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| A luncheon in the garden with fellow believers - near Mt. Celo Church |
My Lessons and Applications from Today's Readings
Windows in Heaven - 2 Kings 7 and 8 - Elisha prophesies to the kings that the siege against Samaria and the resulting famine leading to cannibalism will end tomorrow. The lead officer, on whose arm the king leans scoffs, "Look if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" Elisha pronounces the impending doom of the scoffer, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it." God causes the marauding Syrian troops to hear the noise of chariots and horses of a great army (likely the chariots and horses of fire in the spiritual realm of which we read yesterday); the Syrians flee in fear, leaving all their money, clothing, food, animals and belongings. Outcast lepers find the abandoned bounty, hide some for themselves, report the finding to the king who thinks it is a trap; servants go out to verify, and salvation comes indeed from "windows in heaven." The scoffing officer of the king sees this but is trampled to death at the gate...fulfilling the prophecy. Looking through another window of heaven the prophet sees more horror and looks at it in the face of Hazael who has come to Elisha for prophecy at his sick king's request in Chapter 8. Hazael will return to murder the king of Syria, usurp the kingdom, and do great evil and cruelty against the nation of Israel...yet he, too, scoffs at the prophecy.
My Lessons and Applications - How do I maintain hope, faith in God, in deep trials that have lasted a long time? How do I maintain "the upward looking and the light?" Have you or someone you have known experienced some of life's worst tragedies - the death of a child, divorce/abandonment after a decades- long marriage, theft of money or livelihood without restoration, injustice from the legal system, abuse by a spouse or parent? What is your reaction to this? When I speak of God taking me to new depths of faith in the aftermath of these, I often hear others who have gone through similar things scoff regarding faith and God, "I don't believe in any of that anymore." God's greatest graces to me have been taking me into in-depth study and meditation of His word, placing me in a church family under the expository ministry of His Word, giving me a "spiritual mother" and godly friends to walk each step of sorrow and tragedy with me, and daily time alone with Him in prayer. He was preparing me for just these times. I still don't know why He allowed this in my life; likely, I won't know this side of heaven. What I do know - not just in an easily-stated doctrine but in soul-wrenching truth - is that God is Sovereign and Providential. He is my hope and trust.
How can we hear God through the crushing weight of our world falling in on us? Charles Stanley says that "developing daily spiritual disciplines are essential when you need to really hear from God: Read God's Word (every day); Seek Him in prayer (not just His blessings, but a relationship/2-way communication with Him); Meditate (Dwell on what God says to your heart; He is using this to build a foundation in your heart); Listen (not just hear with your ears, but listen with your mind, looking intently for the meaning.)" From Charles Stanley's Life Principles Daily Bible, pg. 710 I would add to this to start NOW, before the time comes when you are desperate to hear from Him. NOW find a church family where the Word of God is taught faithfully, where you can minister to others and they to you; NOW start your deep prayer time each day and meditation time with Him. Allow God to prepare your mind, soul, and spirit NOW through His Word, His people, His Holy Spirit.
For This Cause - (John 18: 19-40) Peter has denied Jesus 3 times - just as Jesus prophesied he would. Jesus is being accused and put to death by the very people He came to save. His own people choose a murderer to save rather than Jesus, the Son of God, the promised, the prophesied Messiah. Jesus' response to all this injustice and horror: "For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." And Pilate's infamous words follow, "What is truth?"
My Lessons and Applications - I think it is noteworthy from today's OT and NT readings that it is often within our own groups, families that we are rejected: the king by Hazael, Jesus by His own religious leaders. Just as Elisha prophesied of what would happen to Israel, Jesus has warned us of how the world will treat us as believers. A re-reading of the book of John might be in order if this is unclear. Jesus' prayer for his disciples and for those of us who would believe after them in John 17 is our great encouragement. What is truth? Via, Veritas, Vita Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, the life. No man comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)
The central thing about the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship to Himself, not public usefulness to men...You have no idea of where God is going to engineer your circumstances, no knowledge of what strain is going to be put on you at home or abroad, and if you waste your time in overactive energies instead of getting into soak on the great fundamental truths of God's Redemption, you will snap when the strain comes; but if this time of soaking before God is spent in getting rooted and grounded in God on the unpractical line, you will remain true to Him whatever happens."
Oswald Chambers: My Utmost for His Highest
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