When ‘Scream Therapy’ Seems the Best Remedy

“I could just scream!” Have you ever thought that – or even said it aloud? With this being the day for the annual Halloween observance, screaming seems to be the order of the day. Ghosts, goblins, vampires and even devilish clowns have been conjured up by folks decorating their yards with ghoulish imagery and children of all ages donning their costumes. If you don’t want to masquerade as a superhero or fairy princess, then zombies, the Frankenstein monster or pretending to be somebody’s mummy apparently are good choices. They’re a scream!

But it doesn’t have to be Halloween season to feel a need for scream therapy. Let’s see: COVID-19 is still lurking around, even though it seems past its 2021 prime. Almost makes you wonder, “What’s next?” Gasoline prices and inflation in general have made a frontal assault on our household budgets. The prospect going to the grocery store has become a horror show for many families.

 

With the midterm elections rapidly approaching, candidates are presenting abundant evidence that the “fine art” of nasty, negative political advertising can indeed get worse. “Oh, no! Another campaign commercial!” Then there’s the sky-is-falling news media, intent on twisting the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s words by convincing us that we’ve got nothing to fear but…well, just about everything.

 

So, if you wake up some mornings – or go to bed some nights – and feel like screaming, you’re not alone. 

 

This isn’t new, however. It’s been a problem throughout time. Consider the title character in the Old Testament book of Job. There he was, minding his own business – and apparently very well. He had seven sons and three daughters, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys, and “a large number of servants” (but who was counting?) Job was regarded as “the greatest man among all the people of the East” (Job 1:2-3). Basically, the Bill Gates or Warren Buffett of his day.

 

Not only that, but God Himself called him “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8). He had it “made in the shade,” as the old saying would have phrased it. But then Satan ruined everything, confronting the Lord about this model citizen.

 

“‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’ Satan replied. ‘Have you not put a hedge around him, and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands…. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face’” (Job 1:9-11).

 

God did not afflict Job Himself but gave Satan permission to put Job’s devotion to the test. “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger,” the Lord responded. And Satan did – taking away the animals, servants, and finally, the sons and daughters. Job, however, didn’t scream; he reacted by tearing his robe, shaving his head, and then bowing in worship, saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:20-21).

 

Frustrated by Job’s steadfast faith, Satan decided to press further, arguing with God, “A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face” (Job 2:4-5). So, once again God allowed Satan to afflict this noble man in covering his entire body with painful sores.

 

By this time, it was Job’s wife who felt like screaming. “[She] said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!’” To which Job simply replied, “…Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said” (Job 2:9-10).

 

We find numerous other examples of people in the Bible whose laments must have measured in many decibels, including Jeremiah, the so-called “weeping prophet.” He spoke the words and admonitions of God wherever he went, yet everything he said seemed to fall on deaf or disinterested ears.

 

At one point Jeremiah moans, “See, O Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious…. People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my distress; they rejoice at what you have done. May you bring the day you have announced so they may become like me” (Lamentations 1:20-21).

 

Can you relate to Job in any way – or Jeremiah? Even if your own travails aren’t as extreme, do the words, “Woe is me!” ever hang from the tip of your tongue?

 

At such times, I’ve often found it helpful to turn to the Psalms for comfort and reassurance. For instance, in Psalm 23:4 we find the familiar words, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” 

 

In another psalm written by King David, we’re reminded, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?.... I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:1,13-14).

We could cite hundreds of other examples, but yet another verse sums it up well: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him” (Psalm 28:7). Praying and trusting in the Lord, rather than screaming, is the better choice. 

Yearning for Mountaintops, Living in Valleys

I have never climbed Mount Everest, the Matterhorn, or even Mount Hood. Just driving up Signal Mountain, Tennessee's winding W Road is enough of a climb for me. But that’s not to say I haven’t had some wondrous mountaintop experiences.

 

There have been exhilarating personal events, such as getting married and watching my wife give birth to our children. I’ve enjoyed a number of career milestones, and there have been those thrilling moments of watching my favorite sports team win championships.

 

But the mountaintop experiences that stand out most for me have all been spiritual. Maybe you can remember exactly when you became saved, committing your life to Jesus Christ. Unlike some people, I can’t cite the day and the hour, but know it was more than 40 years ago. Being able to pinpoint the precise moment might seem important for us, but I don’t think it’s such a big deal for God. After all, Ephesians 1:4 declares, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” God knew before we did.

 

What I can recall vividly is an October weekend in 1984 when I was in Minneapolis, Minn. for a conference. At the time, even though I was on staff with a Christian ministry, I was struggling with my faith. Anxiety and anger were nagging companions, and I was beginning to question whether I was a true believer at all. “If the Bible says, ‘if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation’ (2 Corinthians 5:17), why do I think and act like the same old knucklehead I’ve always been?”

 

That weekend God in His grace placed me in the home of a man who spent hours helping me to grasp for the first time who I was – and am – in Christ, not who I was feeling that I was or wasn’t. The joy that swept over me was one of the landmarks of my faith, a mountaintop experience I’ll never forget.

 

I’ve spent time on some other spiritual mountaintops over the years: Attending conferences where Bible teachers expounded on truths I had not understood previously. Meeting outstanding examples of people devoted to following Jesus, both famous individuals and “ordinary” folks who aren’t quoted or recognized from podiums. Having someone tell me how something I had written about God and the Christian life had spoken to them deeply.

 

Perhaps you have some cherished mountaintop experiences of your own. But you know something? We’re not made for living on the mountaintops; most of our existence must be spent on what Oswald Chambers called “the demon-possessed valleys.”

 

We see this powerfully demonstrated in Matthew 17:1-9, which recounts Jesus leading Peter, James and John up a high mountain by themselves. It says, “There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking to Jesus.” Do you think that caught the trio of disciples’ attention?

 

They were so awe-struck they wanted to commemorate the event. “Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well-pleased. Listen to Him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell face down on the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. ‘Get up,’ He said. ‘Don’t be afraid.’ When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.”

 

Peter, James and John were probably thinking something like, “Wow! This is awesome, man! Let’s just hang out here – this is the best!” But Jesus took them back down the mountain. In fact, He instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 

 

Can you imagine how the disciples felt? They not only had to leave the mountaintop behind, but also were forbidden to share with others what they had experienced. Soon afterward they were back in the valley, watching Jesus minister to a boy who had been possessed by a demon. What a contrast.

 

That’s the way it must be for all of us. We revel in our mountaintop moments, but we must return to the valleys of everyday living, with its tedium, stresses and struggles. As Chambers writes in his devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest, “We all have experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain…. 

 

“It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley. We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life – those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we prove our stamina and strength….”

Can you identify a mountaintop experience or two that God gave you? Be thankful for them. He may use them in our lives in special ways. But as Chambers said, the test is whether we can turn those moments of inspiration and exhilaration into consistent, fruitful living the Lord. 

Living in the Dash Rather Than Focusing on the Dates

During our recent trip to Vermont, one of the stops on our YMCA bus tour was the headquarters for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in South Burlington. With Covid restrictions still lingering, they hadn’t reopened the plant to show visitors how ice cream is made. However, they did provide free ice cream samples for tour groups – and we got to see their “Flavor Graveyard,” where unsuccessful flavors are memorialized.

You might not recall their murky-sounding Tennessee Mud flavor, or their forgettable concoctions like Dastardly Mash, Urban Jumble, Rainforest Crunch, Oh Pear, and This Is Nuts. Each “tombstone” lists the years the flavor existed – the year of its inception and the year it was discontinued. They include one other important item on the inscription, the dash that represents the span of time between the flavor’s beginning and end.

 

That’s a feature human gravestones share. The inscription might indicate whether the deceased lived in “good taste,” but between the date of birth and date of death is the universal dash. That tiny punctuation represents the totality of one’s life.

 

Years ago, I helped my friend Richard write his testimony and publish it in booklet form, and he chose the intriguing title, “Living in the Dash.” He reflected on how the simple dash, easily overlooked, stands for so much that can’t be stated on a slab of granite. His desire, Richard said, was that when his life came to its ultimate end, that dash between the dates of birth and death would represent a life that glorified God and enhanced the lives of others.

 

Perhaps it was mere coincidence, but on the tour we also visited the Rock of Ages granite quarry in Barre, Vermont. We saw where and how the granite is mined, then went to the plant where the huge blocks of stone are moved, cut, polished and engraved for gravestones. An adjacent visitors center presented famous examples of tombstones – each inscription including the requisite dash.

It’s humbling but true: That tiny dash stands for all the triumphs and defeats, joys and sorrows, accomplishments and failures accumulated during a lifetime. Wouldn’t it be interesting if those dashes could be greatly enlarged, perhaps offering a video overview of the individual’s life?

 

When I helped my friend Richard publish his testimony, he was still busily “living in the dash,” actively engaged in activities and relationships that will one day represent his life’s work. I’ve reflected on that many times since, pondering how my own dash is shaping up.

 

Most of us tend to go about our lives as if we’ll live forever, knowing full well that’s not true. Lest we forget, James 4:14 gives a sober reminder: “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Other translations state, “you are just a vapor…” Either way, it gives us a vivid image of the transitory nature of life – here today, gone tomorrow.

 

Maybe we don’t like to contemplate life’s brevity because if we look back, we might determine up to that point, our “dash” hasn’t amounted to much. If that’s the case, there’s no better time for start making changes than right now. As someone has said, “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.”

 

In His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus Christ talked about “[storing] up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). He later said, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

 

I sometimes think about people who were accorded only fleeting mention in the Bible, and yet made significant enough contributions that they were cited – and perhaps those actions changed the content of their “dash” forever. 

 

Consider one of the two thieves on crosses adjacent to that of Christ. While one thief mocked Jesus, the other countered, “Don’t you fear God…since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” To which Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:40-42). We know absolutely nothing else about this criminal, but his dash would have spoken of literal dying grace.

 

How about Simon of Cyrene, who was “volunteered” to carry the cross of Christ to Golgotha because Jesus had been tortured so viciously that He could not bear it Himself. Again, we have no other information about this Simon than this singular event. But his “dash” certainly would have included this unique act of service to the Lord.

We could list hundreds more, but the point is simple. We all are currently “living in the dash.” If one day someone were able to examine its contents in full detail, what would we like it to contain? 

Are You a Prayer Warrior – Or Prayer Worrier?

Prayer is at once one of the most intriguing and most intimidating parts of the Christian life. We’re talking to a God we cannot see – at least in the physical, visual sense. And we approach Him with mixtures of praise, petitions, pleas and perplexities. Sometimes we feel the need to pray but have no clue about how we should pray or what we should pray for.

 

Preachers offer us prayer acronyms like ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication – but we’re tempted to shortcut through the praising, confessing and thanking portions so we can get right to the asking part – presenting our needs, concerns and desires. Praying, many of us agree, is hard.

 

Within our family of faith, there are those who are called “prayer warriors.” They have a God-given passion for praying. Some of them designate literal “prayer closets” or “war rooms” where they engage in spiritual battle with prayer as their only weapon. The Kendrick brothers even produced a movie called “War Room” about one such valiant woman.

These prayer warriors receive little acclaim – and do not seek it – but who knows the difference their faithful prayers have made within their families, churches, communities and even the nation? It’s said that at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England, where renowned British preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon served for more than 30 years, in the basement there was a “boiler room” (with no boiler, only chairs) where hundreds of people would gather every Sunday morning to intercede for him as he preached.

 

We sometimes hear folks speculating about whether we all have a guardian angel. Would that we each had a faithful prayer warrior to daily approach “God’s throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) on our behalf.

 

But there’s another kind of praying person, one I would call the “prayer worrier.” I’ve fit this description at times. Prayer worriers are those who tend to turn to God in prayer only as a last resort, after they’ve exhausted all possibilities in trying to resolve their anxieties, concerns and worries. Then they don’t even pretend to go through the first three steps of ACTS. They plunge straight into Supplication, opening their prayers with something like, “God, it’s me again. We’ve got some troubles here…!”

 

This isn’t to ridicule such individuals, partly because I’ve been there. But the problem with prayer worrying is that we pray, presenting the dilemma to God, perhaps submitting a request as we entrust the matter to Him. Then, moments after our “amen,” we snatch back the concern and resume agonizing, trying to figure out how to solve it ourselves.

 

We don’t want to release the worrying part – at least it makes us feel like we’re doing something.

 

I haven't met many genuine prayer warriors, so I don’t know if sometimes they slip into prayer worrying. But worrying about something is about as effective as attempting to stop a raging river with the palm of our hand. That’s one reason we’re admonished in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

We want to protest, “Yeah, but what about…?” As one Bible scholar put it, when it says “everything” in the Greek, it means…everything. No exclusions, no exceptions. Not the coronavirus, not the political scene, not when our children aren’t always making the best decisions. Everything.

 

But how can we make the leap from prayer worrier to prayer warrior? I’m hardly the expert, but I suspect a very short, simple Scripture verse can point us in the right direction. Writing to the ancient church in Thessalonica, the apostle Paul exhorted them, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Or as another translation expresses it even more concisely, “pray continually.”

 

If we strive to stay in continual contact with God – like calling someone on the phone but never hanging up – the stresses and befuddlements of life are far less likely to consume us. When a little problem or major crisis arises, our first reaction is to pray, not to panic.

 

In introducing what we commonly know as “the Lord’s prayer,” Jesus said, “And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:7-8).

 

Do we truly believe that? Do we pray not to inform God of what’s happening, but to approach Him in reverence and trust, believing that in His time and His way He will answer our prayers, often in ways we could never have imagined? 

 

I love His promise from Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things that you do not know.” I’m all in favor of that – aren’t you?

What About the Things Jesus Didn’t Talk About?

Have you noticed that lots of people these days are busily discussing what Jesus Christ had to say during His time on earth – but not for all the same reasons? Talk-show celebrities, politicians, podcasters and news commentators are all giving their two cents worth about what they believe that Jesus believed regarding a variety of contemporary issues. 

 

For example, a three-person panel of TV commentators recently spoke with great authority – self-bestowed, that is – about their conviction that since Jesus never addressed the issue of abortion, He must not have been opposed to this controversial practice.

There are at least three big problems with this conclusion. First, they were utilizing what’s called “the argument of silence.” That is, if people don’t express a particular view or perspective on something, that must mean it’s not their concern. What a silly conclusion. Just because we don’t voice an opinion aloud doesn’t mean we don’t have an opinion about it.

 

Let’s take the thought one step further: Jesus also never spoke about things such as texting while driving, speeding on highways, looking at Internet pornography, selling heroin, or abusing one’s spouse. Should we make the inference, therefore, that He approves of such things? 

 

The second problem is related to it. I don’t think it’s heretical to state that although the Bible records many things Jesus said, to presume that presents everything that He ever said makes no sense. Case in point: Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke recounts the time when He was 12 years old and went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover.

 

After the celebration, Jesus’ earthly parents were heading back home for a day before they realized He wasn’t with relatives or friends. They returned to Jerusalem and searched for Him three days before they found Him in the temple courts, deeply engaged in discussions with religious leaders and teachers. The only specific words of Jesus mentioned from that incident were, “Didn’t you know I had to be in My Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). 

 

In inspiring and guiding the writers of the Scriptures, God didn’t find it necessary to include more of what Jesus and the astonished leaders talked about. And we have absolutely no record of anything else Jesus said during His childhood or the subsequent years prior to the beginning of His earthly ministry at the age of 30. Surely, He didn’t remain silent. Who’s to say the subject of abortion in some form might not have come up during those years? Maybe more than once. 

 

As we read in 2 Peter 1:20-21, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Word of God doesn’t tell us everything there is to know about Him – how could it? But as the Lord has seen fit, the Scriptures tell us all He deems that we need to know about Him.

 

The third problem with arguments about what Jesus said or didn’t say about the topic du jour is a very comprehensive statement He made, as recorded in Matthew 5:17-19:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven….”

 

In the extensive Old Testament writings Jesus was referring to, we find both commands and prohibitions of many kinds. He was recognizing that His hearers already knew what these laws were; He didn’t need to restate them. His purpose in coming was because no one then – and no one now – could succeed at observing and keeping all of those laws 100 percent of the time. Not even close.

 

Jesus wasn’t saying those God-given commands, even to the smallest letter or the least stroke of a pen, as He said, had become null and void. But because we fail time and again to keep them – the Bible calls this “sin” – we’re told, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

 

So, it’s at the very least foolish and ignorant to argue that since the Bible doesn’t present a specific statement from Jesus – about abortion or any of the other questionable lifestyle choices people make every day – that means they aren’t important to Him. 

After all, the Lord said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18:16). Can you imagine Him stating that, and then interjecting, “However, if you want to abort them, that’s certainly okay”? I can't.

Longing for a ‘Happily Ever After’ Kind of World

Do you remember reading or hearing fairy tales growing up? There are so many of them, but they all seem to share two things in common: the first four words and the last six words.

Those words are, of course, “Once upon a time” and “they all lived happily ever after.” Just thinking of those simple but important phrases stirs up warm, happy feelings for many of us. Because in spite of the challenges and hardships the heroes and heroines experience during their respective tales, things end up well. And that’s how it should be, right?

 

This is probably one reason the Hallmark movies and other romantic comedies have enjoyed such popularity over the years, even spawning an upstart competitor, the Great American Family network. In the midst of all the bad news of each day – chaos, calamities and crises beyond number – they have provided brief respites from the turmoil, safe havens where we can retreat from a world seemingly spinning out of control.

 

Maybe that’s also a good reason (among many) why spending time reading the Bible can be so comforting and reassuring. In a sense like in the rom-coms, the biblical characters we encounter must deal with their share of conflict – sometimes more than their share – along with misfortune, tragedy and near-hopelessness. They are flawed individuals without doubt; but they have one important trait in common: an unflappable faith in God, the Creator of happily ever after.

 

Starting with Adam and Eve, proceeding to Abraham and Sarah, David and Bathsheba and others, culminating with Mary and Joseph, we find ordinary human beings doing what human beings do: proving themselves to be sinful, imperfect folks whose only saving grace – literally – is their faith in a holy and perfect God who’s particularly adept at making wrong things right.

 

We see them stumbling through life, sometimes stabbing themselves in the foot (you couldn’t shoot yourself in the foot in those days). In most cases, we could say they did experience happily ever after. Moses didn’t get to enter the Promised Land, but at least he was able to see if from afar. The Old Testament Joseph was thrown into a hole and sold into slavery by his brothers, then wrongly accused and convicted of a crime against a scorned woman. But then God gave Him a special gift of dream interpretation and prophecy that propelled him to No. 2 status in ancient Egypt.

 

Strongman Samson, who definitely had questionable taste in women, lost his life in his final act of divine empowerment. However, you’ve got to hand it to him – he brought the house down.

 

Because of their steadfast, uncompromising faith, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace. They didn’t just survive the experience – they exited the furnace without even smelling like smoke. Their fellow Hebrew, Daniel, was tossed into a lion’s den for defying a royal edict. But God either sealed the lions’ mouths shut or took away their appetite, and Daniel was freed without a scratch and restored to his former place of honor in Babylon.

 

Many of the Old Testament prophets, most notably Isaiah and Jeremiah, spoke God’s words calling for repentance that largely fell on deaf ears. Nevertheless, as it says in Hebrews 11:39-40, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

 

So, what about us? Where’s the “happily ever after” in this world where hostility to biblical truth and faith in Jesus Christ is on the increase, when the Judeo-Christian values that once undergirded our society are being cast aside, even mocked and destroyed?

 

The next verses in Hebrews give us the answer: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

 

Jesus Christ could willingly submit to a horrendous death on a cross because He was able to see the happily-ever-after ending – not only for Himself but also for everyone who would trust in Him.

 

What is this “ending,” one that in fact will be never ending? Hebrews 12:28 tells us: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

 

Even as He knew the day of His crucifixion was nearing, Jesus offered this assurance to His followers, which include you and me today: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3).

And exactly what will this happily-ever-after place be like? We can guess, conjecture and imagine all we want, but there’s no way our finite, temporal minds can grasp what infinite, eternal wonder must be like. “…‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ – the things God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). But we do know this: Without a doubt, it will top even the happiest of fairy tales and the happy-teariest of romantic comedies. 

God’s Unique Plan for Every One of Us

Have you ever wondered how you got to where you are now from where you were years ago, even as a child or a young person? The course of life is never what we expect, and often we encounter twists and turns we could never have imagined. If you’ll indulge me briefly, I’d like to use myself as an example.

 

I’ve often thought that if I were to write a book about the path my life has taken, I’d give it the title, “You Can’t Get There from Here.” Growing up in New Jersey, I headed southwest to attend a college in Houston, Texas. At the time I had no plans of pursuing a writing career but was fortunate to have an English instructor who thought differently. She offered encouragement, saying she saw promise in me as a writer and even urged me to enter an essay contest, which I happened to win.

 

That prompted me to change my major to English. However, envisioning having to poetically ponder flowers and trees or study the likes of Shakespeare, Chaucer and Lord Byron, I determined instead to find a school that offered a strong journalism curriculum. That made Columbus, Ohio the next stop on my itinerary.

 

Journalism and I fit together like the proverbial hand in glove; two professors in particular impressed upon me the art of newswriting along with the virtues of objectivity, fairness and balanced reporting. (That was before modern journalists decided such things aren’t necessary.) I took only one class in photojournalism as an undergrad, but as a graduate teaching assistant my assignment was to teach…photojournalism. That year I learned as much about the craft as the students I was teaching to load raw film into canisters, process exposed film, print photos and master various skills in those bygone days before digital cameras.

 

Upon graduating, my intention to get my first job on a metropolitan daily newspaper was cast aside. My only job offer came from a community newspaper in a Columbus suburb. So, instead of being pigeon-holed as a copy editor, police beat reporter or even an obituary writer, my responsibilities as editor were wide-ranging. They included covering city government, local schools and the school board, high school sports and the community theater, writing editorials, columns and features, doing engagement and wedding announcements, obituaries – and lots of photography.

 

Did I mention I met my wife and we started our family together there?

 

That diverse experience opened doors for other opportunities, including a brief stint on a suburban daily newspaper, back to Houston to work as editor of a much larger community newspaper. There I gained experience not only on the editorial side but also the business side of publishing a newspaper, which prepared me for subsequent ministry roles in the business and professional world after we moved to Chattanooga.

 

Most important, God used each stop to advance my spiritual pilgrimage, which ultimately has made all the difference in my becoming – and continuing to become – the person I am today. Early in my walk with Jesus Christ, I came across a passage that seemed to sum up my life’s meandering course: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

I could not have planned out the ways God would direct me. In fact, I’m glad I couldn’t because my life certainly wouldn’t have turned out as it has. Another verse I have embraced is Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” 

 

A fulfilling life, I’ve learned, is not a passive one, sitting on a stump waiting for things to happen. We have to take initiative when opportunities present themselves, but ultimately the outcome rests in the Lord’s hands. Many times I thought I knew what needed to happen, and when it didn’t, I felt disappointment, even discouragement. But in retrospect, I came to appreciate the truth of Romans 8:28, “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Recovery groups often use the so-called “serenity prayer” to encourage participants, but in a real sense, it encapsulates a healthy way to view and understand our lives as they unfold: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” We have our part; God has His, and together we can create a life that brings us joy and gives Him much glory. 

Wisdom – Product of Years and Experience

Sometimes I wish we could walk down an aisle at Walmart or some big-box store and grab a large carton of Wisdom. You know, the stuff that enables you think through and evaluate situations and usually come up a reasonable solution or response? Or to formulate a balanced perspective on life's uncertainty and perpetual chaos.

 

Looking around our world, we might easily conclude that if wisdom were a commodity, then there’s been a serious disruption in the supply chain – because the shelves seem virtually empty. Maybe the good ship Wisdom is permanently moored offshore with its precious cargo stuck in the holds below decks.

The late author and biochemistry professor Isaac Asimov stated years ago, “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” Things haven’t improved since then.

 

Wisdom, unfortunately, isn’t something you can order online or purchase at the local mall. And even for those who do possess a good measure of wisdom, they didn’t acquire it in bulk. They gained it one tiny bit after another, and usually not in rapid succession. Because wisdom is a product of years and experience. As someone has said, wisely I might add, “Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom.” 

 

When my children were learning how to drive – as my grandchildren are now – my greatest concern was not their abilities and training, but the fact that you can’t teach experience. It comes only through time and the process of living life; consequently, wisdom also can be accumulated only over time. 

 

We typically must learn from our mistakes, hoping those mistakes aren’t bad ones. Novelist William Saroyan offered the insight that, “We get very little wisdom from success, you know.”

 

Fortunately, gaining wisdom isn’t solely the product of things we do. Our experiences also include things we see; what we observe. I’ve learned a lot from older, wiser people who understood far better than I did how life works – and how it doesn’t. Watching how they responded to circumstances, ranging from keeping their cool in times of crisis to their approach to handling personal finances, has helped me immeasurably. Some things are better caught than taught, I’ve discovered.

 

There’s one more way for gaining wisdom. Perhaps the best way of all – one that many people in our world apparently have little interest in. It’s the wisdom that comes only from God, and most commonly from reading and studying His Word, absorbing its truth and striving to put its teachings into practice.

 

As Proverbs 1:7 asserts, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 2:6 adds, “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

 

How valuable is biblical wisdom? The Scriptures themselves put it this way: “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the main who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her” (Proverbs 3:13-15).

 

But as I’ve written before, decades ago our society began the process of eliminating thoughts of God from our collective conscience, and I believe we’re paying the price. In the Ten Commandments alone, if we were to consider and apply them consistently, would give us incredible wisdom in how to effectively address many of our world’s greatest problems, from poverty to violence to turmoil in our homes and workplaces. 

 

The Bible offers clear principles about finances, including avoiding debt, being diligent to save, living within our means, giving generously to help others, and recognizing that ultimately, God is the owner of everything. Imagine if the Federal government operated within those guidelines.

 

The alternative is described in Proverbs 10:14-15, “Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.” As the centuries-old adage tells us, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” We could arrive at similar conclusions about those who fail to seek and use wisdom in other key areas of life.

 

Godly wisdom doesn’t come easily, but neither is it withheld from us. It only demands a heart that is willing to submit to the Lord, acknowledging that “Father knows best.” As Proverbs 15:33 declares, “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”

Would that He might bless us with wise, humble leaders – and that we would seek to become humbly wise as well. 

Why God Does What He Does, the Way He Does

The walk of faith isn’t an easy one. Anyone who thinks differently probably hasn’t yet been in many situations when absolute trust in God was the only option. 

 

There’s so much about the Lord that we don’t know. But how can we expect our finite minds to even begin to understand the mind and ways of an infinite God, who has every right to do things His way without consulting us for our opinions on what and when and why and how?

 

Yet, we still wonder. Why does God do what He does – and why does He often do it in ways that don’t compute for us?

Admittedly, such things are far beyond my theological pay grade. However, in reading the Old Testament I’ve come across a recurring statement that could shine just a wee bit of light on such overarching questions. What is it? It’s a simple but forthright declaration, “That they will know that I am the Lord God.” 

 

These words – with slight variations – appear many times in the book of Ezekiel, as well as numerous other times throughout other Old Testament books. Whether it’s sending plagues; parting an expansive body of water; providing a new kind of food to feed a couple million Israelites; exacting punishments on people who defied His commands; writing cryptic messages on a wall; or performing other supernatural acts, God seems to have one overriding desire: “That they will know that I am the Lord.”

 

For example, in chapters 28-30 of Ezekiel alone, while describing the severe judgment He has planned for Tyre, Sidon, Egypt and other enemies of the Israelites, God concludes by announcing, “Then they will know that I am the Lord.” But even for the Israelites, His judgments – along with His bountiful blessings – are accompanied by the same motivation: “Then they will know that I am the Lord,” as He repeats in Ezekiel 36:38, or as stated in a slightly different way in 37:14, “Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it.”

 

Why is this so important? Think of it this way: How many times have you heard about some famous person – a movie star, politician, pro athlete or someone else of note – that was stopped by law enforcement officers for some alleged violation and almost the first thing out of their mouths was, “Don’t you know who I am?” As if their status merited special treatment.

 

Can you imagine what would happen if acclaimed celebrities got up to sing or to speak, and received no introduction and no applause after their performance? Don’t you think they’d at least give the audience a look as if to say, “Don’t you know who I am?”

 

This difference between their desire to be known and God’s is obvious: They are normal human beings, perhaps given more notoriety than most, but humans just the same. God is the Creator of not only this world and all we know of it, but also the entire universe with its wondrous complexity. We think of His miracles as recorded in the Scriptures, but every day we experience and witness myriad miracles – all of the Lord’s making.

 

From the intricacies of DNA to the predictable changing of the seasons, from the perfect tilt of the earth and the precision of its orbit around the sun to the astounding array of living creatures found in nature, we have the wonderful opportunity to know and serve a God of incomparable creative capacity. His work, which continues to this day, would dwarf the combined efforts of every person who has ever lived or is yet to be born.

 

As it says in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

 

Reading through the Old Testament, we can see the perplexing ebb and flow of the Israelites’ faith and devotion to Jehovah God. While being led by godly prophets and kings, they would experience the Lord’s blessings. Once those leaders had passed, however, they would soon become distracted and enticed by pagan beliefs and turn to the worship of false gods. All the God had done for them was quickly forgotten. And their rebellion and disobedience would lead to one trouble after another.

 

Is it any wonder that God would find it necessary to perform extraordinary, supernatural acts of judgment to chasten His chosen people and turn their hearts back to Him?

 

We are living in times when, like the Israelites of thousands of years ago, many people have forgotten God. Our nation, once founded upon Judeo-Christian principles anchored in the Bible, have largely rejected Him, replacing Him with the worship of practically anything and everything else – self, politics, power, ideologies, “Mother Nature,” wealth, materialism, even sports teams. 

 

The God of the Bible? “Who’s that?” likely would be the response from countless millions, despite being surrounded by boundless evidence of His existence and handiwork.

What might He be up to now? My guess – or opinion – is as good as yours, and vice versa. But I think it would be safe to state He is indeed working in such ways that sooner or later, “They will know that I am the Lord God.”