Just In Time

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6

Five amazing words, “at just the right time.” What an comfort to know the reality that God always acts “at just the right time.” 

Yet so often it seems like God is not on time. So often it feels like he doesn’t know that we need him to act, NOW. “Where is he?” “Doesn’t God know what’s going on?” “Doesn’t God realize this is an emergency?” So often when our lives seem to be spinning out of control we think that God is out of control. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

God is the only one who always acts at just the right time. He existed before time existed. Every person who ever lived does so in a time bound way; each of us born on a specific date, each of us to die on a specific date. Each of us lives today -- a day that Jesus told us has enough trouble to occupy our minds without worrying about tomorrow. 

These constraints of time do not bind God who has no beginning and no end; is not bound by the constraints of time, who entered into time at just the right time, and who moves in perfect time, all the time. 

• How does the reality that God is not bound by time give you confidence that he will act at just the right time?

A Cure For The Pain?

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5

The idea that we should rejoice when we suffer is a hard one to wrap your mind around.  Imagine your dearest friend has just been dealt a deep, deep lose and is suffering greatly. Do you go to them and say, “cheer up?” No, of course not. And here, in this passage, Paul is not telling us to “cheer up.” Later in the letter, he says that we should  rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn -- a theology of presence that meets people where they are. So, how can we imagine rejoicing when we suffer?

The quick answer is that there is no quick answer. Rejoicing in suffering is not a switch that you mentally flip on and off. It is, like all of transformation, a process. That said, the reality is that most often it is only when things are going bad that we gain perspective on what is important. When we suffer, our souls cry out in search of hope, and as we cry out we meet God in ways that may not possible without that soul cry. We suffer, we cry out for God, we taste and see his goodness -- even in the midst of the unexplained and unwanted pain. And though he is there, we still suffer, but in his presence we receive the strength to persevere as our character is shaped more into one resembling his, one that always hopes even as it grieves. 

• Are you currently in a season of suffering? 
• Have you been in one in the past? 
• Or, have you been graced so far to avoid such a season? 
• In all of these, where do you find God? 

God is there, rejoicing with you when you rejoice, mourning with you when you mourn, offering hope, and the peace that transcends our ability to understand it. 

Peace, hope and love

Doug

Worship: A Gift of Grace from God

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1–2

Many years ago I was at a church conference where each person was asked to go off alone and answer the question: How do you worship? And then, to come back and share our responses with the others. 

They gave us 20 minutes to write up our answers. I was at a loss. How do I worship? Well, that wasn’t going to take 20 minutes. My definition of worship at that time did not really move beyond the singing that was done at church before and after the sermon. When we re-gathered, I heard responses far, far broader than my definition. Could all of these things be worship? For me, worship was so small; it began to grow that day. Hopefully, it will continue to grow until the day that I die. 

Worship is central to who we are as followers of Jesus. Worship is central to both the life of the Church and the mission of the Church. John Piper says, I believe correctly,  “missions exist because worship doesn’t.” God’s desire for people is that they become worshipers of him. When we see God, we worship him. It is very hard to worship God if we do not see him, and so many things block our vision. 

I shared the below quote about worship this past Sunday. Take some time to read it through slowly a few times. As questions arise, sit with them. Do you agree with what he says? What surprises you? Where are you challenged? How do you worship? How can you grow in worship, individually and corporately. What does that look like practically? 

"Worship derives from “worth-ship” and it means giving God all He’s worth.Worship is humble and glad; worship forgets itself in remembering God; worship celebrates the truth as God’s truth, not its own. True worship doesn’t put on a show or make a fuss; true worship isn’t forced, isn’t half-hearted, doesn’t keep looking at its watch, doesn’t worry what the person in the next pew may be doing. True worship is open to God, adoring God, waiting for God, trusting God even in the dark. Worship will never end; whether there be buildings, they will crumble; whether there be committees, they will fall asleep; whether there be budgets, they will add up to nothing. For we build for the present age, we discuss for the present age, and we pay for the present age; but when the age to come (Christ’s return) is here, the present age will be done away. Worship is nothing more nor less than love on its knees before the beloved." 

- N.T. Wright

Peace, hope and love

Doug

Gambling on a "Sure Thing."

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:8

Abraham has always been a beacon of courage for me. The above verse has always been a strength. I think of the uncertainty that faced Abraham, the fear that he must have felt everything he knew for nothing that he did, yet doing so because he knew God was with him. I’ve been on that journey more times than I would have chosen, stepping out and hoping that God would meet me there. 

The Apostle Paul tells us that “against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.” Abraham was an old man -- retirement age -- married to a wife unable to have kids when God told him he would be a father of many nations, calling him to leave the known for the unknown, the voice of God whispering “trust me.” 

He hoped against hope because It was hopeless. But God had promised.

He hoped against hope because It was hopeless. But he knew God was good. 

He hoped against hope. But it was really really hopeless. 

You see, that is where the tension is. He didn’t know the how; he didn’t know the details, how it would end up for him. What if he made a mistake? What if God did not deliver? Hope is most hope when it is against hope. If it is a sure thing, if you can do it whether God “shows up” or not, where is hope required? 

As a pastor one of my greatest desires is for every single person to step when called into a place where if God does not show up they will be in trouble. I want them to listen, to ask God the what and the where, and then, when God provides an opportunity, to step, to trust, to hope against hope and to move; and to meet God in a more amazing way than they ever imagined. Yet most people wait and wait for a sure thing. Sure thing hope, however, never works. Either we get a sure thing and step out in “faith” only to quickly explaining away God’s role. Or, we never are presented with anything sure enough and so we never step. Either way we lose. 

“By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” He could have said no. He could have waited for a guarantee or greater certainty. But he didn’t wait, he went. And in the process he came to know God in an amazing way and was used by him to bless the whole world. 

Where is God calling you to go? What are you waiting for?