SUFFERING IN SILENCE

Jeremiah 48:1-49:22; 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Psalm 95:1-96:13; Proverbs 26:9-12

“’…His pride is very great. We know of his lofty pride, his arrogance, and his haughty heart. I know about his insolence,’ says the Lord, ‘but his boasts are empty—as empty as his deeds.’…You are proud of your fertile valleys, but they will soon be ruined. You trusted in your wealth, you rebellious daughter, and thought no one could ever harm you.”

“Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. ”

“Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!”

“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.”

There are some harsh words in today’s Scriptures, some fairly unsympathetic verses read in light of what has just happened. But I think, maybe, it is sometimes important for Christians to feel a measure of tough love from our Savior. Occasionally, we just have to have that kind of stark clarity before the truth can really set in. Life is not all roses and blue skies. Storms happen. If we are not prepared, not secure, not fully grounded and connected to the Body, they can blow us away whether we say we follow Christ, or not.

I was raised to believe that the measure of a man – or woman, for that matter – was best taken by their ability to get things done on their own. Where did we get that idea? Our aversion to getting help is not just self-limiting, but a logical impossibility, when one actually starts to think about it. Any time we begin to think we can do something on our own, the temptation is to think we must do everything on our own. That viewpoint inevitably brings Satan one step closer to victory.

This week, a woman threw herself off the seventh story of the parking garage of our office building. There was a bit of a clamor inside, but literally and figuratively, as we continued working feverishly on the 21^st floor getting ready for trial, we were pretty much above it all. Horrifyingly, the entire trial team’s reaction to the matter was not much more than, “Looks like we had another leaper. (We get one about once a year.) Must have been another transient from the bus station. Very sad.” Back to work we went, focused on our respective tasks.

That night, I learned the poor soul we figured was a transient actually was someone I knew from our church and had personally worked with a number of years ago. There is no doubt family and friends are beyond devastated. Anyone who has ever experienced anything close to such a tragedy knows what followed. There’s an inevitable need to search for answers that just do not exist. There may be any number of “reasons,” but no good, solid or logical explanations. Personally, the one question that continues to dog me is, how did we all miss this? How could the supposedly loving Body of Christ not see that much pain in one of its members? Week after week, we all saw her in the halls of church. We knew her as a sweet person with a heart for others, someone who was willing to make personal sacrifices, usually before those she helped knew they needed it. About all I can come up with at this moment is that, somewhere along the way, she just ran out of gas. One more question immediately follows. I wonder if she reached out to any of us and we did not understand the depth of her need, or if she just sentenced herself to suffering in silence and did not have the capacity to handle it.

Oh, my Lord! Save us, your people, from the idea that we are in this alone. Intervene supernaturally, if need be, to insure we do not live life in a way that denies your power because it isolates our hearts from those who might save us. I pray your grace, blessing and healing hand over the family of our dear departed. Bring them a peace that in fact does surpass all understanding, that is even more illogical and powerful than the sadness which torments them. And, if nothing else, Father, soften all our hearts, that this death may not be in vain. Remind us anew of your personal presence and fierce desire to be with us. Open our souls again to the warmth of your touch. Let us be certain that there are those to whom we can reach out and seek help when the loads of life become too much for us to bear on our own. Lift us up, Abba, into the very lap of your comfort.

THE RIGHT ALLIANCES

Jeremiah 44:24-47:7; 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17; Psalm 94:1-23; Proverbs 25:28

“’Prepare your shields, and advance into battle! Harness the horses, and mount the stallions. Take your positions. Put on your helmets. Sharpen your spears, and prepare your armor. But what do I see? The Egyptian army flees in terror. The bravest of its fighting men run without a backward glance. They are terrorized at every turn,’ says the Lord. ‘The swiftest runners cannot flee; the mightiest warriors cannot escape. By the Euphrates River to the north, they stumble and fall…. Why have your warriors fallen? They cannot stand, for the Lord has knocked them down.’”

“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! … But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.”

“Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes? … But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.”

When I was in elementary school, I was not known as what one would consider tough. I wasn’t a wimp, exactly, just a little too bookish to fit in with the true athletes and too straightlaced to fit in with those other folks. Like a square peg in a round hole, it was difficulty to find a personal niche. I made a real mistake trying to fit in with my brother’s crowd. Four years older and in high school, there was a world of difference between those true jocks and other toughs he hung out with and the still largely make believe world of us pre-teens. Nevertheless, desperate to find some group with which I could identify, I pestered my big brother and his friends. One day, for whatever reason, big bro’ either left without me or was not around, and his friends let me know in no uncertain terms – without saying a word – that I really was not welcome in their little band. Battered and bruised, I returned home afraid to ever walk down their particular street again.

About a week later, my brother actually asked me to go with him for a walk. Back into the realm of the toughs we went. We visited every house where one of his friends lived that afternoon. We did not stay long, and I cannot say we were exactly welcomed with open arms anywhere we went. By the end of the day, though, one thing was clear. I was free to go anywhere I wanted from that point on. Never did I have to worry about being beat up for just walking down the wrong street at the wrong time. My friends seemed to have been given safe passage as well, at least when we were together. We had a new freedom that allowed us to experience a lot more of the world, and in the process, I found myself much more welcome with those my own age, too. We all grew up, of course, and turf became a thing of the past without great import, but I will never forget the early days or what it meant to have the right man on my side. I still have no clue how he found out what had happened or what he actually said to fix it, but there was never any doubt things changed with just a word or two from my big brother.

It matters who we are allied with. It is important to have the right Man on our side. We dare not go it alone. It makes no sense to try. The world is simply too hostile a place for those with a vision of heaven. We don’t fit in. We need more protection than we can ever provide ourselves.

I’ve seen people lost without Jesus, and I’ve seen people who think they don’t need Him in their lives who seem to do quite nicely, thank you very much. But I always wonder what it’s really like to be in their bedroom at 3:30 in the morning. Do they lie awake wondering why they are here? Do their demons keep them awake, tossing and turning? Certainly, many without Christ have those experiences, just as some who call Him Lord struggle. The absence of struggle is never an indication of the presence of Christ, just as strife is no proof the Lord has left us. The sun rises and sets on us all, and the rain falls on the just and the unjust. The question is where do we turn when there’s no place to hide. Do we find ourselves in a box canyon with no choice but to grin and bear it; or are we allied with a stronger, more courageous force capable of bringing our enemies to heel and protecting us from that which would separate us from eternity?

The question is simple. The answer is not usually quite as apparent, or consistent, as we might like to think. We don’t normally think in terms of alliances at all. We tend to see ourselves in isolation, and in so doing, we limit our options. Christ stands ready to fight with us and for us. It is up to us to accept His help and actively seek His protection.

STAYING PUT, STANDING FIRM

Jeremiah 42:1-44:23; 2 Timothy 2:1-21; Psalm 92:1-93:5; Proverbs 26:3-5

“You sent me to the Lord, the God of Israel, with your request, and this is his reply: ‘Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. … Do not fear the king of Babylon anymore,’ says the Lord. ‘For I am with you and will save you and rescue you from his power…. But if you refuse to obey the Lord your God, and if you say, ‘We will not stay here; instead, we will go to Egypt where we will be free from war, the call to arms, and hunger,’ then hear the Lord’s message to the remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and live there, the very war and famine you fear will catch up to you, and you will die there.’”

“This is a trustworthy saying: if we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them. Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer….”

“For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, ‘The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!’”

“Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.”

“Stay put.” “God has a plan.” “Have faith.” We’ve heard it all before. What we want to know is, is it true.

The Lord’s pretty inscrutable when it comes to such questions. He puts us in situations, no doubt, but it can be pretty difficult to understand why, or what we’re supposed to do. We don’t handle ignorance as well as we should. We fidget; we fret. We’re not great at trusting. And we’re not normally content or even capable of just relaxing and standing still to face whatever is in store for us, either. We prefer to move, staying light on our feet. We dance around the real issues, having little faith that the Lord has prepared us “for such a time as this.” Thus, we actually tend to move away from the place and position in which we were placed before whatever we were prepared for happens. It’s no secret, then, why we don’t feel fulfilled. In our nervousness and disbelief, we simply are not where we were intended to be to fulfill our purpose. Elvis has left the building. We have gotten out of God’s way.

A dear friend signs most of his messages “gIHw.” For the longest time, I thought this was a typo, maybe a computer glitch associated with his e-signature. It made no sense. Finally, I asked him about it, and he made a really good point. (I’ll paraphrase, hoping I understood correctly. If not, he’ll certainly let me know!) He felt there is too much emphasis on getting out of God’s way, of releasing control, because most of us tend to take it too far. Whether we intend to or not, by disengaging, he was concerned what most Christians actually do is passively retreat and abdicate their mission of making disciples and growing in Christ. He felt that simply sitting around idly waiting for something to happen was never Jesus’ plan for his disciples. The Spirit wants us fully engaged, in partnership with Him, so we can move forward in His power into the work he has for us to do. Hence, my friend had taken to signing his messages “gIHw” as a reminder to us both to “Get IN His way.”

Excellent point. Christ never intended us to be “frozen Chosen.” By bailing out of a positive, proactive and responsible lifestyle in the name of “giving God control,” we do a grave disservice to the Body. He wants us actively recruiting for the Kingdom. We desperately need to get in and stay in God’s Way. However, at the same time, we need to find some measure of balance, because it is possible for us to move so far ahead we leave Him behind and soon, we are just chasing after our own dreams and visions. So, when do we move and when do we stand pat?

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have asked myself the same question. Is it time to change churches? Do we need to move to another area? Is this the right job? Are my kids in the right school? And so on. There is no formula. But over the years, as much as I hate to admit it, my instinct for change has repeatedly proven to be exactly the wrong reaction to the circumstance of life. Fortunately, between my wife and I, we normally make major decisions at the speed of, well…. Let’s just say the last one I recall was over a year ago. We’re not in a rut, we just choose our course very carefully. But we try hard not to move out of God’s way in the process of moving forward, too. Remarkably, when we are patient and considered, as frustrating as it can sometimes be to figure it out, we usually find we were right where we were supposed to be all the time.

It may be counterintuitive, and it can be extremely hard to accept, but the reality is that the best way for us to get in God’s way is simply to stay right where we are and just spend a little more time actively seeking His face and His will. This almost never changes our circumstances, but it sure can change how we see them and how we deal with them, and that can make all the difference. Jesus will come to us if we let Him. The idea we have to “move” or “change” to find either our purpose or His will can be an insidious lie of the Evil One designed to actually move us out of God’s way. So tread carefully. Tread considerately. Like Dorothy learned in The Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like Home.”

READY FOR TRIAL

Jeremiah 39:1-41:18; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 26:1-2

“I will rescue you from those you fear so much. Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

“I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.”

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. ”

“Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest.”

“Ready for trial, your Honor!” There are few words that set a litigator’s heart to pumping harder than actually getting to try a case. Today, assuming all goes according to plan, I will be starting trial in one of the largest jury trials of its kind in this state’s history. We have been preparing for weeks. All the briefs and motions are filed, the questions and arguments are outlined, the witnesses are prepared, and all that remains is just to do it. We have left no stone unturned. For the first time in my career of trial law, I am not nervous at all. I have tried a number of cases, and every time before, not only has my pulse quickened, but my hands have started to shake, my breath has speeded up, and I obsessed about what I might have forgotten, and worried about whether I would be good enough. Not this time. I have fully prepared, in advance. There is no way my adverse witness is going to get the better of me. Our evidence is strong; theirs is weak; the law and experts favor our side; and worst case, we will get to write some new appellate law on a couple of legal issues. It’s a dream position for any attorney, and to top it off, we are trying it in a pretty idyllic, resort setting. Occasionally, I actually do love my job…. Tomorrow may look very different. Trials have a way of going in their own, unexpected directions. But then, we aren’t supposed to worry about tomorrow, are we? No, we are just supposed to give our best to the present and let the rest take care of itself.

But enough digression. I have a confession to make. For me personally, getting ready for trial meant more than just doing my legal bit. It also meant getting a little ahead on my Bible study and blogging so I can give full attention to the client over the next ten days or so. (This, for example, is actually being written on the 17^th.) Quite literally, I found myself getting ready for trial by intensifying my Bible study and prayer time. And I began to understand in the process why I am not better prepared for the trials of everyday life. Simply, it’s because I am not scheduled for, and I do not anticipate, those trials. I don’t take constant preparation and vigilance seriously enough. No wonder when life comes fast, sin so often seems to carry the day.

Christian study is no easy task. Spiritual preparation takes an amazing amount of time, actually. It is also true, however, that the rewards far outweigh the sacrifice. Seven or eight months ago, I would have been overcome with anxiety about now. But in a way I cannot explain, the tide has definitely turned in that particular battle, at least for the present. It is honestly supernatural; I have to believe the discipline of this project has something very direct and powerful to do with it. Regardless, nerves are much less of a problem now. Negativism is relegated to the back row. Potential now seems more important than self-preservation. And things overall are better that way.

I’ve always envied the attorneys who just think trial is fun. There are times when it is decidedly not fun at all. But at least going in, I’m feeling this case will be different. It will be hard fought. All the skills of both trial teams will be tested as we compete to achieve our respective visions of justice for our clients. It’s what we’ve trained and prepared to do. It will be fun, and may even be fun to watch.

So, here’s my conclusion: I very much want to feel about life generally the way I feel about this trial. I want to be fully prepared to be the Lord’s man no matter what situation arises, or what struggles are necessary. I want to continue learning and experiencing grace and forgiveness and always be ready to capitalize on the chance to share them with others. And I hope and pray I am not alone in the way I feel. Jesus is ready to do great things through each of us. We need to be ready, and should anticipate being used by Him in glorious ways to enrich the Kingdom!