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Archive for December, 2010

“My soul melts away for sorrow”

Posted in commentary, Scripture on December 10, 2010| 1 Comment »

As I write this on Thursday it feels like I’m surrounded by hurt in so many people I know: a young man having surgery related to his disability; a young wife hospitalized for an unknown, painful ailment; children going through rough spells physically and emotionally; families hurting and barely hanging on.

There is no room in these circumstances for a trite, cheerful response.

God’s word speaks into suffering.  It never fails to recognize the pain of this world, and the source of the answer:

Psalm 119:28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
when you enlarge my heart!

There’s a little footnote attached to verse 32 which indicates that last part could also be read for you set my heart free. I love that thought!  I am especially comforted that it is God who does the work of enlarging hearts and setting hearts free.

I’m praying for an enlarged, free heart for you and for me today.

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What is biblical faith?

Posted in Quotes, Scripture on December 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

We reference prayer a lot here on this blog.  But what is it?  Are we just throwing our hopes up into the air and wishing?

From Wayne Grudem’s  Systematic Theology, p. 384:

Biblical faith is never a kind of wishful thinking or a vague hope that does not have any secure foundation to rest upon. It is rather trust in a person, God himself, based on the fact that we take him at his word and believe what he has said.  This trust or dependence on God, when it has an element of assurance or confidence, is genuine biblical faith.

David helps us think about what that confidence looks like:

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.  Selah

Psalm 62:5-8

“Pour out your heart before him.”  What a great request!  Our helper and provider, the one in whom we can trust absolutely, welcomes our heart-felt cries from the depths of our hearts. And then he promises refuge.

Pray earnestly today, and hope in him alone.

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Physical healing vs. spiritual healing: the case for a good study bible

Posted in Scripture on December 8, 2010| 4 Comments »

I work with really smart guys who can read passages in Greek and Hebrew; they can be intimidating when they start discussing the bible!

But I’ve discovered that with a good study bible, combined with a desire to learn and a dependency on the Holy Spirit for help, even folks like us without those skills can enjoy more of the riches that God has provided to us in his word.

I have a couple of study bibles I use, with the ESV Study Bible being primary.  But my old MacArthur Study Bible still gets used as well.  And I pulled out both for this passage:

In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see (Isaiah 29:18).

The MacArthur Study Bible includes this helpful note on Isaiah 29:18:

The spiritual blindness of Israel will no longer exist. (emphasis mine)  Jesus gives the words an additional meaning, applying it to his ministry of physical healing for the deaf and blind. Macarther Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, p. 977

So, the ‘deaf’ and the ‘blind’ in this case is everyone of the people of Israel who do not know God for who he is.  Their spiritual blindness will be addressed by God himself!

Which indicate the physical healing Jesus provided is a sign pointing to something much greater – God addressing spiritual blindness.  As a sign, the physical healing is secondary and of lesser importance, though clearly a very good gift that Jesus is offering.  And we are told it is coming through God.

Both study bibles then point to Matthew 11:5 where Jesus uses his healing authority as evidence of something greater for John the Baptist, who has asked ‘are you the one’:

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them (Matthew 11:4-5).”

Again, the healing is a sign of something greater – the arrival of the Messiah who will “save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).”  Why would the Lord emphasize that to Joseph before Jesus was born except that it was of primary importance?

Even logically we know that physical healing is a lesser gift than spiritual healing because eventually everyone will die.  And after we die, we will face God who judges rightly.

Which brought to mind Matthew 5:29:

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

“For it is better” for us to disable ourselves than to let sin rule our lives and lead us to eternal destruction.  This is another example of spiritual sight being a great deal more important than physical wholeness.

And we know that spiritual sight is not linked to physical sight:

. . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. . . (Ephesian 1:17-18)

This is the sight we should long for and ask for and pursue: Spirit-enlightened heart eyes!

So if you are struggling for a gift for someone this Christmas season, consider a good study bible.  And point people to the free resources of Desiring God where they can read, listen to or watch what Pastor John has to say and learn even more (he also can read Greek and Hebrew!).

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News on Suffering, Disability and the Glory of God

Posted in News on December 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »

On suffering:

Thank you to Justin Taylor for pointing to Matt Chandler’s blog posting marking  the one-year anniversary of his surgery for cancer.

Please take a moment to read it if you haven’t already.  I was enormously encouraged by it – I am His! – and deeply challenged to reflect on my own thoughts and behaviors (like praying).

On disability:

Congratulations to Joni & Friends for winning a Silver Telly Award for their production of When Disability Hits Home.

Chuck Colson and R.C. Sproul are prominently featured as the grandparents of children with disabilities.  One of my favorite men, even after having spent a fair amount of time with me, understood a great deal more about the impact of disability on a family after watching that production.

May God use this award to bring even more people into an understanding of God’s sovereign goodness in disability!

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“It is no little thing to win or lose the kingdom of heaven” – à Kempis

Posted in Quotes on December 6, 2010| 1 Comment »

From The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis, Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, New York, 1989, pp. 172-3.

Originally written around 1427:

My son, says our Lord. . . Continue therefore as you are doing.  Labor busily and faithfully in My vineyard and I will shortly be your reward. Write, read, sing, mourn, be quiet and pray, and suffer adversity gladly, for the kingdom of heaven is worth more than all of these things, and is much greater than they.  Peace that is known to Me will come one day, and that will not be a day of this life, but a day everlasting with infinite clarity, steadfast peace, and secure rest without end. And then you will not say: Who is to deliver me from the body of this death; nor will you need to cry: Woe to me that my coming to the kingdom of heaven is thus prolonged, for death will then be destroyed, and health of body and soul will be without end, insomuch that there will be no manner of restlessness, but blessed joy and sweetest and most fair company.

Oh, if you saw the everlasting crowns of My saints in heaven, if you saw in how great joy and glory they are who sometimes seemed to be despised in the world, you would soon humble yourself low to the ground, and you would rather to be subject to all men than to have authority over one person. You would not desire to have happiness and pleasure in this world, but rather to bear with tribulation and pain, and you would account it a great gain to be considered as nothing among the people.  Oh, if these things tasted sweet to you and deeply pierced your heart, you would not dare once to complain of any manner of trouble that should befall you. Are not all painful things and grievous labors gladly to be endured for joy everlasting? Yes, truly. It is no little thing to win or lose the kingdom of heaven.

Lift up your face, therefore, to heaven, and behold how I and all My saints there with Me had great struggle and conflict in this world, yet now they rejoice with Me and are comforted in Me and are sure to abide in Me and to dwell with Me in the kingdom of My Father without end.

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How did you celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities?

Posted in commentary, News on December 5, 2010| Leave a Comment »

If you’ve never heard of that day, you missed it.  I did, too.

It has been around for a while.  The United Nations declared in 1981 that it would be celebrated on December 3 every year.

The purpose:

The Day aims to promote a better understanding of disability issues with a focus on the rights of persons with disabilities and gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural life of their communities. United Nations Enable

President Obama included this in his presidential declaration for the day:

America stands in solidarity with the growing number of nations around the world that have committed themselves to ending unequal treatment of persons with disabilities.  On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we acknowledge the contributions of women and men with disabilities around the world, and we recognize our charge to ensure that all individuals can enjoy full inclusion and participation in our societies.

I’m struck by two things:

  1. This was about it from the White House (or Congress for that matter – neither the House nor the Senate even made a statement that I could find).  There were no videos or personal appearances by the President or Vice President.  Since almost 50 million Americans live with a disabling condition, I find that curious.
  2. He doesn’t really recognize his ‘charge to ensure that all individuals can enjoy full inclusion and participation in our societies.’  The unborn children with disabilities who are being exterminated at alarming rates never have the opportunity to be included or participate.

And I believe the greatest acts of celebration have nothing to do with these declarations by the UN or the White House.  This Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will take my entire family to church where I will observe children and adults with disabilities being welcomed, worshipping, and sitting under preaching that honors God.

I’ll take these quiet acts of inclusion 52 times a year over a one-day celebration or a multitude of governmental declarations.

Of course it is imperfectly done at Bethlehem; I know there are some who do not feel included or welcomed.  We need God’s continued help and provision to change that and to serve all who come.  We need his wisdom.  Please continue to pray for us.

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What’s on your whiteboard?

Posted in Quotes on December 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Yes, I really come home to find things like this on our whiteboard!  I’m grateful Dianne chooses to share things she hears or comes across with the family.

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A good word from a little prophet

Posted in Uncategorized on December 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

On Thursday morning I received one of those work emails that nobody likes to get.  A project was not going as planned and would require significant thought and redirection.

So, as I got Paul up to get him ready for school my mind was not on him or on God, but was filled with thoughts and ideas along with a bit of a complaining spirit.

And God intervened.

As I walked Paul to the toilet he happily cried out, “trust in the Lord with all your heart!”

Why did he do that?  I can only conclude the Holy Spirit told him to.  There weren’t any other external factors to encourage him to do it – no music tapes, no conversation about God, certainly nothing I was doing in that moment.

It had the effect of both chastising me and encouraging me.  Even the little spark of mumbling in my soul appeared very wicked in that instant.  And at the same time, I knew that God would help me on every level – with the project, with killing my sin, even with trusting him.

I found Dianne and told her what Paul had done, to which she replied, “our little prophet.”  Indeed!

And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:19-21

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“You simply can’t be blown over any more.” John Piper

Posted in Quotes on December 2, 2010| 3 Comments »

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

What it’s like to live in Romans 8:28

If you live inside this massive promise, your life is more solid and stable than Mount Everest.  Nothing can blow you over when you are inside the walls of Romans 8:28.  Outside Romans 8:28 all is confusion and anxiety and fear and uncertainty.  Outside this promise of all-encompassing future grace there are straw houses of drugs and alcohol and numbing TV and dozens of futile diversions.  There are slat walls and tin roofs of fragile investment strategies and fleeting insurance coverage and trivial retirement plans. There are cardboard fortifications of deadbolt locks and alarm systems and antiballistic missiles.  Outside are a thousand substitutes for Romans 8:28.

Once you walk through the door of love into the massive, unshakable structure of Romans 8:28 everything changes.  There come into your life stability and depth and freedom. You simply can’t be blown over any more. The confidence that a sovereign God governs for your good all the pain and all the pleasure that you will ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life.  When God’s people really live by the future grace of Romans 8:28 – from measles to the mortuary – they are the freest and strongest and most generous people in the world.  Their light shines and people give glory to their Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

John Piper, Future Grace, pp. 122-123.

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Grimacing. . . for the glory of God

Posted in commentary, Scripture on December 1, 2010| 3 Comments »

Paul had another of his spells on Monday, and in the process bruised his right heel.  The next morning he taught me a lesson.

As he walked around the house before school, it was a pattern of grimace, smile, grimace, smile, grimace, smile, grimace, smile.  When he found his special chair and got weight off his foot, he sang.

It was amazing to watch.  I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it before.

He wasn’t trying to put on a brave face; he isn’t capable of doing that.  What he’s feeling inside comes out on his face and through his voice.  His foot really hurt, and he was really happy.

His example puts me to shame.  I would have been strongly tempted to let the world know how miserable I was over a bruised heel.  Or, self righteously, I might have ‘toughed it out’ but would have not been smiling and singing in the midst of it.

But my boy sang.  He can’t even understand his pain, and he sang.

It brought to mind Paul and Silas who were beaten, shackled and placed in jail:

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. . . Acts 16:25

Paul’s disabilities encourage him to live in the moment.  He doesn’t think a whole lot about the future or the past or about consequences.

And here are just a few of the God-honoring outcomes I’ve seen before because of his disabilities:

  • He is never anxious about what he will eat or wear (Matthew 6:25)
  • He is quick to forgive (Colossians 3:13)
  • He expects good gifts from his father (Matthew 7:11)
  • “As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (2 Corinthians 6:10)

Today I think he added:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  Philippians 4:4

And to think that people feel sorry for him!

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