Thinking About Words Written in Red – and in Black

Over the years, a number of popular tunes have been written and sung about the letters and words “written in red” in the Bible – direct quotations of Jesus highlighted in red. We can find them in the gospels of Matthew, Mark Luke and John, the book of Acts, and Revelation. The songs, in Southern gospel, contemporary Christian and country music genres, tell how reading the words or letters appearing in red has made a life-changing impact in many people’s lives. 

Among them is a song called “Believe,” a rendition first performed by the country duo of Brooks & Dunn in 2005. Reflecting on growing up in a small town and later having an encounter with an old man nearing the end of his earthly life, they include this recurring refrain:

“I raise my hands, bow my head

I’m findin’ more and more truth in the words written in red.

They tell me that there’s more to life, than just what I can see

I believe, oh I believe.”

 

That song and its ‘moral’ are stirring for followers of Christ. As those lyrics express, I’m increasingly finding more truth in the words that some Bibles present in red. They truly do offer the assurance that there’s more to life than what we can see.

The first Bible I ever had, received in church at the age of 12 on the occasion of my confirmation, is a King James Version edition of the Scriptures with the words of Jesus in red. (I say ‘is’ because it’s still part of my library.) That also was the first Bible I read cover to cover, during my senior of high school. At that time, however, it was just a personal goal – to be able to say I had read the entire Bible. 

 

Frankly, I understood very little of what I had read, partly because I found the King James English at times difficult to absorb and partly because I hadn’t yet committed my life to Christ and didn’t have the benefit of having the Holy Spirit as my instructor. As Jesus promised His followers, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…” (John 14:26).

 

The reason I’m thinking about the “words written in red” is that although it can be helpful to have specific words Jesus spoke highlighted, I believe every other word we read in the Scriptures is just as meaningful and significant. If someone were to decide to read just the red words in the Bible, they’d be missing a great deal of what theologians refer to as ‘the whole counsel of God.’

 

For instance, Jesus’ assurance, “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) echoes the Lord’s words in the Old Testament, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God…” (Isaiah 41:10).

 

Speaking to His disciples, Jesus declared, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you…. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). We find the same promise in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:3-4).

 

In the Bible’s final book, Jesus announces, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). A similar promise is made in Leviticus 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.”

 

In reality, the entire Bible – the Old Testament’s 39 books and the 27 of the New Testament – points to Jesus Christ. This is why Hebrews 13:8 states, “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

 

Early in my journey of faith, pastor-teacher Johnny Miller, who is now with the Lord, helped me to recognize the unity and harmony of the Scriptures. Although he was in the midst of a lengthy expository study of the gospel of Matthew, Johnny always would point us to related books and verses elsewhere in the Bible so we could gain a fuller understanding of the particular passage he was covering.

 

For the first time I realized that what God had revealed in Genesis and other Old Testament books was just as important as what He inspired to be written in the New Testament. When we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), we find elaboration in John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”

 

So, we can rejoice and be blessed when we read the Bible’s words written in red. But we can also find joy and blessings in reading all the words written in black because ultimately, they’re all about Christ, inspired by the Spirit of God. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Can We Trust Promises When So Many Are Broken?

How good are you at keeping promises? Some people embrace the motto, ‘My word is my bond.’ We know if they make a promise, they’ll keep it no matter what. Others take a more tentative approach, promising to do something with fingers figuratively crossed behind their backs, thinking, ‘I’ll do it – unless a better option comes along.’

 

For some of us, the thought of promise-making and promise-keeping brings back sad or distressing memories of promises that were made to us and then broken: Wedding vows cast aside. An expected job promotion that never came. A close friend reneging on an important commitment. A parent’s failure to show up for an important school program or ball game.

 

Politicians make promises all the time that they conveniently forget once election day has passed, but we’re used to that. It’s loved ones and people close to us making promises, then not following through, that hurts the most.

 

Do you remember the old hit tune by Dionne Warwick, “Promises, Promises”? Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it had a lilting melody but offered a rather cynical view of promises. Here are some of the lyrics:

“Promises, promises

I’m all through with promises…

Oh, promises, promises

This is where those promises end…

Oh, promises, their kind of promises, can just destroy a life…

Take all the joy from life….”

 

Since song lyrics often are drawn from personal experience, I wonder what prompted Bacharach and David to put those words to music? No matter, they do express the feelings many of us have – or have once held – regarding promises. When promises are broken, trust also becomes shattered. And one’s integrity suffers a serious blow.

 

This is why the promises we find in the Bible are so important. And there are many of them, from Genesis all the way through Revelation. When we hear God being described in terms like loving, gracious, merciful, unchanging and faithful, the promises in the Scriptures put those divine qualities to the test.

 

If someone were to ask, “What are the promises of God?” we could respond, “Where do we start?” Take for example the Old Testament prophetic book of Isaiah. Singling out just three out of many, we find:

God’s promise of forgiveness and redemption: “’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18).

God’s promise of strength when needed: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).

God’s promise of His presence and power. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

 

Of course, our trust in someone’s promises grows over time, as they follow through on their commitments and prove their trustworthiness. In the same way, our trust in God’s promises flourishes through our daily experiences with Him. It can’t be learned by reading books, devotionals or columns, or by listening to sermons. 

 

In my case, as I’ve encountered and pondered the Lord’s promises in reading His Word, I’ve also seen His faithfulness in fulfilling them one after another. I could offer many examples, but one stands out in particular.

 

It was in 2006, right after I had been diagnosed as having an aortic aneurysm, along with several arterial blockages. Open-heart surgery was necessary. Since my condition wasn’t an emergency, the procedure was scheduled for two weeks later. That’s a lot of time to ponder undergoing one of the most serious surgeries you can have.

 

After the initial shock of what I had to face began to fade, I did what I’ve learned to do in times of crisis: I opened my Bible and turned to the Psalms, which I’ve always found comforting and reassuring. I read several psalms the first day, put a bookmark where I had been reading, and set the Bible aside.

 

The next morning, still feeling overwhelmed at the thought of going through surgery that would last at least several hours, I again picked up my Bible and turned to where I had stopped the previous day. It was Psalm 41, and the third verse read, “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” 

 

I can’t describe the emotions that filled me at that moment, but it was if the words had been printed in neon lights. Like God saying, “This promise is for you.” 

 

Philippians 4:7 talks about “the peace that surpasses all understanding,” and that’s what I experienced that day. The anxiety I had been feeling disappeared. It was one of many “Don’t worry, I’ve got this” moments I’ve had in my walk with the Lord.

 

Knowing God has never failed in keeping the many promises He’s made, that sense of peace prevailed up to and through the day of my surgery. The recovery wasn’t easy, but God was with me every day, true to His word.

 

I’m not a ‘name it and claim it’ guy. I know God doesn’t promise physical healing to everyone in every situation. When we encounter adversity in any of its countless forms, we don’t have a promise from God that the outcome will be exactly what we want. But we do have the promise from Him that, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

 

In a world where broken promises are more the rule than the exception, what a joy and privilege it is to worship a God who never fails to keep His promises.

If Only We Could Have a Helicopter’s View of Life

Have you ever ridden in a helicopter? How about the Goodyear blimp, or a hot air balloon? I’ve done none of the three, but I think it would be fun to ride in one of those and get a view of one’s surroundings from a reasonable distance. I’ve flown in airplanes many times, even a twin-engine Cessna, but typically the view they provide is far off. A helicopter, for example, would provide a better perspective, I suspect.

I raise this subject because of a talk I recall from years ago by a fellow named Bill Gillham. This downhome, folksy fellow had a disarming way about him – his countrified speech belied the fact that he was one smart guy. He passed away in 2011, but Gillham and his wife, Anabel, touched countless lives with their very practical, and often humorous, approach to teaching biblical truth.

 

One of the things I remember Bill talking about was God’s perspective on life. We earthlings are limited by time and space, meaning we’re captives of this moment and the specific spot where we happen to be at any given time. By contrast, God has no such limitations. He has what Bill called a “helicopter view” of our lives, able to see the past, present and future all at once.

 

Over the years, I’ve found that image comforting. Very much so. Because often, when caught up various crises, all we can see is the “Now,” the present moment with its trials and travails. We can’t see, maybe can’t even conceive of, how it could fit into the Lord’s eternal plan. But with His lofty perspective from “Heaven Force One,” God knows the important events and circumstances in our lives aren’t random at all. 

 

This is one reason God could make promises in the Scriptures like Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” From our point of view, grim developments – whether an unpleasant health diagnosis, an unexpected financial dilemma, a crisis at work, a family challenge that seems beyond resolution, or more pervasive national or international strife – are catalysts for high anxiety, even panic. “Lord, in case you haven’t noticed, we’ve got a big problem down here!”

 

If we could join the Lord in His outside-of-time-and-space “helicopter,” however, we’d realize there’s no reason for fear, handwringing, or gnashing of teeth. (My dentist, by the way, strongly discourages teeth gnashing.) We’d probably see that like individual dominoes lined up, one falling into another, the current conundrum is a necessary part of God’s plan to accomplish His purpose in our lives – and through our lives – for His glory and praise.

 

Among the many benefits of parenting is being able to experience, in the most miniscule of ways, what this must be like. As little Johnny or Joanie is growing up, mom or dad must make tough decisions. They introduce their youngsters to the concept of “No!”, whether it’s not to touch the stove, run into the street after a ball, or talk to strangers. 

 

We also practice discipline, insisting that they clean their rooms or do their homework before going to play or forbid them to venture into places that could endanger them in some way. Why? Because in a sense, we too have a helicopter-type view of things, understanding our guidance is not just for the present but also to ensure a safe and happy future – in light of what we’ve experienced ourselves in the past.

 

So, as we’re fretting over our circumstances, or praying to God, suggesting what we’d like for Him to do, recognition that He operates from a broader, timeless perspective indeed can give us the assurance that our Father knows best.

 

Watching too much of the news can put us in a perpetual state of alert. Chicken Little loves to scream, “The sky is falling!” because it really makes people nervous. Based on what we can see, who knows what bad stuff will happen? However, if we associate God with “helicopter,” we can feel secure entrusting Him with the uncertain and unknown future.

 

Speaking to His chosen people through the prophet Jeremiah on another occasion, God said, “So do not fear, O Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, O Israel…. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid. I am with you and will save you…” (Jeremiah 30:10-11).

 

In the writings of another Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, we read equally promising words from the Lord: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). The only way He could promise this is if He knew the end from the beginning, observing from high above the fray. 

 

Letting us know nothing had changed over the centuries that followed, we find a similar promise in the last words Jesus spoke following His resurrection, just before His ascension back to heaven. He said, “And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Someone once told me that in the Bible, when God says “always,” what He really means is…always.

Next time you find yourself looking around, feeling dismayed or disheartened by what you see, turn your thoughts to the Lord. And think…HELICOPTER. 

There Are Times When Fear Isn’t Such a Bad Thing

Do you like feeling afraid? If you do, congratulations – you’ve established yourself clearly in the minority. We live in a fear-filled world, and should we somehow fail to remember that, we can count on the mass media to give us a strong reminder. In fact, one prominent national news anchor declared, when he didn’t know he was being recorded, that the media’s primary role is to “scare the public to death.” (Actually, he said it more strongly than that.)

 

If someone were to ask what makes us fearful, many of us wouldn’t hesitate to respond: The cursed pandemic, which has disrupted everyday life more than we could have imagined and seems determined never to go away. But COVID-19 isn’t the only culprit in the fear factory.

Long before we had ever heard the words “coronavirus,” we had plenty of other reasons for feeling anxious about our health – cancer, heart disease, pneumonia, common flu and diabetes, to name just a few. We can fear not just for our own health, but also for our loved ones.

 

Then there are the ever-present financial fears: How can I get enough money for what I need? Do I have enough now? Will I have enough in the future? What if an unexpected calamity occurs – what then?

 

If those don’t suffice for keeping your emotions in fear mode, there’s always the future. As someone has keenly observed, “The future isn’t what it used to be.” With the craziness all around us in the world, we might worry about lies ahead for our children, or if you’re old enough, grandchildren. We might feel grave concern about the security of our jobs. Severe weather always seems looming around the corner. Then there’s another kind of fear – the unknowns of growing old and what issues that will bring.

 

So, if we enjoy feeling afraid, there’s no end to the fear-inducing options available. But if we don’t wish to remain in a constant state of high, fearful alert, the Bible offers numerous exhortations urging us to do the opposite. In Isaiah 41:10, God says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

Another passage, one of my favorites, admonishes, “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 minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

 

However, there is one type of fear the Scriptures don’t discourage. In fact, they highly recommend it. It’s the fear of the Lord, although this isn’t the shaking in your boots, anxiously looking over your shoulder kind of fear. It’s a reverential awe for the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God who created us and sustains us every day. 

 

This form of fear enables us to maintain proper perspectives and set right priorities. Here’s a sampling of biblical prescriptions for having a proper, holy fear of God:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

“The fear of the Lord lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short” (Proverbs 10:27).

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise” (Psalm 111:10).

“Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid” (Psalm 112:1,8).

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27).

“The fear of the Lord will keep you from sinning” (Exodus 20:20).

 

When I read these passages and others like them, they don’t produce a sense of foreboding, that God is ready to pounce the moment I mess up. Rather, it’s a sense of confidence and security, a trust that as the title of the old TV series said, “Father Knows Best.” He's more than able to carry us through the fearful trials of life. And if we strive to heed what He says, life will be far better than anything we could experience on our own without Him.

 

If we truly fear God, as the Scriptures teach us to do, we can avoid succumbing to every other kind of fear that the world throws at us. 

Biblical Do’s and Don’ts – Fear Is Among Them

We live in fearful times. That’s not news. It’s not even recent. This has always been the case throughout human history, but months of continuous pandemic news has spiked our fear quotient. There are many other concerns we could add to the list as well. Something new seems to be added every day. So we exist in near-constant states of stress, our adrenalin levels pushed to the max.

Which has led me to ponder what the Scriptures say about fear. Skeptics would protest that the Bible is nothing more than a compilation of do’s and don’ts. I would disagree with such a narrow view. It’s far more than that. However, in truth, the Word of God shows and tells us much about what we should do – and not do – about fear.

The Lord makes very clear what we should fear. We’re commanded, “Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the people around you, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and His anger will burn against you…” (Deuteronomy 6:13-15).

Later in the same Old Testament book we read, “You are to fear the Lord your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:20). This admonition, however, is not the kind of cowering fear an animal might feel toward an owner that mistreats it, or a dreaded suspicion that the Lord is staring down from heaven, ready to pounce the moment we step out of line. Instead, biblical fear of God speaks about love, devotion and reverence, a profound sense of awe in approaching the Creator of all that is, ever was, and ever will be.

And there are benefits from “doing” this prescription to fear the one true God. “If you fear the Lord and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His commands, and if you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God – good!” (1 Samuel 12:14). Psalm 34:9 adds, “Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.”

At the same time, the Scriptures clearly instruct that we are not to be overcome by fear – because of our trust and confidence in an all-loving, all-knowing, all-powerful God. “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?” (Psalm 27:1).

This command not to fear is borne out of deep, abiding personal relationship, knowing God not as distant and disinterested, but closer than our skin. One of my favorite verses offers this assurance: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). He is present with us, no matter what our circumstances might be, and will provide whatever we need to get through them.

The New Testament gives similar assurances: In preparing to send His 12 closest disciples on their first mission without Him, Jesus warned them of inevitable opposition: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell…. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father…. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:28-31).

Another passage many of us know gives us more “do’s and don’ts”: “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” (Philippians 4:6-7). I don’t know about you, but fear and anxious thoughts can come easily. The next steps – praying and expressing my concerns to God, along with thanking Him in advance for how He’s going to address my circumstances – do not.

That’s what faith is all about: Trusting the Lord in everything, even when – and especially when – we can’t see any way He can work through them for His good and perfect purposes, as He promises in Romans 8:28. But as 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”

Whether it’s a pandemic, social unrest, unemployment, or financial struggles, we have our marching orders. Fear God, but do not let fear generated by the situations we find ourselves in overwhelm us. We’re to choose faith, not fear.

Concentrating on the Knowns, Not Overwhelmed by the Unknowns

When confronting any crisis, whether a pandemic, a foreboding weather forecast, financial challenges, a difficult career decision, or just the fickle nature of the future, we hate having to deal with the unknown.

Years ago, Donald Rumsfeld, while serving as Secretary of Defense during the Gulf War, spoke about that in describing the uncertainties of warfare. He said there are “known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns.” 

Just a few months ago we were eagerly looking ahead to 2020, expecting many wonderful surprises. Well, it brought surprises, but a lot of them weren’t what we anticipated. At the dawn of the new year, our “known knowns” were easy: Such as where we went to work, income we could count on, the place where we worshipped, and plans we were making for the months ahead. 

The unknowns in our lives were more problematic, of course. Our “known unknowns” included things like whether the economy would continue to thrive, if we would receive that promotion or pay raise we were hoping for, what new people would come into our lives, or how our favorite teams would fare during the upcoming season.

Then a thing called the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic came out of nowhere toward the end of January, becoming the greatest “unknown unknown” we had ever encountered. Who knew it was coming, or even imagined it? In its wake, many of the things we thought we knew went by the wayside. 

Lots of people had their work dramatically change; others had their jobs disappear in an instant, even if only temporarily. Money many folks counted on suddenly wasn’t there. We no longer worried about whether our favorite teams would be successful; it became a matter of if they would play at all. And our homes became our “places of worship.” It seems “unknown unknowns” can have that effect on us.

Commenting on this, Philip DeCourcy, pastor of Kindred Church in Anaheim Hills, Calif., acknowledged life’s unknowns have always been at best unsettling, at worst tragic. They can overwhelm us, dump us into states of fear and despair, or immobilize us like a deer staring into headlights. For that reason, he said, we’re wise to focus instead on the “known knowns,” those things that can serve as a refuge in the midst of a storm.

These, for those who know Jesus Christ and believe what we read in the Scriptures, can provide comfort beyond measure. Because if we were to count them, we would find hundreds upon hundreds of “known knowns” in the Bible. Truths both timeless and unchanging.

Where to start? Here’s an obvious one: “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). We don’t have to worry about whether our relationship with Him will change, or if His love for us will fade. Similarly, in Revelation 4:8 we read about the angels declaring, “’Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was and is and is to come.” He is eternal, has always been and always will be.

In times of distress, we might want to cry out, “Lord, where are you?” But the Bible says that should not trouble us. Just before His ascension to heaven, Jesus told His followers, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). God made a similar promise in the Old Testament, assuring His chosen people of Israel, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). 

Does COVID-19 or its economic impact still keep you awake at night? Or maybe a problem totally unrelated to the pandemic? The Scriptures give us many promises of God’s presence, provision and protection, but one of the most familiar is 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.” When we present our concerns to Him through prayer, the Lord promises to give us peace and assurance that He is working through our circumstances.

You get the idea: We can wallow in the wilderness of unknowns, both the ones we’re aware of and those we don’t know about yet. Or we can concentrate on the things we know for sure, especially the unwavering truths God gives us in His Word.

I like how the late author Corrie ten Boom expressed it. In her book, The Hiding Place, she tells about the horrors of World War II, and how she and her family provided refuge for many Jews in the Netherlands, sheltering them from the Nazis and the Holocaust. Corrie’s faith in Christ sustained her during that time, causing her to later write, “Never be afraid to commit an unknown future to a known God.” 

Fear From Within Worse Than Fear From Without

Typically I write my blog posts two or more weeks in advance, but with news about the Coronavirus developing so quickly, I thought offering a more immediate view might be helpful. I’m not disputing the urgency and seriousness of the situation that has public institutions, schools, workplaces, sporting events, and many other places shuttering their doors until the emergency passes. (Not to mention the growing shortage of toilet paper – the connection for which is yet to be determined.) But panic definitely is not the right form of response.

Last week my friend, Ken Korkow, a man who has shared godly wisdom with me on numerous occasions, offered the following perspective:

“I have compiled a short history of fears, with my personal greatest concern at the very bottom:

As a kid in grade school, we watched the 1950s animated film, 'Duck and Cover,' which showed us safety techniques for the dangers of Russian nuclear attacks. In case of an attack, the film taught us to be like Bert the Turtle, a cartoon character: duck under tables or desks, or next to walls, and tightly cover the back of our necks and faces.

Then there was the so-called 'Y2K bug,' also called the Year 2000 bug or Millennium Bug, which concerned a problem in the coding of computerized systems that was projected to create havoc in computers and computer networks around the world at the beginning of the year 2000 (in metric measurements, 2K). After more than a year of international alarm, feverish preparations, hoarding and programming corrections, few significant failures occurred in the transition from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000.

Since then we have had other much-feared international calamities, including:

2002 – West Nile virus

2004 – SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome)
2005 – Bird flu
2009 – Swine flu
2014 – Ebola virus
2016 – Zika virus
2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Along the way we have added ‘Active Shooter Drills’ in our schools.

But my biggest challenge is not the junk on the outside. It's the junk on my inside. 

Please consider Mark 7:14 - 23: "When He (Jesus) had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, 'Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!' When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. So He said to them, 'Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?' And He said, 'What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.'"

At some point, each one of us is going to die – and then comes eternal judgment. Therefore, my biggest wish/challenge/concern is that I would never sin again. But I continue to do so. Amazingly, God continues to love me anyway. And He loves you, too. A quick understanding of God’s grace can be found in the GRACE acronym: 

God's Riches At Christ's Expense

Paul Tripp, a pastor, author and conference speaker, has nailed it: ‘The stuff outside you, no matter how troubling, is not as dangerous as the mess inside you, and for that you have the grace of Jesus.’ So what is the solution? Marinate in God’s holy Word to know and live His truth and be actively involved in His purposes.”

My friend is not diminishing the seriousness and concern over the Coronavirus. Only weeks ago, most of us have never heard of it; now daily we’re receiving new revelations and warnings about it. But despite its gravity, we dare not lose sight of God’s sovereignty in this and every situation we face. And what we face within us is a far greater challenge than anything outside of us.

As 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity (fear), but of power and love and discipline.” Another passage provides this assurance: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). If we look away from God, fear can overwhelm us. But if we look to Him and trust in Him, fear can’t defeat us.

The Lord was with us in the past, through a variety of dangerous flus and viruses, as well as many other calamities. Thousands of years ago He made this promise: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). And that promise holds true for the present Coronavirus crisis, and for whatever else will follow. As certainly something will.

Five Stages of Marriage – and Faith

Years ago, I heard someone make an astute observation about marriage. The speaker stated even the most successful marriages typically move through five stages: infatuation, disillusionment, misery, acceptance, and true love.

There’s much wisdom in this assessment. On wedding day, both bride and groom arrive starry-eyed, convinced the ceremony’s just the start of perpetual, uninterrupted bliss. They see one another as the answer to their prayers, fulfillment of their dreams, the person to meet all their needs. This marks the “infatuation” stage. It might last through the honeymoon, maybe weeks or months more.

Inevitably the initial stage ends and “disillusionment” arrives. They discover their new mate isn’t so perfect after all, and what’s worse, they have no desire to be fulfiller of the other’s dreams. The marriage isn’t bad, but visions of perfection are forever shattered.

Next comes the “misery” stage, when memories of “I do” turn into “I did? Why?!” They begin wondering, “Who is this person I married?” Bliss becomes a distant memory. Thoughts of the relationship continuing into perpetuity cease to be pleasant. It seems more of a lifetime sentence.

Often marriages never escape this stage. Couples either grin and bear it, or reach a point when divorce seems inevitable. However, if willing to persevere – aided by the grace and strength of God – things start to improve, advancing to “acceptance.” Virtually every marriage spanning several decades has managed to endure the journey to acceptance. It’s the realization that when the words “better or worse” were uttered, there actually would be some worse times, but in hindsight, they weren’t as bad as they seemed at the time.

Happily, many whose marriages have spanned 30, 40, or even 50 years or more discover the “true love” stage is by far the best. And well worth the wait. It’s the love described in 1 Corinthians 13 – the patient, kind, humble, selfless, slow-to-anger, forgiving, honest, protective, trusting, ever hopeful and persevering kind that rarely if ever is portrayed on TV or the movie screen.

I cite this not as a marriage authority, although having been married to the same woman for more than 40 years, I’ve learned a lot. No, these five stages of marriage are important because in a sense, they parallel the stages of spiritual growth.

We could describe the first stage of faith in Christ as infatuation, the giddy sense of excitement that is centered on feelings, the unwavering conviction that from now on, it’s “me and Jesus all the way!”

It may take months or even a few years, but that childlike zeal segues into disillusionment. We realize God isn’t a divine sugar daddy who answers all our prayers the way we ask. He allows hardships, pain, and even loss to enter our lives. We don’t understand why.

Then comes the time of misery, when questions and doubts emerge. This prompts us to dig deep, asking ourselves what we really believe – and why. In best-case scenarios, we come through this process with faith stronger than ever, not necessarily having every question answered, but with a greater trust in a transcendent God who’s not unsettled by our uncertainties.

Acceptance, in our faith journey, involves being able to trust that although we won’t always know why the Lord does what He does – or when or how – we’re in this for the long haul, sharing the confidence of the prophet who wrote, “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Finally, our goal as followers of Jesus should be the true love stage, recognizing, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19). This is what God desires for each one of us.

As with couples in marriage, believers do not arrive at this last stage in their faith walk quickly, or easily. But it’s well worth the travail to get there.

Romans 5:3-6 declares, “And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

It’s a long, convoluted, sometimes seemingly impossible path for faith to travel from infatuation to true love. But as Jesus said, in a slightly different context, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).