For those in the church that feel that Christians are being marginalized by our culture, I offer the following prayer that I read in Psalm 80 this morning:

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!”

Psalm 80:1–7, ESV

Jesus told Peter (and us) that He will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail over it. Yet sometimes, in America, it feels like the reverse is true. The church appears to be in decline and some very vocal antagonists triumphantly announce the irrelevance of faith in Jesus Christ.

Yet, those of us who believe in Jesus’ promise to build his church can pray that God will restore us individually and as local congregations so that we accurately present the claims of Christ and live out the faith that we claim to have.

Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine so that we may be used by you to build your church and storm the gates of hell.

If you are encouraged by this post or would like to make a comment, please use the comment form below to offer your feedback. If you are reading this in an email and would like to comment, you can reply to the email or click on the “Read in browser” link below to go to the web page where you can enter a comment. I enjoy hearing from you.

There are situations in life where circumstances are both painful and beyond our control. One way of surviving during those times is to refuse to engage with the circumstance which is like digging an emotional foxhole. One tries to keep his head down to keep it from getting blown off.

I’ve been in difficult circumstances in which I’ve used the foxhole strategy to avoid conflict. The problem is that the foxhole is only meant for short-term occupation. One can’t stay in the foxhole forever.

In thinking about some of my own circumstances where I’ve tried to keep my head low, the story of Gideon came to mind. His story can be found in the Bible beginning in Judges 6:11.

The story opens with Gideon hiding in a winepress so that he does not attract the attention of the Midian overlords. He does not want his enemy to know that he is processing wheat. He is hiding because it seemed to him to be the only way he could survive.

Based on the beginning of the story, Gideon would not be anyone’s first choice as the person most likely to lead Israel to a victory over Midian. But it is interesting to note that the Angel of the Lord appears to Gideon and calls him a “man of valor (ESV).” This is ironic given the fact that the man of valor is hiding in fear when he is addressed by this title.

When I look at the pressure the church is facing both from within and without, I feel like Gideon in the winepress.

When I look at the dysfunction from previous generations that I unwittingly propagate in my generation, I feel like Gideon in the winepress.

When I see the culture around me crumbling into acrimony and anarchy, I feel like Gideon in the winepress.

Like Gideon I feel like I am in the winepress because I feel helpless to affect change in these circumstances.

But by God’s grace and as a result of His calling, Gideon didn’t stay in the winepress. He stepped out in obedience and in the end, Gideon was used by God to affect change in his circumstances and for the nation as a whole. Gideon took a risk. Gideon stepped out in faith. Gideon chose to rely on God.

The question for me is whether I am willing to rely on God and take a risk if God calls me to do something. Am I willing to be misunderstood? Am I willing to be reviled by those who don’t agree with me?

Am I willing to step out in faith and challenge the Midianites in my life? Are you?

If you are encouraged by this post or would like to make a comment, please use the comment form below to offer your feedback. If you are reading this in an email and would like to comment, you can reply to the email or click on the “Read in browser” link below to go to the web page where you can enter a comment. I enjoy hearing from you.

I have heard it said that people can be divided into three groups:

1. Those who are in a trial
2. Those who have come out of a trial
3. Those who are going into a trial

As I write this, I am dealing with some stuff that puts me in category 1.

I am working through some hard stuff in my family. For a number of reasons, I chose not to go into detail about the nature of the trials. But suffice it to say that they are difficult enough to strip away any illusion that I have any control over my circumstances.

But in the midst of this, I read what King David wrote in Psalm 55:

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Psalm 55:22, CSB

If I cast the burden on God he promises to sustain me. The bottom line is that either this promise is true or it is not. I can choose to believe it or I can chose to disbelieve.

I have chosen to believe and thus far, God has sustained me. Somehow, I have not been overwhelmed by the difficulties.

Ah, but you might wonder if I have truly connected with the reality of the circumstances I am encountering. Perhaps I am simply in denial. Perhaps I don’t understand the gravity of the problems.

Maybe, but then I read that David took on lions and bears in protecting his sheep. Did he not understand the danger that such beasts present?

I’m sure David understood the gravity of his situation, but he also understood that God was with him and he never doubted the outcome.

I’m sure that as things unfold, there are emotions still to be felt and tears yet to be shed. But I can say that so far, I feel as though no matter what happens, I will be OK.

As Job said,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job 1:21, CSB

Paul shares his perspective in Philippians 4:

“ I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:11–13, CSB

From a temporal perspective, the worst is yet to come. I know that and it does scare me. I’m also aware that when things get harder, I will have to wrestle with feelings of self pity and abandonment.

But from an eternal perspective, I know that God has not stopped being God, nor has anything that has happened to me or around me has escaped his notice or control.

I must rest in that.

If you are encouraged by this post or would like to make a comment, please use the comment form below to offer your feedback. If you are reading this in an email and would like to comment, you can reply to the email or click on the “Read in browser” link below to go to the web page where you can enter a comment. I enjoy hearing from you.

I was recently asked about my calling and where I see myself with regard to Christian ministry.

In thinking about how to respond to this question, it comes to me that whatever the answer is, it must be rooted in the two great commands to love God and love neighbor.

First, I must confess that I feel very deficient in fulfilling either of these commands. Or, perhaps more correctly, I don’t do very well at either of these commands in my own strength. I have much to learn about how to more deeply love God and others.

Like our first parent in the Garden, I often try to find excuses for my failures to love. I could point to people that are critical, difficult, indifferent, or hostile to me as those who make it impossible for me to fulfill this command. But, in reality, the failure is my own fault. I have no legitimate excuse.

The fact that difficult people are in my life does not provide a reason to be unloving. That person whose criticism of me seems to be non-stop, also should be loved and not avoided. Those persons who have unrealistic expectations that they place on me; they should be loved also.

If I love those who love me back, Jesus remains unimpressed. If, on the other hand, I love the ones who don’t deserve it, that is another story. Jesus even went so far at to tell us that even our enemies should be loved.

The point of this ramble is that any idea of Christian calling needs to be rooted in these two commands. These commands are a good starting point to figure out what I am being called to do in life.

So, for today, I want to go back to basics and meditate on these two commands and look for opportunities to follow them. Some questions I’m asking myself:

• Am I taking the time in Scripture reading, meditation, and prayer to deepen my relationship to God?
• Am I willing to be open with others about my relationship with God?
• Am I willing to see other people the way God sees them? (Hint: like me they are flawed, but created in the image of God and therefore valuable)
• Am I willing to forgive the faults in others and seek to see the good in them, trusting that God is working in them to accomplish his purpose?
• Am I willing to be inconvenienced when someone needs help? Or, am I like the priest and Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan?
• Am I actively looking for opportunities to love God and others or am I consumed by getting my own (perceived) needs met?

The list of ways the two great commands should be applied is seemingly endless.

But building any sort of “ministry” or calling without this foundation would be a waste of time and effort.

If you are encouraged by this post or would like to make a comment, please use the comment form below to offer your feedback. If you are reading this in an email and would like to comment, you can reply to the email or click on the “Read in browser” link below to go to the web page where you can enter a comment. I enjoy hearing from you.