first section detailing the life and historical times of Anne Bradstreet was a bit dry. (Which is quite a concession from a history nerd, who really appreciated the historical background so carefully given... it just took me awhile to get into it.) After that, however, I was very pleased with the straightforward writing style (even if it was slightly ironic in a book about a poet).

Wilson did a great job of demonstrating just how Anne's Puritan beliefs informed every aspect of her life, and also just what those beliefs were. He dispelled many common myths about the Puritans and backed up his assertions with good historical and Scriptural data.

As a historian, I enjoyed the book and feel like I have a better grasp of where Anne Bradstreet's life and work fit into the broader scope of history. I had tended to imagine her out on her own living on a homestead somewhere, writing poetry constantly, but in fact, she lived in a close-knit colony, which really functioned like a town. She and her community were greatly affected by the political goings-on in England, and it was fascinating to have snippets of Anne's own writings scattered throughout the descriptions of the different turns of events in the English Civil War.

As a writer, I was encouraged by the fact that she did her writing in a few hours here and there, snatched from sleep. She was not a full-time writer by any means. I was also encouraged by the balance her life displayed between fulfilling her God-given duties to home and family, but also using the particular ability God had given her to its fullest.

As a Christian, and particularly as a Christian woman, I was encouraged by how Anne's life displayed not only submission to the authorities in her life and to the roles of daughter, wife, and mother, but also at the utter fulfillment she had in those roles. Wilson says it well, referring to the publication of her first book of poems (which was done without her knowledge):

"The publication of The Tenth Muse revealed Anne Bradstreet's profound humility. She accepted it, and she took pleasure in it. But she did all this without altering the direction and course of her life, and without being distracted by it. Her identity was not that of a poet. She did not adopt poetry as a minor 'career'. She was a wife and a mother, and she used her poetic gifts from the vantage point of that identity. She did not cling to them as a substitute for that identity." (p.91)

Anne Bradstreet's life is remarkable as an example of a woman whose devotion to God fueled every aspect of her life, whether writing, family, or even just how she viewed the world around her. This biography demonstrates the power her godly example had on her family and community, as well as the power it can still have on Christians as we look back to the life she lived as she walked with God.

Walking in the Light of God's Countenance

Sometimes, life can seem bleak. We can become so consumed by the ordinariness of everyday duties and routines that it seems as if nothing else exists. Particularly now, during this period where life has slowed to a crawl across the nation and even across the world, it can seem that there is nothing to be anticipated but tedium, trouble, and worry.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how much loveliness God has allowed in my everyday life, even during this time of difficulty. There are leaves and flowers beginning to burst from their buds, a flurry of birds has suddenly appeared, cheerfully singing as they dart from branch to branch, and even when I am stuck inside, there is the loveliness of having time to take a few extra minutes to read and enjoy a cup of tea.

Even though it may seem that our days are being wasted while we are stuck at home, the reality is that every day has both purpose and beauty, because each day is the day that God has planned specifically for you to live. As the Psalmist says, "This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24)

For the Christian, there is always a reason to rejoice, because God is always present and at work in our lives. At the very least, we can rejoice that God's mercies are new every morning! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Consider Psalm 89: 13-18

"Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is Thy hand, and high is Thy right hand.

Justice and judgement are the habitation of Thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before Thy face. 

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. 

In Thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

For Thou art the glory of their strength: and in Thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king."

What did it say about those who knew "the joyful sound" of the mercy and truth which accompany God's presence? It says that "they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance."

So how do we walk in the light of God's countenance?

To walk in the light of God's countenance is to see all the world around us in the same light as God sees it. For example, if God intends your life and mine to be lived for His glory, do you think He will put us on a path that wanders aimlessly or without purpose? Throughout the Bible, we can see glimpses of what God is like, and at every turn of the page we see Him. Down through the ages, at every point in history, through every blessing, every calamity, God is there, working out a distinct purpose.

If I believe that God is good, loving, powerful, and at work in my life, how can I complain that life is purposeless or bleak? There is something to be learned, done, or said each day that brings glory to God. To view my life in the light of God's countenance will necessarily mean viewing it as having purpose and meaning.

This one truth holds a powerful application: it means that each new day is like a gift to be unwrapped. God already knows what it will hold, for He has planned it out for our good (Romans 8:28). It only remains for us to open it and choose to see the gift through the eyes of the Giver.

I say this a lot, but it bears repeating because it is true. What we need when we feel that life is dull, boring, or tedious is simply to renew our focus on the Lord. After all, it is in God's name that the people in Psalm 89 will rejoice. He is the One that brings favor, strength, protection, and leadership. He is the source of all things for the Christian, and it is to Him we must look to be satisfied.

When we are focused on God and His plan for each day, we can live in joyful and constant anticipation of what He will do. Even when we are by ourselves, God can work. He is not limited in His ability to be glorified simply because we are limited in our ability to interact with others.

So look to tomorrow with joy and hope, and let us all choose to walk in the light of God's countenance.

Staying Close to God when Away from His People

These past two weeks have been very strange. Without church, and with substantially less interaction with my church family than perhaps ever in my life, I have been impressed by the truth of how this time in partial seclusion really highlights the fact that Christianity is a personal relationship, not dependent upon routine or ritual to feed or nurture it. We are fed and nurtured by the Holy Spirit through God's Word and by communion with God in prayer. Since our relationship with God is not dependent upon church attendance or fellowship with others, it is possible to thrive spiritually, even while longing for fellowship with other Christians. 

Of course, we are not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together", as Hebrews 10:25 states, but when necessity prevents us from gathering, it is amazing to me just how much we can end up flourishing in our relationship with God, as long as we choose to stay close to Him.

Last week, I was reading in Joshua 22, and was struck by the thought that our situation is not altogether new. Here's the passage that stuck out to me:

"Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you: 

Ye have not left your bretheren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.

And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your bretheren, as He promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side Jordan.

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents."

Joshua 22:1-6

The men from the tribes of Reuben and Gad, had asked for lands across the Jordan river from where everyone else was to settle. You can read about their request, and their interchange with Moses over it in Numbers 32. Basically, the deal was, they (and apparently half of the tribe of Manasseh, as well,) were to be allowed to settle west of the Jordan, but only on the condition that the men would go with the rest of Israel and assist the other tribes in taking the Promised Land.  

Once the tribes were basically settled in their lands, Joshua dismissed them, with the words of the passage above. The men from these tribes had been faithful to their word. They had risked life and limb to claim a land they would not inherit --apparently without complaint. Now it was time for them to return to their own lands. They had the honor of being found faithful, and were returning home in the joy of both victory and proven character, not to mention the commendation of their leader. 

But now the most difficult work was before them. Joshua charged them: "But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." (22:5)

They were heading towards home, ye, and it was a well-deserved reward for their labors to be able to return to their families and begin to build a "normal" life, but in heading towards home, they were heading away from their spiritual leadership, their place of worship, and the accountability of their fellow Israelites.

They were going with permission, even blessing, but also in the understanding that theirs would be a more challenging task; it would take diligence and great effort for them to do those things which were commanded of the Israelites. They would have to cross a river to get to where the tabernacle was when they needed to make offerings or celebrate the feasts. It would take extra effort to remain diligent and faithful without the accountability of the other tribes.

Perhaps the application of this passage has already stood out to you as it did to me: Just like these two and a half tribes, we are at home, with permission (perhaps even compulsion) from our authorities. The reason for the separation is different, but the principle remains the same: In being at home, away from the assembly of our fellow believers, we face the same challenges as these tribes. We face having to make an extra effort in getting our offerings in, we face the temptations that come with diminished accountability, and we face the great responsibility to remain faithful --even to grow and flourish-- apart from some aspects of the Christian life that provide accountability and encouragement.  

So as we face this time of being apart from our assembly of believers, may we do as Joshua charged: May we take diligent heed to obey God's word, to love God, to walk in all His ways, and to keep all His commandments, cleaving to Him, serving Him with all our heart and with all our soul.