Passion of God…Long Before “Passion Week”

Each year, starting with Palm Sunday and ending with Resurrection Sunday, Christians worldwide observe "Passion Week" in holy remembrance of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This holy week highlights Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem and forceful cleansing of the temple which soon led to His betrayal, arrest, illegitimate trials by night, terrible physical and emotional abuse, and eventual crucifixion. 

But the greatest significance of Passion Week is that it highlights Christ's willing journey to the Cross.  As the sinless Lamb of God, Jesus gave up His life to become the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.  But a borrowed tomb could not keep Him!  Jesus's glorious resurrection on Easter morning as Victor over sin and death opened the way to salvation and Eternal Life to all who believe in Him.

Although Passion Week is the culmination of the Lenten and Easter observance each year, we would like to suggest that the "Passion of Christ" began long before "Passion Week." Could it be that the "sufferings of Christ" as an expression of the eternal love of God for His creation began with the first sin in the Garden of Eden?

What follows is a series of daily devotional meditations.  Each one has a specific theme that is supported by Scriptures followed by an invitation to consider how these Scriptures practically apply to our daily living.  We hope each meditation will help users to explore and appreciate both the lovingkindness of God and the infinitely long history of His redemptive passion and plan, a plan which He conceived "before the creation of the world" (Ephesians 1: 4).  [Note:  If you begin with "Day 1" on Palm Sunday, you will finish on Resurrection Sunday (Easter).] 

Day 1: “A Perfect Communion--God and Man”
Scripture: 
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  - Genesis 1:1
God created man in His own image,
in the image of God He created him; male and female...- Gen. 1:27 
And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.  
And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. - Gen. 1:31 
Consider:
The Triune God-- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, existed in a perfect, loving relationship as One God from eternity past. Then, God created the heavens and the Earth and formed the first human being, Adam.  As a living person, Adam was equipped to think, communicate, and act in fellowship with God as a perfect image and reflection of God's Person and character.  From Genesis 3: 8 we learn that Adam and his human companion, Eve, enjoyed perfect fellowship with God, walking with him in the cool of the day, hearing the sound of His voice, and receiving the warmth of His love.
Application:
Can you remember a loving relationship that you hoped would never end? Did God know that His love for Adam and Eve so warmly reciprocated would end with their rejection of Him?  Yes, He did!  But this knowledge did not cause God to love Adam and Eve any less.  Instead, God had already determined that He would redeem Adam's fallen race, including all who will turn to Him by faith. ln fact God chose us in Him [Jesus Christ] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence.  In love... Ephesians 1: 4.  He had restoration of humankind and creation in mind long before Adam's tragic fall into sin.
Response:
Imagine the blessing of Adam and Eve as they walked with God in a mutually shared love and joy!  Can you personally relate to the blessing of regular communion with God?  If so, thank Him now for making it possible through Christ  

Day 2: “Perfect Love Relationship--Broken!”
Scripture: 
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 
And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves... 
Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3: 6-8)
Consider:
Adam and Eve were free to choose either to love God by living lives consistent with their image-bearing, divine nature; or by living in contradiction to a life that would express their love and honor to their Creator.  One day, possibly just before the "cool of the day" when they would often enjoy walking with God, Adam and Eve made the fateful choice to doubt and then reject God's loving provision for them.  The effect of their choice was immediate!  They felt a sense of alienation from God.  Then, guilt and fear led them to hide from God, or so they thought. 
Application:
Like all of their descendants, Adam and Eve were created to be holy images of God as long as they chose to obey Him.  Unfortunately, they yielded to Satan's temptation and allowed the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life [to rule them, a spirit that] is not from the Father but is from the world (1 John 2: 16).  Adam and Eve would never be the same or have the same loving communion with God.  Fortunately, although they had rejected God, He had not rejected them.  His love never fails. 
Response:
Take time to thank God that His love endures, and His mercy never fails.  Song:  "Goodness of God," Bethel Music, Jenn Johnson  Click HERE.

Day 3: “God's Passion and Pursuit Begins”
Scripture: 
Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8- 9)
Consider:
Adam and Eve had been accustomed to walking with the LORD in the cool of the day, hearing His voice, and basking in the love, joy, and peace that radiated from Him.  But on one particular day, they yielded to the tempting voice of Satan and ate the fruit from the only tree that God had pronounced "off limits." Suddenly, they were gripped by fear when they heard God's voice and they hid from Him. Tragically, the effects of that first sin upon Adam and Eve have been experienced by their descendants of every generation down to the present day.

Application:
Can you remember the hurt and pain you felt when you lost a cherished relationship? Terrible as such an experience of loss can be, it is impossible for us to fathom the anguish of God when Adam and Eve rejected His love. Their rejection of His command pierced the loving heart of God. But the divine grief over their sin was more than matched by God's passionate and just plan to redeem the fallen couple--and their offspring.  From that moment in the Garden when God asked, "Where are you?", God knew the sin and sorrow His Son would bear on the Cross for you and me. 
Response:
Enter a time of quiet meditation on God's question, "Where are you?" Make it personal; and then respond in prayer as God's Spirit leads you.

Day 4: “The Gravity of Sin Requires Bloodshed”
Scripture:
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked,
and they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings. -Genesis 3: 7
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. - Genesis 3: 21
No man can by any means redeem his brother
   Or give to God a ransom for him—
For the redemption of his soul is costly,
  And he should cease trying forever— - Psalm 49: 7-8
Consider: 
Adam and Eve are the only humans who were able to know God intimately, walk with Him, and intimately know each other without sin and shame.  All of these privileges were diminished with the fall.  Suddenly, "their eyes were opened." Guilt, shame, and fear exposed their nakedness physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  As God's image bearers, all of us as Adam's descendants have inborn sense of justice that calls us to make peace with God.  Adam and Eve chose to hide from God in their sin and shame, and to cover their naked vulnerability by make-shift means.
Application:
How old were you when you first realized the guilt and shame of disobeying your parents or a teacher?  Can you relate to how Adam and Eve must have felt?  Maybe like them, you tried to "fix things" or "cover up." But chances are your sin was discovered, and the wrongness of your actions were made clear through explanation and maybe even punishment.  If you were disciplined, you may also remember the relief of having "paid the price" for your sin.  But who "pays the price" for our sins and our "sin nature" in God's sovereign plan?  Amazingly, God Himself "paid the price!"  In God's mercy, He spared us of what we deserved--eternal death and separation from Him. In God's grace, He gives us what we don't deserve--eternal Life. 
Response:
Have you received His Gift (John 3: 14-21)?   If so, thank God now for the free Gift of faith and salvation through Christ's sacrifice.  How will you confront temptation and the sin that so easily confronts you?  See Hebrews 12: 1-3; 1 John 1: 5-9.  

Day 5: “The Grief of God--And His Mercy”
Scripture: 
The LORD God said to the serpent...I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” - Genesis 3: 14a, 15 
Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the LORD’s help, I have produced a man!” - Genesis 4: 1 
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  - Genesis 6: 5-6
Consider:
On Day 4, we reflected on how our disobedience as a child brought guilt and shame upon us. But did we ever think how our parents or a teacher might have felt?  Likely, they were disappointed, maybe angry, and likely ready to make you pay the price for your disobedience.  As much as I dreaded the punishment, I eventually realized that my disobedience hurt my parents and teachers.  Their disappointment in me hurt them.  It also hurt them to "apply physical hurt" to me!  Above all, I must realize how much grief God has born since the Garden and all the way to the Cross.

Application:
According to our Scripture for today, when God saw the extent of the wickedness on the Earth, It broke his heart.  What would God do?  The Old Testament understanding was, The soul that sins will die (Ezekiel 18:20).  But, from before the beginning of time, God had another plan.  Beginning with Adam's sin, God would enter in and participate in addressing the penalty for sin. To show the seriousness of our sin, God the Creator of animals chose to commit the first act of killing an animal and shedding its life blood to make skin coverings for Adam and Eve. Then, in Exodus and Leviticus, God outlined a sacrificial system by which sin was atoned through blood sacrifices.  For ...according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9: 22). 
Response:
Praise God for His love that flowed from His grieving heart as mercy and forgiveness, first through the repeated blood sacrifices under His Old Covenant; and then, in the New Covenant, sealed once and for all through the blood of His precious Lamb, Jesus Christ.  See also, Hebrews 10.

Day 6: “God's Passionate Love Doesn't Give Up”
Scripture: 

I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; 

       I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.

       I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’

      To a nation which did not call on My name.

I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,

      Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,

      A people who continually provoke Me to My face… - Isaiah 65: 1-2

“Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. - Hosea 11: 8
Consider: 
The Old Testament Scriptures are the account of the many ways in which God was seeking to redeem mankind.  Although Adam and Eve had once been God's perfect image bearers, they and their descendants had become fallen images tarnished by sin. Think of it!  But how could an infinite, holy, longsuffering God convey to mankind the greatness of His love and passionate longing for our redemption?  The book of Hosea gives us one of many Old Testament accounts.

Application:
Most of us have or have had the blessing of loving another person very deeply--perhaps your spouse, your parents, or a boy- or girlfriend.  For some of us, a loving relationship came to a screeching halt followed by a time of deep hurt and grief.  The Book of Hosea gives us the account of how God asked Hosea the prophet to marry a woman named Gomer who became immoral (or may already have been immoral) and sold her body as a prostitute.  Hosea obeys, marries, and loves Gomer even though she is unfaithful and leaves him.  God uses this tragic, adulterous marriage and Hosea's loving pursuit of unfaithful Gomer to convey how much He loves us and all of lost, sinful mankind. 
Response:
Meditate on the depth of God's passionate love for you according to the Scriptures above.  How will you respond?

Day 7: “Centuries of Sacrificial Lambs: Then, 'the Lamb'”

Scripture: 
When He approached Jerusalem, He [Jesus] saw the city and wept aloud over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. - Luke 19: 41-42

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. - Jesus Christ (Matthew 23: 37) 
Consider:
God's passionate longing to gather, comfort, and restore fallen mankind was repeatedly expressed through the Old Testament prophets like Hosea.  However, the ultimate expression of God's unfailing, covenant love ("lovingkindness" or "mercy") occurred through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The first "Palm Sunday" began what we now call "Passion Week." God had sovereignly planned from before the beginning of time for Jesus to suffer and die as "the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world" (John 1: 29). The first Palm Sunday was also the Jewish "lamb selection day" when spotless lambs were selected for sacrifice to achieve atonement for their sins. On that very day, God had ordained that His "Lamb," Jesus Christ, would approach Jerusalem riding humbly on a donkey.  Overlooking Jerusalem, Jesus paused on His mount, wept loudly, and cried out the words recorded by Luke (above).

Application:
We have emphasized the tragic effect of sin --the guilt, shame, and ruination of relationships both with God and our neighbor. We also emphasized how our sin brings grief to God who, after all, is a Person with moral consciousness and emotions.  But, in spite of being grieved and offended by our sin, and instead of conferring the death penalty upon mankind, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human, to take our death penalty.  What a Savior!
Response:
God's Spirit, our Comforter convicts us of sin, and if we humbly repent, He restores us to fellowship with Him under the blood of Christ's righteousness.  Don't hide from the One who awaits your repentant spirit and freely offers reconciliation and sanctification, all because of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God.

Day 8: “Fellowship of His Suffering”
Scripture: 

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. – Romans 8: 22-23.

And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. - Romans 8:17

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. - Colossians 1: 24

I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death… - Philippians 3: 10

Consider: The inspired Scriptures above from the Apostle Paul's epistles emphasize three themes that run throughout the Bible: 
1) the "groaning of creation" with its "anxious longing" for freedom from the curse of sin. 
2) God as "Shepherd of Israel" (Psalm 80: 1) seeking to call the wayward sheep back His sheepfold where they can receive His comfort. 
3) God the Holy Spirit teaching, convicting, indwelling, and interceding "with groanings too deep for words..." (Romans 8: 26-27). 
Combining these three themes, we see a groaning creation, God passionately seeking sinners; and God/s Spirit, our Comforter, who comforts us in our groaning, identifying with us who share in "the sufferings of 'Christ" because of our testimony for Him.  Together these themes speak of a God whose passion for a lost world and a lost humanity would spare nothing, not even His only Son, to bring restoration. 

Application:
We close this series with a great question for which we have no satisfying answer. Why would a holy God who, in the words of A. W. Tozer, is "...not simply the best we know infinitely bettered...[but instead, One who] stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable"-- how could such a holy Being, One "who knew no sin," willingly "become sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5: 21)? The only answer is God's "incomprehensible and unattainable" love for His creation and for humanity, His image bearers.
Again, A.W. Tozer:" God is holy and He has made holiness the moral condition necessary to the health of His universe. To preserve His creation God must destroy whatever would destroy it.  Whatever is holy is healthy; evil is a moral sickness that must end ultimately in death." 

God sent His only begotten Son to be "the Lamb" that would take upon Himself all the sin, the "moral sickness" of the world.  Through His death, Christ ended the curse of sin and provided a way to Life Eternal.
Response:  If you began this daily devotional series on Palm Sunday, the first day of "Passion Week," you are now reading this on Easter Sunday. Maybe you will be led of the Spirit to take time to review, and we hope you will be even more in awe of the redemptive plan of God.  All of this provision was made before the foundation of the world, born from the passionate, loving heart of God--long before "Passion Week."  Meditate on the amazing truth that God made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21).

Groaning and Growing into a “New Normal”

The month of May brightens our spirits with the greening of the landscape and the blooming of spring flowers.  Better weather is also motivating many Americans who have been isolated under the COVID-19 pandemic to want to return to “normal.”  Still, many deep concerns, anxieties, griefs, and questions remain.  Many of us wonder if life will ever be the same.

Meanwhile, I’ve been looking for reasons to be encouraged, and I think I have found two worth sharing.  First off, I’m thinking that while we’d like to see “normal” again, why not hope for a “new normal,” a “better new normal?”  And second, why not resign to the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic will not be the last “tribulation” we face.  Instead, why not seek to learn from this experience in ways that will build character and resolve in readiness for future tribulations?

Hope for a “New Normal”
Have you been seeing signs of an emerging “new normal?” For example, haven’t many of us adopted better sanitation practices?  Aren’t we becoming more inclined to avoid coughing and sneezing around others?  And, speaking of social interactions, maybe we’ll appreciate more our gatherings with family and friends.  Or maybe we’ll realize how easy it would be for authorities to take away our First Amendment right of assembly to worship God, causing us to be more vigilant to protect this right as well as our freedom of expression.  I wonder if our greater thankfulness for small things will include the blessings like exchanging smiles unobstructed by masks, or the joy of eating together in restaurants and attending sporting events. 

Maybe, in the “new normal,” the humbling memory of when life as we knew it was upended by a tiny “invisible enemy” will help us realize how fleeting and frail our existence really is.  Out of a new sense of gratitude, maybe we will cherish the blessing of touching and conversing with one another—in short, to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves.”  Perhaps our conversations will become more respectful of differing opinions so that we can reach understanding on some issues and learn to respectfully disagree on others.  Maybe a new spirit of love toward our neighbor will be just in time as educational institutions seek to offer more the potentially more impersonal approach of “distance education;” and, our health systems trend toward more “telemedicine.”

In this “new normal,” I pray that we will see a renewed economy, amazingly propelled by what Adam Smith called an “invisible hand” as we see small businesses and industry make adjustments that will better position them for future challenges.  International monetary and trade policies may be altered to hold “bad actors” accountable and honor trade partners who want to participate in a spirit of good will on the global scene.  Perhaps we as consumers will alter purchasing habits as we become better at distinguishing our wants from our needs and focus more on things that really matter in life and for eternity.  For example, if I choose not to buy products from Communist China whose leadership was evidently responsible for the global spread of COVID-19, then I also want to invest financially and in prayer to support the efforts of that nation’s innocent citizenry to achieve the freedoms of worship and expression which I enjoy.

Finally, the “new normal” may see us showing greater appreciation for things that are so readily available by a simple phone call or accessible on a store shelf.  We have all known that our food doesn’t ultimately come from grocery stores or restaurants.  Now, we will be more aware of the “supply chains” that involve farmers, meat packers, fruit and vegetable growers, inspectors, truckers, and those who stock shelves.  Maybe we will choose to make better decisions to promote our individual health while being more thankful for first-responders, doctors, nurses, therapists, and other health care workers who labor every day for us.

Fundamental to the inauguration of the “new normal” will be our development of a “new disposition” that recognizes that we are not kings of the Earth but something much better.  God our Creator has appointed us as stewards with the spiritual, mental, and technological gifts to express His love for all of His creation by the manner in which we serve as its caretakers.  As stewards in the biblical sense, we are made aware of the moral and ethical implications of both our freedom and our responsibility.  For example, we recognize that food doesn’t ultimately come from either grocery stores or “supply chains.”  It comes from the good hand of God who sustains the global ecosystems including the soil, water, air, and biodiversity.  Together, these are necessary to support the efforts of farmers and ranchers who must “work within” the creation to produce food.  Stewards also recognize that their health and well being comes not only from physical food, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4: 4).  Those who feast regularly on God’s Word will recognize that while God is the giver of every good and perfect gift that comes down from above (James 1: 17), God’s “good gifts” sometimes come in unpleasant wrappings.  This thought brings us to my second reason to be encouraged.

How Can Groaning Lead to Growth?
Although we can hope for a new and better “normal,” our future is not certain.  We may be moving out of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is unlikely to be the last trouble we will face.  In fact, Jesus predicted to His devoted followers (those who obey by “abiding in Him”) that persecution would come in the future.  His reason for warning them, He said, was so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33).  Notice, Jesus didn’t say, “might have tribulation,” but you will have tribulation.”  Here, “tribulation” is derived from the Greek word meaning “crushing pressure or affliction that causes anguish and groaning.”

You might be thinking, “Where is the sense of hope if inevitable tribulation is part of my “new normal?”  It doesn’t make sense!   If this is your response, you are absolutely correct.  But, in spite of inevitable “crushing pressures” and groaning that lies around the corner, there is bright hope for devoted Christ-followers.  But first, we must understand the context for “tribulation.” 

Trouble first came into God’s perfect creation when Adam and Eve sinned and brought judgment on themselves and all of creation as I explained recently in “Life Interrupted?” or “Life Inspired?”  As Romans 1: 21-22 explains (emphasis mine), although they knew God, they chose not to glorify Him as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…  

The proof of our darkened, foolish thinking, is the fact that we find it hard to accept how “crushing affliction,” or groaning could bring about “good”—or, growth in character in us.  Yet, all over the world, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, people were already suffering great affliction.  Indeed, many victims of the COVID-19 pandemic already had been afflicted with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases; and many had suffered from emotional disorders that rendered their immune systems unable to fend off the Coronavirus.  Truly, the creation has been groaning as described in Romans 8: 18-23 waiting for the revealing of those who are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8: 14).

Although persecution of Christ-followers in the US doesn’t usually rise to the level of physical abuse and martyrdom, the mental and emotional abuse is significant.  Janie Cheaney wrote an article entitled “Mind and Body” in WORLD Magazine on the subject of mental and physical illness among Christians.  She quotes a Presbyterian pastor who agrees that there are cases where Christians need seek to psychiatric treatment just as they would seek medical care for other health needs. The pastor stated, “a Christian may need treatment even more than an unbeliever because the life Christ asks us to lead is so fundamentally opposed to the way the world works.”

The Apostle Paul, in his early life as Saul the Jewish Pharisee, made a reputation of persecuting and jailing Christians.  When Christ appeared to Saul on the Damascus road, He addressed the persecutor with this convicting question, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9: 4).  After Saul repented and received Christ as His Savior and Lord, he lived among the Christian outcasts and identified with their groanings.  Saul, after he was born again spiritually and renamed Paul, devoted over fourteen years to the study of the Scriptures and in communion with Christ through His Spirit.  Later, Paul would write the following testimony of his life commitment: 

I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death… (Philippians 3: 8-10).

Notice that Paul’s sufferings drew him closer and closer in personal relationship with Christ and His sufferings on the Cross.  Under the inspiration of the Spirit of Christ, Paul wrote the words in Romans 5: 1-5 which has become an encouragement to persecuted saints down through the centuries (emphasis mine):

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured [into] our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
also declared his primary life purpose and joy with these words:

Elsewhere, in 2 Corinthians 4: 18, Paul explains how he could be steadfast in the face of suffering and persecution.  He urges Christ-followers today to follow his example; namely, don’t focus on the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  Not that Paul was oblivious to his responsibilities of earning a living (He was a tentmaker as noted in Acts 18: 3.) and being a responsible Roman citizen (Acts 24: 16).  But Paul focused his life continually upon the goal of the upward call of Christ (Philippians 3: 14).

Some years ago, Isaac Shaw, National Director and President of Delhi Bible Institute, presented a message at Grace Baptist Church, Cedarville, Ohio on the subject of the inevitable reality of Suffering in the Christian Life.  In this excellent message based on his experiences as a Christian in Hindu culture, Pastor Shaw recounts the testimony of an Indian journalist who had observed Christians being persecuted for their faith.  She had also privately studied the Bible, and eventually had given her life to Christ.  As a born-again believer, she said, “Pastor, it is absolutely illogical for anyone to be a Christian, and that is what has driven me to investigate; and, I have found that Jesus is utterly satisfying, and that Jesus is Lord.”

How About You?
Are you tired of the uncertainty, inconveniences, and isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic?  Are you finding yourself more thankful for basic requirements of life and those who make them available to you?  Can you envision a “new normal” that is even better than the present?  Or are you resigned that the current pandemic will not be the last “tribulation” you will face? 

Regardless, if you are not a Christian, may I recommend that you study the Steps to Peace with God which explains how you can become a devoted Christ-follower. If you are a Christ-follower and have questions about how you can grow in Christ through the struggles and persecution you may face, I hope you will dialog with me publicly using “Comments” below, or privately via my e-mail at silviusj@cedarville.edu.  Meanwhile, please take time read and meditate on the Scripture passages above.  Then, listen to the Pastor Isaac Shaw’s message, Suffering in the Christian Life in which he personally shares the experience of growing in Christ through sharing in the sufferings of Christ in India.

Injustice All Around Us—But Where is God?

The Nativity scene on our neighbor’s lawn was decimated.  Mary, Joseph, angels, and stable animals were strewn about, and an adult figure of Jesus was partly covered with the collapsed stable roof.   Just the day before, we had watched as a grandfather, father, and son assembled the Nativity and added lights for nighttime viewing as a testimony of their faith in the virgin birth.  But now, it seemed that their labor had been in vain.

Who would do such a thing?  What’s more, how could God allow this to happen? 

On the same day of the “nasty Nativity,” the news from northern Iraq added more gruesome details of how the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) had continued in its pillaging of villages, brutalizing and killing residents, and carrying off women and children.  All the while, the opposing factions remained committed to defending their homes and villages, many willing to die for their faith in Christ while using limited weaponry to fight off the ISIS pillagers.

What kind of people would do such a thing?  What’s more, how would God allow this to happen? 

As I pondered these questions, I wondered if there is any place on Earth where one can truly find sanctuary, a place of refuge where a person can be safe and accepted among friends and family.  Is there any place where one can be encouraged in things that are “true, honorable, right, and pure?”  Then, I remembered an unfortunate situation that occurred in a place that should have been a safe sanctuary.  According to the story, a husband and wife had just been saved and had rededicated their lives toward loving and obeying God in obedience to a newfound power of the Spirit within their hearts.  Wanting to share the joy of their walk with Jesus, they invited a lady friend to come to church with them.  This lady had had a hard life because of some bad decisions she had made—some would say she had a “shady reputation.” 

When our newly revived couple introduced her to their pastor hoping she would be drawn closer to God through his encouragement, he greeted her politely, but later called them aside and said, “We don’t want her kind in our church.”  How devastated they were!  Wanting to be the hands and feet of a welcoming Savior, they were instead crushed in their faith. 

What kind of pastor (shepherd) would do such a thing?   How could God allow this to happen?

As I’m writing, a grey squirrel frolics in the branches of the oak tree outside my study.  The cute little fuzz ball reminds me of another puzzling event that I witnessed recently.  While raking leaves in our front yard, I observed our neighbor’s cat walking stealthily across the front of our house and disappear around the corner.  In a few minutes, I heard a raucous outburst of protest from squirrels in the backyard.  I looked toward our house and saw the cat returning with her prey—you guessed it, a squirrel hanging limply from her jaws.  Meanwhile, what seemed like angry protests in squirrel language continued to sound from the backyard.  Then, all was silent, except for a pathetic, solemn utterance from one squirrel that repeated every 10 seconds for another 5 minutes.  I paused and listened to what seemed to be an expression of mourning, perhaps by a mate for her lost companion.

Gray Squirrel "mourning" the death of  her mate?

What kind of world gives us frolicking squirrels punctuated so quickly by mournful death?   And, what kind of a Creator would allow life to be snuffed out so quickly without warning?

Perhaps a disheveled Nativity scene in the eyes of the boy and his family is a small thing.  After all, it can be restored.  But such events have a way of lodging in the memory of a child and could plant a seed of doubt or confusion.  Is this how the world, or God, responds to the good intentions of a family?

On the other side of the world, Syrian and Iraqi Christians must wonder whether their commitment to Jesus Christ is worth losing their homes, their children’s lives, or their own lives to the murderous actions of terrorists.  Where is God Who promised never to leave us or forsake us?

All around us are Christians who extend a hand to help a neighbor only to be misunderstood.  Or who invite a friend to their church only to experience disappointing behavior from supposed “people of God.”  Where is God’s power in His church where people ought to hear His invitation to come unto Me all of you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest… (Matthew 11: 28)?

Even God’s creatures seem to convey the message, “Something is wrong.  Something is not quite right.”  Where is the promise of a loving, caring Creator Who asked His disciples, Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father (Matthew 10: 29). How can  God be attentive to the minutia of His creation without being deeply touched by the mournful sound of a squirrel at the death of its mate?

Christmas is a season of contrasts.  It has been that way since the night of Christ’s birth—a light piercing the darkness; a King born in a lowly stable; a Child of God being hunted down by a powerful and murderous king.  These contrasts seem to us to represent a chasm between “what is” and “what ought to be.” But Jesus was well aware of this chasm, and He declared, in the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16: 33).  And so we wait, and we wonder how many more storms, personal trials, and deaths will occur before Christ returns to establish His kingdom in justice and righteousness on Earth. 

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.   – Romans 8: 22-23

Reader Comments Welcomed:   How do you reconcile calamities in creation or in the daily news or in a person’s life, with the notion of an all-knowing, all-powerful, and personal God?   If you are a Christian and are awaiting Christ’s return, how do you balance your wait with work so that each expresses the faith and power of God’s Spirit within you?   How might the season of Advent be a good time to bring biblical faith to bear on these questions?