God’s Omnipresence vs. Manifest Presence

A truism of life is that no matter how old you are, there’s always something new to learn – or unlearn. Regardless how advanced we are in terms of age, we’ll never get to be a know-it-all. Especially from a spiritual perspective.

 

One important aspect of Christian theology, even for us non-professional “laypeople,” is learning about the attributes of God. There are many from which to choose, but among them are the “omnis,” which include His omniscience (being all-knowing), omnipotence (being all-powerful), and omnipresence (being present everywhere).

 

I find the omnipresence of the Lord particularly intriguing. It kind of reminds me of the lines from “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” – “he knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good….” Except in God’s case, it’s not a lilting Christmas ditty. It’s true because He is everywhere. 

 

King David wrote in one of his most familiar psalms, “You know when I sit down and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways…. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:2-3,7). David concluded regardless of whether he went to the heavens or the depths, was in darkness or light, God would be there.

 

This can be very comforting, knowing we can’t go anywhere or find ourselves in any circumstances without God being near. But it seems to me this also raises a question. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus Christ said, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (Matthew 18:20). If we know God is omnipresent, why did Jesus need to say this?

 

While pondering this question, I recently heard a pastor make a notable distinction between God’s omnipresence and His “manifest presence.”

 

As I understand this, it means that when believers assemble together – such as in a small group, at a Christian conference, or in a worship service – our omnipresent Lord manifests His presence in a special way. Especially through our prayers and praise. For instance, one translation of Psalm 22:3 states, “But You are holy, You who inhabit the praises of Israel.” 

 

Interesting, isn’t it? God “inhabits” the praise of His people, meaning He’s actively present in our worship and praise. An everyday analogy – limited as it is – might be helpful here. Consider a mother who’s in the home, available at a moment’s notice for her child. But the child is busy, oblivious to mom’s presence. Until a little crisis occurs and then, “Mommy!” Instantly the mother is there, ready to help in whatever way is necessary. She’s already present, but when needed her presence is ‘manifested.’

 

Here’s why the distinction struck me: For much of my life as a follower of Christ, I’ve regarded the music portion of a worship service kind of like a pregame warmup, or perhaps the appetizer before the main course. As a music lover I’d enjoy the songs – some more than others – but was really anticipating the “meat” of the service, what the pastor would be teaching through his sermon.

 

However, discovering the reality of God inhabiting the praises of His people has given me a fresh perspective on the musical aspect of worship. The New Living Translation of Psalm 22:3 offers an intriguing image: “Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” Almost like having our praises create a throne on which the King of Kings rests. He’s metaphorically seated or dwelling in the praises offered by His people – Israel in biblical times, His Church today. 

 

Looking into this a bit further, I found a couple useful observations online. On biblestudytools.com, Britt Mooney wrote about God inhabiting our praises, “It transcends the notion of a distant, aloof deity. It paints a picture of a God intimately involved with His creation, responding to His people’s authentic expressions of adoration.” 

 

And on Christianity.com, Jessica Brodie observed, “Praising God means telling or otherwise expressing how wonderful and great we believe God is and how much we love Him.”

 

How do we get the notion of God “inhabiting” our praises from Psalm 22:3? The original Hebrew uses a combination of the adjective “qadosh,” meaning holy or sacred, according to Strong’s Concordance, and the verb “yashab,” which means to sit, remain, or dwell. The holy God sitting or dwelling with us.

 

This doesn’t mean God is present only when people sing praises about Him. Being omnipresent, He’s not confined to one place. And of course, many worship services are happening at the same time. But He’s glorified and we can experience His manifest presence when His people gather to honor His name. When we praise Him, He draws nearer to us.

 

The Scriptures are filled with words of praise for God who, as the giver of every good gift and sustainer of everything that is, is the only One truly worthy of our praise. As the lyrics from the time-honored Doxology remind us, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….”

 

When we do what Psalm 100 encourages, to “Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth” (or in my case, “Make a joyful noise…,” in the King James Version), we’re inviting Him to manifest His presence with us. As the psalm goes on, “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture…” (Psalm 100:2-3).

 

Many other psalms offer similar sentiments. But it’s important to remember that while our omnipresent God is always with us, when we praise Him and in effect shout “Abba Father!” He eagerly responds, “I’m right here!” 

Even the Lone Ranger Had Tonto

Growing up, one of my favorite television shows was “The Lone Ranger.” Every Saturday morning I’d sit in front of the TV to watch the latest exploits of the masked, mysterious champion of justice. He’d ride into town unannounced, take care of the bad guys, and ride off into the sunset on his trusty white steed, Silver, shouting, “Hi-yo, Silver, away!” 

However, Baby Boomers like me will remember the Lone Ranger wasn’t alone. Somewhere along the way he’d picked up a companion named Tonto, an Indian. (Today, the correct term is native American.) Tonto never had much to say but was always there to help whenever needed. In fact, Tonto had a nickname for the Lone Ranger, “Kemosabe,” one meaning of which is “faithful friend.”

 

One of the challenges in effectively living a life of faith is the temptation to be a “lone ranger” Christian. We might attend church, maybe even read the Bible with some consistency, but don’t have other believers we engage with on a regular basis. We haven’t made a point of developing some “faithful friends” to stand by us.

 

Perhaps this is a product of the pervasive messaging from the “Me Generation,” focusing on individual needs and wants. Or maybe it’s because of our American culture, which has long promoted individualism, a “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality. Reading the Scriptures, however, we don’t find any endorsement for an independent, ‘I can do it all by myself’ mindset.

 

To the contrary, we see an emphasis on community, providing mutual support and encouragement along the arduous path of what we can call our spiritual journey. For instance, Hebrew 10:24-25 instructs, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

 

Many a one-time zealous believer has been derailed because he or she did not have caring Christian friends to ‘spur them on toward love and good deeds.’ The walk of faith with Jesus Christ is wonderful, but whoever said it’s easy either hadn't been a believer very long or wasn’t being truthful. Because being made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) doesn’t make us immune to the problems, pain and pitfalls of living in a sin-broken world.

 

Another passage speaks of the benefits of not living an isolated life, but rather partnering with others in whatever we’re endeavoring to do: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

 

There’s a lot packed into those verses, but they underscore the power and synergy of teaming up with others in striving to achieve common goals. It includes being able to accomplish far more by working together than operating independently; being available to assist when we stumble along the way – which we’re all prone to do; finding warmth and comfort; and joining in defense against dangers and formidable obstacles. Sometimes pride causes us to want to declare, “I did it my way – without any help,” but there’s great joy and satisfaction in collaborating to achieve something worthwhile.

 

We can find our ‘faithful friends’ in many settings. It could be a small group at church, where we slowly build close, genuine relationships. An accountability group in which members can help one another in atmospheres of trust and mutual concern. A discipling or mentoring relationship that can foster spiritual, personal and/or professional growth. As Proverbs 27:17 points out, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man [person] sharpens another.”

 

When we hear of a prominent Christian leader falling into sin, it’s very likely failure to maintain open, honest, accountable relationships with other believers was a contributing cause. The same is true of once ardent Christ followers who suddenly stop attending church, taking part in opportunities for spiritual growth and support, or even associating with other believers. At some point they decided they could go it alone as ‘lone Christian rangers,’ only to tragically discover that it doesn’t work.

 

The human body is a wondrous machine. It consists of a variety of organs, limbs, bones and other critical elements. When they’re all working together, we’re healthy. But when one or more of them isn’t operating properly, we become ill or diseased. The apostle Paul used the body as a metaphor to underscore how much we need each other.

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ…. God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).

 

The Lord created the human body – and the body of Christ. Both work best when all the members are united in a common purpose, supporting and strengthening one another for the opportunities and challenges of each day. If you find yourself trying to follow Jesus as a ‘lone ranger,’ pray for God to bring at least one ‘Tonto’ who can come alongside you. 

When It’s Over, What Will Be the Measure of Your Life?

We measure lots of things: Waistlines, heights of our growing kids, amounts of specific ingredients in a recipe, dimensions of a room, “wingspans” of aspiring professional athletes. Good carpenters excel at measuring – they measure twice, then cut once. Perhaps the most important measure of all, however, is the measure of a person’s life – the impact that endures long after they’re gone.

 

One phrase often used for this is “leaving a legacy." As we grow older, it’s something many of us think about increasingly. Because when all has been said and done, the measure of our lives won’t be how much money we earned, stuff we accumulated, titles we earned at work, places we visited, or other tangible things like that. A legacy reflects the mark we’ve made, the impact we had on the lives of people encountered along life’s journey.

 

When we think legacy, we tend to think about the accomplishments of famous people – George Washington, Marie Curie, Henry Ford, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Elvis Presley, Mother Teresa. And without question they made invaluable contributions to our world. But we don’t have to be celebrated statesmen, inventors, scientists, entertainers or humanitarians to leave a legacy. We all will leave one, for better or worse.

 

Recently, a friend of mine, a mentor of sorts for a couple of years, passed from this life. Before I had the bright idea to take drum lessons again – decades after the last time I held drumsticks – I’d never heard of Bill Brewer. Turned out he was a celebrity of sorts in the world of musical entertainment, particularly that of country music.

 

Bill’s career spanned several decades. Another friend, also a drummer, described him as “the closest thing Chattanooga has ever had to a drumming legend. And we have produced some amazing talent from here.” And yet, while drumming expertise will always be part of what he’s remembered for, Bill’s greatest legacy was the impact he had on his students – mostly younger people – who developed into skilled drummers in their own right under his tutelage. 

 

For years he groomed drummers who played at our church’s various venues, and as his wife, Milagra, said, “his students will cherish the memory of Mr. B as their drum teacher and mentor.”

 

A committed Christ follower, Bill had a literal “come to Jesus moment” years ago when he experienced a serious accident in his van while driving back from one of his concert gigs. He escaped with only cuts and bruises, but that event helped him realize it was time to reorder his priorities, including his marriage. 

 

Even though he loved playing drums and remained in demand, Bill chose to devote the rest of his life to serving the Lord very intentionally, including playing regularly with the worship teams at our church. But his greatest impact was teaching drumming – and imparting to his students what it means to have an active faith in Christ. 

 

During my lessons with him we often spent a portion of the time talking about the Scriptures and the exhortation to “do your work for the Lord…knowing you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward” (Colossians 3:23-24). Well before Bill was diagnosed with cancer, we had frequently discussed how his legacy ultimately would carry on through the lives and hearts of the students he had trained.

 

After many years of enduring and enjoying the grind of being on the road playing country music, he had discovered the truth of Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 

 

Of course, we can’t all be drummers and drum teachers. But whatever God has called us to do, whatever gifts He’s entrusted to us, we can use to serve and honor Him – and to point others to Him, helping them to see and understand what it means to live one’s faith on a daily basis, imperfectly but consistently.

 

We can do this as an educator, physician or nurse, contractor or construction worker, retail clerk or salesperson, engineer or CPA, writer or editor, chef or baker, attorney or law enforcement officer, airline pilot or Uber driver, executive or administrative assistant, or volunteer. As Jesus challenged His disciples shortly before ascending to heaven, “…you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

 

Whatever we do, wherever we go, we can be like Joshua who declared, “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Our determination to do so will truly be the measure of our lives. As British missionary C.T. Studd wrote in a simple poem, 

“Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last.” 

So Many Causes, Only So Much Money to Give

Have you ever gone to your mailbox with anticipation, perhaps expecting a letter or card from a family member or friend (increasingly rare these days), a check you’ve been waiting on (also not as common as it used to be), a package, or your favorite magazine? You open the mailbox and…no letter, no check, no package, no magazine. Instead, all you find – besides the usual junk mail – are several envelopes from a variety of charitable organizations. 

 

There’s a letter from a veterans’ organization, asking for a donation. A couple from Christian ministries you support occasionally, asking for another gift. Some organization that’s dedicated to fighting a dreaded disease is asking for your help. An international organization that assists impoverished families has a heartfelt plea. And there are a couple of other “asks” from charitable causes you’ve never heard of; they probably got your name from another organization you support that sold their mailing list.

 

How do you handle all that mail, besides throwing them into the pile you’re saving for recycling? It’s not all “junk mail,” because many of the causes are worthwhile, but you can’t support everyone, right? 

 

Some folks don’t do much charitable giving at all, so this isn’t a great problem for them. If they don’t give anything, ministries and non-profits won’t be asking them for more. But for those of us who believe that as followers of Christ one of our responsibilities is give to charity a portion of what the Lord has given to us, it can pose some difficult decisions.

 

The Scriptures state that some people have the spiritual gift of giving – “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us…if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously…” (Romans 12:8). I believe that refers to individuals God lavishly entrusts with money and material resources they eagerly pass on to others. As one philanthropist told me, “The Lord shovels it in and I shovel it out – and He has a bigger shovel.”

 

However, even if our spiritual gift isn’t giving, we’re still commanded to give as God enables and directs. Proverbs 3:9-10 exhorts us to “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

 

Jesus explained it this way: “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). 

 

So, for the obedient believer giving isn’t an option. The question is where or to whom to give, and how much. The Bible teaches a primary recipient should be the local church. If we are benefiting from being part of a local congregation and believe God is accomplishing His work through it, we should certainly support its staff, activities and programs. However, there are other causes that deserve to be considered. How do we determine who receives our contributions – and who doesn’t?

 

There’s no single answer to that question. Each of us has certain causes and ministries that capture our interest. We should trust God to guide our decisions, particularly since He’s the one who provided us with the resources. He might lay a special need on your heart that doesn’t resonate with someone else. We do have an obligation to give wisely, knowing our contributions are, to borrow a phrase from the Salvation Army – one of myriad worthy causes – “doing the most good.”

 

Whenever I’m faced with charitable giving decisions, I’ve found great encouragement from the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

 

This tells me, first of all, that when we give to meet a specific need as the Lord impresses us to give, we can trust He’ll be faithful to meet needs that we have. That our giving, done wisely, won’t result in not having enough for our own needs.

 

Second, if we’re giving “grudgingly,” as another translation expresses it, we’re not doing so with the right spirit and motives. We might be feeling pressured, giving out of a sense of obligation, or because other people we know are doing it. As the passage closes, “God loves a cheerful giver” – literally, a hilarious giver. That’s not someone who’s very reluctant to let loose of their money.

 

This doesn’t fully answer the question of where we should direct our charitable gifts, but it does address the “how” – cheerfully and not under compulsion, and “why” – because God commands us to do so through His Word. Unsolicited requests for donations will continue coming through the mail, just we can’t always block spam arriving in our email inbox, but at least we don’t have to feel guilty about not responding to each one we receive. 

Most of all, we must never forget “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), because as we give cheerfully and willingly, we’ll receive the joy and satisfaction of knowing God is using us to be of help to others in need. 

Considering How You Would Want to Be Treated

We see it all too often: People berating a customer service associate or cashier. Students displaying disrespect to their teachers. Faceless individuals typing insults or mercilessly bullying others on social media. Protesters shouting epithets, sometimes engaging in acts of physical violence.  

TV commentators showing little patience or respect, shouting down each other’s statements and opinions. Athletes spitting on each other. In some cities, looters breaking into stores and carrying out goods of all kinds. Hostile politicians grandstanding to demonstrate opposition to the speaker.

 

The list could go on. Depending on who they happen to agree with, observers either applaud such actions or condemn them. A couple lines from the 1966 Vietnam-era protest song by Buffalo Springfield, “For What It’s Worth,” summarized what we’re still seeing 60 years later:

“There’s battle lines being drawn

Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong…

A thousand people in the street

Singing songs and a-carrying signs

Mostly say hooray for our side….”

 

Sound familiar? Why has our society come to this? What has spawned this age when incivility has become the norm; acrimony is viewed as acceptable, even commendable behavior; and common manners and decorum have been cast into the dumpster?

 

In a time when people across the political spectrum build arguments based on their own interpretations of “the rule of law,” it seems we’ve forgotten – or dismissed – a far greater rule. It’s what we commonly know as “the Golden Rule”: “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31).

 

Jesus Christ addressed this in a variety of ways. Matthew 22:36-40 records an occasion when the Pharisees, religious leaders who prided themselves on external rules-keeping, asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Perhaps they presumed He would select a particular favorite from the Ten Commandments.

 

His response wasn’t what they expected. “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

The first is foundational for everything, but let’s focus on the second. Jesus’ words, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” were another way of saying, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ as the King James Version translates it. The phrase is repeated elsewhere in the New Testament, including Romans 13:8-9, Galatians 5:14 and James 2:8. 

 

Unfortunately, the prevailing mindset these days seems very different, more like, “do to others before they can do it to you.” Do whatever you feel like doing; worry about the consequences later.

 

What does it actually mean to “do to others as you would have them do to you”? Maybe the best way to answer that is to look at the last part and ask, “How do you want others to treat you?”

 

Would you want people to politely hear and respect your opinions, even if they don’t agree with them? Whether in your home, at work or another setting, would you want someone to genuinely listen to what you had to say? If you were a teacher and had spent hours preparing the lesson for the day, would you want your students to be attentive and desiring to learn? 

 

Looking at it another way, if you were a sales associate in a department store, would you want someone angrily accosting you about some grievance, even if you had nothing to do with it? If you were a law enforcement officer, would you want folks throwing objects at you simply because you’d been assigned to that area to maintain order? If you owned a retail business, would you want people breaking windows and stealing everything within reach?

 

This brings to mind the adage attributed to native Americans about walking a mile in the moccasins of another individual. Doing to others as we would have them do to us involves putting ourselves in their place, trying to understand their needs and feelings, and responding appropriately.

 

Jesus’ parable about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) illustrates this perfectly. A man, a Jew, had been robbed and beaten, left for dead. Two upright religious leaders, a priest and a Levite, saw the man but moved to the other side of the road, acting as if they hadn’t noticed them. Obviously, they never considered what if they had suffered the same plight.

 

Then a Samaritan came along and even though Jews and Samaritans weren’t exactly bosom buddies in those days, he attended to the wounded man, took him to an inn nearby and promised to pay all expenses for his care. Whether he knew the commandment or not, the Samaritan literally did for another what he would have wanted someone to do for himself.

 

Years ago, people wore WWJD bracelets representing the question, “What would Jesus do?” Maybe we need to start wearing bracelets that read, DUOAYWHTDUY – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It could help to usher in a new season of civility and compassion.

The Value of Reminding Ourselves Not to Forget

Are you a list maker? Some of us are prolific at making lists – to-do or “honey do” lists; shopping lists; daily activity lists; Christmas giving lists. But why do we devote time and effort to making lists? It’s simple: To not forget. 

Years ago, I participated in a time management course. (That’s actually a misnomer, since we really can’t “manage” time – we can only decide how to use it.) One of the main ideas of the course was to keep a comprehensive daily list of everything we either needed to do or wanted to do. Rather than maintaining separate lists for work and home, we were advised to list everything together to avoid scheduling conflicts.

 

We were even told to prioritize each one, giving some an “A” priority, meaning failure to get them done would reflect upon us negatively, or a “B” priority, meaning if that thing didn’t get done it wasn’t the end of the world. We could always move it to another day’s to-do list.

 

One of the key points concerned why we make lists in the first place: A lot of mental energy is spent simply trying to remember stuff we don’t want to forget. If you write things down, all you have to remember is to look at the list where you wrote it down.

 

While it’s helpful to use tools to boost our recall, another way of remembering is to periodically review important moments and events in our lives. This is especially true for a healthy and growing spiritual life. 

 

The Scriptures provide us with reviews of what God has done throughout history for His people. For instance, before turning over the leadership of the Israelites to Joshua, Moses recited a lengthy song of remembrance of things both good and bad. 

 

First, he reminded the people of Israel about the Lord’s unchanging character. “I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does not wrong, upright and just is He” (Deuteronomy 32:3-4).

 

After recalling how the Israelites “acted corruptly toward Him…a warped and corrupt generation…,” Moses admonished them, “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you” (Deuteronomy 32:5-7).

 

Immediately following Moses’ death, Joshua also underscored the importance of remembrance. To the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, who had chosen not to establish their homes on the other side of the Jordan, he said, “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land’” (Joshua 1:13).

 

But perhaps the best examples of written reminders are the Psalms, in which King David and other psalmists repeatedly looked back on all God had done through the many generations of the people of Israel, both to praise Him for what He had done and also to refresh their memories so they could find courage to face their present circumstances. 

 

David wrote, “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High…. For You have upheld my right and my cause; You have sat on Your throne, judging righteously” (Psalm 9:1-4).

 

There were times when the king of Israel surveyed his problems and struggles and honestly questioned where God was, if He was paying attention at all. Just as we sometimes do. For instance, David began Psalm 10 with the lament, “Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” However, later in the same psalm – almost as if searching his own memory – he stated, “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry…” (Psalm 10:17).

 

The Bible offers countless other examples of how God has faithfully blessed His people and answered their prayers. These become permanent reminders we can cling to during our own times of need, pain and distress. This helps to counter our tendency to adopt a “what have You done for me lately” mentality.

 

Things are going well; we’re inclined to just take good times for granted, as if that’s what we deserve. Then a crisis emerges and we shift to panic mode. ‘Lord, where are You? I need help! Why is this happening?’ How quickly we’ve forgotten how He’s worked in our lives in the past.

 

Recently, I viewed the sermon by Joel Kovacs, pastor of 514 Church in Columbus, Ohio, speaking about the importance of praise. He said, “When we praise God, we’re putting our minds on something else [than our problems]. Praise not only puts God on the throne, but it also takes away anything that should not be on the throne…. Praise doesn’t change our circumstances. It changes our posture, which changes our perceptions. Praise doesn’t take away suffering, but it dethrones it.”

 

Reading the Scriptures and being reminded of what the Lord has done; joining fellow believers in choruses of praise during a worship service; or humming a praise song to ourselves while mowing the lawn or sweeping the floor. All are ways of remembering – reminding ourselves of who God is, what He has done, and His promises to continue being and doing the same.

 

He assured Joshua, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5), and thousands of years later the writer of Hebrews reiterated that promise: “…because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5).

 

I don’t know if you need this reminder, but I definitely do. Every day.

Working Out What’s Been Worked In

Did you watch any of the Winter Olympics? Even though I know absolutely nothing about figure skating, skiing, ski jumping, bobsledding or speed skating – I’ve never done any of them – it was enjoyable to watch some of the events. Especially the ones in which USA athletes were expected to do well.

 

The one thing each of them had in common was the “USA” proudly emblazoned on their uniforms. They not only were from the United States but also had devoted countless hours over many years to earn the right to represent their country.

 

As the Games went on, ads and commercials started popping up offering replicas of the uniforms and other memorabilia so fans could show their pride in the team’s accomplishments. Those are fun, but there’s a truism about buying copies of team uniforms and jerseys: They show who you’re passionately rooting for, but don’t make you an official part of the team.

 

Years ago, I bought an Ohio State football jersey that I still have. I’ve rooted for the Buckeyes for many years. But even though I often wear OSU attire, I’ve never gotten a call asking me to suit up for the Scarlet and Gray. (Good thing!)

 

In a far more profound sense, this principle applies to being a member of God’s “team.” As has been wisely observed many times, going to church doesn’t make one a Christian any more than going into a garage makes you a car. 

 

There are numerous external indicators that followers of Jesus Christ might display, attending church on a regular basis being just one of them. Others may range from reading the Bible; attending a Bible study; going on a mission trip; being able to recite some Scripture verses; even wearing Christian-oriented T-shirts or jewelry. But as we’ve all learned, outward appearances can mislead.

 

In His interactions with the Pharisees, who were about as religious and pious as anyone you’d ever meet, Jesus spoke about this in particularly stern terms: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” 

 

But Jesus wasn’t done with His rebuke. He added, “Woe to you…! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:25-28).

 

To put it into today’s vernacular, the Lord was saying in effect, “You guys like to wear the team jerseys, but you don’t even qualify to serve as waterboys on the real team!”

 

There’s an interesting verse in the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi that applies here. He exhorted believers to “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). At first glance, one might think it concerns working to attain one’s salvation. However, that’s not at all what it means. Rather, it’s about striving to work out what God has already worked into us.

 

Many Scripture passages make clear it’s impossible to earn our salvation. Theologians sometimes use the Latin terms “sola gratia” (grace alone) and “sola fide” (faith alone) to explain this. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 

In a letter to Titus, one of Paul’s spiritual sons, the apostle also asserted, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

 

Then what is “working out your salvation” all about? If we’re not working to gain our salvation, what’s this mean? It helps to consider some of the things we receive from God when we become “born again,” as Jesus said to Nicodemus, a leader of the Pharisees. 

 

We could present a long list, but Galatians 5:22-23 gives some traits that every disciple of Jesus Christ should exhibit in increasing measure: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….” Each of these is a quality that the Lord demonstrated in abundance during His earthly ministry. As Christ followers, we should exhibit each as well – through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

As you look at the world around you, do you see evidence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? I don’t see much of it. If anything, it’s clear there’s a tremendous shortage of each. Why? Because non-believers – and they’re in the majority, sadly – haven’t allowed God to work them in. So how can we expect them to work them out?

 

Jesus emphasized that His followers aren’t to judge others, “For with the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2). However, He did not forbid them from being “fruit inspectors.”

 

Judas Iscariot was perhaps the best example of all. Like the other disciples, Judas had spent the better part of three years with Jesus, 24/7. He heard His teachings, witnessed His miracles, and observed His example of how to live. And yet at the very end, Judas’s greed and quest for power were his undoing. For years he had worn the ‘team jersey.’ He had looked the part. But ultimately, he betrayed the Lord – for 30 pieces of silver. 

 

Studying the Scriptures we see no evidence of love, joy, peace, etc. on display in Judas’s life. And certainly not in his death, hanging himself from a tree in remorse – but not repentance.

 

That’s a cautionary tale for us all. Are we genuinely on Jesus’ team, or do we just enjoy wearing the team jersey when it’s convenient and doesn’t interfere with how we want to live our lives the rest of the time?