Letting you go hungry, to humble you momentarily

Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3 NLT)

     I have been very blessed during this time of Lent as I read my daily Bible readings and the Bible reading plan from Lent: Mosaic plan as well. There is a strange correlation, not wholly clear but slowly tying together, as the readings from the Old and New Testaments coalesce. God planted the Garden and placed the man there:

"Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made."(Genesis 2:8 NLT).

Later on, after the children of Israel had been in bondage to Egypt for hundreds of years, God seeks out Moses, calls him and commands him to go and tell Pharaoh 

"And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God." (Exodus 3:18 ESV)

     Through many signs and miracles, God establishes His power and authority and brings the children of Israel out of Egypt, and to Him in the wilderness where He then tests them. He tests them so harshly that they long for the meat pots of Egypt, apparently forgetting the acerbity of their trials while there.

"And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Exodus 16:2, 3 ESV) 

     At every trial, around every corner, God already had a path and plan laid ahead of time. He provided water every time there was a need: 

"When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer." (Exodus 15:23-26 ESV).

     Time after time, God proves Himself faithful. 

     Yet the people, not unlike us, were so very dull to learn. Despite turn after turn since before they even left Egypt, God had been with them, listening all along. I can't help but wondering what would have happened in the children of Israel's case, if they had done what God required- to learn to trust and live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, and not simply rely on bread alone for sustenance.

     In my foolish, youthful pride as I read these stories long ago, I used to think that if I saw the plagues of Egypt, if I saw the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, if I saw the Red Sea being parted, if I saw Manna being rained down and clouds of quail being poured out---I used to think I would have reacted differently and "known better" than to grumble. After years of blundering along in my own mini "wildernesses" though, I have seen with my own eyes how foolish I was to even think that, because I am truly no different than the children of Israel. I'm just as thick headed. And God has been patient, and always proved Himself faithful though He tries my heart. How would I know He could be trusted to provide, if the affliction did not come?

     So, every day, we have a new opportunity to see for ourselves. Though we may not be wandering in a literal wilderness, we face our own trials, and are posed  the same questions. Our reactions, our hearts thoughts---whether we choose to grumble, or pray, can certainly make a difference. He has proved Himself faithful at each instance, whether we speak or complain too soon. 

     Therefore Paul's admonishment, like granite words, echoes the Spirit of what God seeks in us and can be relied on, like standing upon a rock.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV)

     What we see in the Valley is not the end. Like the Psalmist says, He is leading us through the Valley of the shadow of death. I do not think any of us can begin to imagine what the view will be like when we reach the Mountain top, especially during our afflictions, but take heart.

Like C. S. Lewis says:

"Further up, and further in!"

     

Sometimes We don't even have to ask...

     We grow weary sometimes. My dear Man--my James, who I love to refer to as my Moshe--he grows tired sometimes. He carries the weight and burdens of his job faithfully, and he loves his work, but even Pastors need a day of rest. As either Bilbo or Frodo said, our souls feel thin and stretched out. That's when rest for the soul is called for.

     In the past, we have seen each other get spread thin over the years, when the burdens of life weigh on us, and we both recognize that down time is necessary. Through invaluable advice from some elders a while back, we try to give one another mini-breaks, where one of us watches the kids and the other takes a few days to recharge. The elderly couple we know that taught us this were Christian counselors, and they would take a two week vacation once a year: one week alone, and one week together. While that may seem odd to some, the opportunity for prayer, meditation, and reflection with just yourself and God is tremendous and can really recharge a persons' soul. We don't have two weeks to spare, ever, so we try to take a few days every other year or so. 

     So, this week, during my full time college Spring break, we took the opportunity of no school pressure and I asked him to go away for a few days and rest and recharge. Quite suddenly, I might add. I just knew it needed to be done. My Moshe had mentioned wanting a small break weeks before, so Monday this week we made it happen. I have enjoyed all my downtime with the kids, relaxing and watching them play mostly, and James found a cottage at a Christian retreat center near the ocean that was affordable and hit the road.

     But God. God, our Father, intended much more. The first night he slept in the cottage, and called me the next morning to catch up. The place is beautiful, right beside the sea. He said there was a conference going on, for Pastors, while he's there. Then he mentioned that his back was stiff from the mattress, chit-chatted, and my day was starting so we said our good byes.

     Not much later that morning, he texted and told me that a delivery truck brought in new mattresses and that he would be sleeping on a brand new mattress that night! I laughed out loud when I read it. I don't think he even thought to ask our Father for a new mattress. How many things we don't even think to ask, but there it is. 

     But God. Later on, James is exploring all over, walking, praying and meditating on the grounds, and he meets other Pastors on a pier. They are with a large group of Pastors from Raleigh, who have been annually coming to the same place for many years--to simply pray together for 3 days and worship God. They strongly urge James to come to their prayer and worship time later that evening. James goes, and has the most amazing experience, as men who have been Pastors for 30+ years pray for him and his burdens for ministry. He comes away from it rejoicing, that God sent him there, at that specific time, and that he received such a blessing! 

     "Blessed be The Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation." Psalms 68:19.

Our God is amazing, and the works of His hands are wonderous to behold. He dumbfounds me with His lovingkindness; His love fills my innermost being.

That the Father would touch our hearts so personally, so intimately, as to deliver a brand new mattress for my soul weary husband to sleep on---and have godly, fellow Pastors come along beside him and pray for my Moshe as well----God demonstrates His love as He provides rest for the body and rest for the soul!

     

Puzzles and Purpose

"" "" "8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands."

Psalms 138:8

     Lots of pieces of the puzzle are coming together. I'm excited about what the future holds, even though I would not have a clear plan to articulate if someone were to ask me what's next. The verse from Psalms is an utter reassurance, though, that I do not have to have it all figured out. It's not my plan, after all.

     My recent class assignment was to read Wayne Grudems book "Business for the glory of God". It's an Excellent afternoon reading, if you would like to know more about a different take on a much neglected form of worship. 

     ​Wayne Grudem, in his book Business for the glory of God, masterfully delves into the concept of how business can be used by Christians to glorify God. Immediately, Grudem tackles the obvious by countering the negative, prolific viewpoints on business, and strongly makes the argument that business is not neutral or evil, but rather a morally good activity. In this small but powerful book, Grudem explores many ways that a Christian can utilize business in and of itself to display God’s image in our lives. He challenges the reader, from the first pages in the introduction, that along with the obvious ways to serve God such as “worship, evangelism, giving, moral living, and faith” there is another way, and it is business itself (Grudem, 2003, p. 12). Grudem affirms that aspects of business, such as employment, profit, and the borrowing/lending relationship, are supported by scripture and therefore ordained by God, intended for His creation.

​Grudem admits in the preface that the book was originally a paper with a similar title, presented in 2002 at the Conference for Holistic Entrepreneurs at Regent University Graduate School of Business (Grudem, 2003, p. 9). From the introduction, Grudem has no qualms with dealing with negative viewpoints of business. His first line asks “Is business basically good or evil?” (Grudem, 2003, p. 11). This is bold and necessary, because modern culture does pose this question, and it is often answered negatively. Grudem deals with this immediately. He states “Words like “profit,” “competition”, “money” and even “business” carry negative moral connotations for many people today” (Grudem, 2003, p. 11). Many people are under the misconception that work, while necessary, is only a neutral act in itself, and business scandals such as Enron lend themselves to the idea that business is “inherently” wrong (Grudem, 2003, p. 11).

​After posing the aforementioned difficult questions, Grudem jumps into the concept of people wanting to serve God and bring Him glory with their lives, and proposes that business itself is a way to do those very things. He states “that many aspects of business activity are morally good in themselves and that in themselves they bring glory to God---though they also have great potential for misuse and wrongdoing” (Grudem, 2003, p. 12). In addition to worship, evangelism, giving, moral living, and faith, the author proceeds to list eleven aspects of business,including employment, borrowing and lending, and profit.

Mr. Grudem then guides the reader to see that another way to bring glory to God is by imitating Him and His attributes. God declared that everything He saw and made was very good in Genesis 1:31. We are told by the Apostle Paul to “be imitators of God, as beloved children” in Ephesians 5:1. Grudem ties these scriptural truths together and shows how God’s will can beaccomplished in our “instinctive drive to work, to be productive, to invent, to earn and save and give…” (Grudem, 2003, p. 13). We humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). As God’s image bearers, we have the potential to take aspects of business, through choices and actions in our lives, and use them to reflect God’s goodness, mercy and love through them. Unfortunately, there is also the temptation, because of our fallen human nature, to use an activity such as business for evil.

​Grudem does not shy away from this fact, but proceeds to challenge the reader in each chapter with a different aspect of business, and how it is good in and of itself, while being honest that it can be used for evil if temptation is given into. Grudem’s declaration, that God created us in a certain way that “we would want to imitate His character” and “that we would take spontaneous delight in seeing reflections of His character in our own actions and in the actions ofothers” is crucial (Grudem, 2003, p. 15). God worked and created the garden in the beginning, and gave the pre-Fall mandate for humans [multiply, fill, and subdue]

​In regards to employment and specifically, negative views on it, Grudem swiftly deals with criticisms such as Marxist philosophy against humans employing other humans by quoting Jesus directly. In Luke 10:7, Jesus said “the laborer deserves his wages”. Based on this statement, Jesus approves of the idea of employees earning and being paid wages. Grudem states that other parables given by Jesus involve masters and servants, and people earning wages for work, thus implying no hint of evil or wrong (Grudem, 2003, p. 31).

Additionally, concerning employment, the author states that the hiring of one person by someone else is also necessary “for greater production of goods” (Grudem, 2003, p. 32). This is a wonderful occurrence that is unique to humans alone. That people, working together, can build, make, produce and create amazing contraptions such as ships, airplanes, steel mills, houses, personal computers and so on, is a God-given ability that brings Him glory. Through employer/employee relationships, both have the opportunity to demonstrate “honesty, fairness, trustworthiness, kindness, wisdom and skill, and keeping our word…” (Grudem, 2003, p. 32).  If this relationship works properly, both parties mutually benefit, thus allowing “love for the other person to manifest itself” (Grudem, 2003, p. 33). This fulfills the second commandment, which is “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Grudem states the mutual and beautiful result when he says “As in every good business transaction, both parties end up better off than they were before” (Grudem, 2003, p. 33). This is indicative of God’s intentional design in the employee/employer relationship, in that when humans rightly administer the gift of employing someone, His image can be displayed and glorified through love for one another out of obedience to Him and His love.

Earning a profit is another aspect of business that can bring glory to God by displaying attributes of His image. Profit is “selling a product for more than the cost of producing it”(Grudem, 2003, p. 41). It is an indication that one has made a product that is useful and shows that the work invested adds value to materials used. Profit also demonstrates efficiency, because materials used when costs are lower results in higher revenue. In Genesis 1:28, the “creation mandate” to “subdue” the earth states: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue itand have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth”. Grudem affirms that the efficient use of the earth’s resources fulfills this creation mandate. As humans, if we utilize the earth’s resources in a way that produces something of value to other human beings, we are doing good to others by providing them with this product.

Grudem also establishes how God encourages the exercise of profit through the parable about ten minas in Luke 19:13-17. In this story, Jesus describes a nobleman who gives his servants a mina (equal to three months’ wages) and urges them to “engage in business until I come” (Luke 19:13). After earning 10 minas more, the master exceedingly rewarded the servant who earned a good profit, by blessing him with authority over ten cities (Luke 19:17). Grudem goes on to write that “good stewardship, in God’s eyes, includes expanding and multiplying whatever resources or stewardship God has entrusted to you” (Grudem, 2003, pp. 42-43). He also explicitly correlates that our money and possessions cannot be excluded from the application of the parable, and that they should be used to bring God glory. This demonstrates that profit seeking and resource multiplication is a fundamentally good pursuit.

There is the assumption that profit seeking is a form of exploitation, which Grudem deals with. First, in the aforementioned parable, the servant who did not earn a profit was reprimandedfor not putting the mina in the bank to at least collect interest (Luke 19:23). This demonstrates the expectation of a return from the original investment of the nobleman, who represents Jesus. Second, the entrepreneurial endeavor is full of significant risk. The savvy business person who attempts to invest time, money, skill, and labor to produce a product should be rewarded when it results in an item that benefits the rest of us. Grudem states “it is the hope of such reward that motivates people to start businesses and assume such risks” (Grudem, 2003, p. 44). He also avows that if profit were not possible, people simply wouldn’t attempt such risks, and we would not have these items to buy in our society. Therefore, allowing profit is a very good thing, and itis the reward for the risk.

Finally, another aspect of business that can be used for the glory of God is the subject of borrowing and lending. In Deut. 24:10, the Bible states “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge”. Wayne Grudem artfully gives this example as a process of regulation in lending, and reminds the reader that it is a prohibition against taking advantage of the poor. This passage, and others such as Ex. 22:14 and 2 Kings 4:3, demonstrate the assumption that people will borrow things. Grudem goes on to say that the processes of borrowing and lending “are not prohibited by God, for many places in the Bible assume that these things will happen” (Grudem, 2003, p. 69). In fact, Jesus even seems to support the practice (in regards to depositing money to a bank to earn interest) when he states “Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?” (Luke 19:23; also Matt. 25:27).

Grudem further describes that lending is a temporary transfer of control of property that an owner chooses to do with assumption of risk. He also explains that act of borrowing offers a variety of choices between using an item and purchasing it outright. These two processes offerthe lender and borrower a variety of choices, which “multiply the usefulness of all the wealth of a society” (Grudem, 2003, p. 70). A valuable reference book at a library can be lent out to 300 people, affording each of them the opportunity to utilize its benefits without buying it. Through microloans, poor in developing countries can borrow money and start profitable businesses and work their way out of poverty.  Consequently, these are just a few ways that the process of borrowing and lending multiply the usefulness of available wealth, such as goods and services, and money, in the world. Through borrowing and lending, God’s wonderful attributes can be reflected by the demonstration of “trustworthiness and faithful stewardship, honesty, wisdom, and thanksgiving” (Grudem, 2003, p. 73).

Wayne Grudem confidently and successfully tackles the subject of how business can be used to glorify God. Fearlessly, Grudem brings up opposing arguments to business used for God’s glory, and refutes them with scripture. He demonstrates, through all the chapters ofBusiness for the glory of God, that the aspects of business, such as employment, profit, and the process of borrowing and lending, are all unique and wonderful ways that we as Christians can spend our lives reflecting the image of God in us. This image, endowed by our perfect Creator in the beginning of the world, challenges us to create, work, accomplish, help, and strive to make this world a better place. Grudem, whose mastery of systematic theology is well displayed, seems to joyfully direct us to not only worship and tithe as a form of praise to God, but to endeavor to go and continue God’s work. He challenges us to use God’s resources well, by reflecting His love in all of our being, and delight in His image as we imitate our Master.

Grudem, W. (2003). Business for the glory of God: The Bible's teaching on the moral goodness of business. Wheaton: IL: Crossway.

New American Standard Bible. (2000). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.​

     

Hope in things to come

     I was five or six years old when sentience kicked in regarding my food sensitivities. I remember going to a birthday party and having cake. We rarely had cake, except at birthday parties, which weren't that often because we lived in a small neighborhood in a small town, with a very small school.  We went to the party, and I ate a piece of strangely sweet cake of the likes that I had never tasted before. Not long after returning home, I was doubled over in pain. My stomach hurt like I couldn't ever remember it hurting before. It occurred to me that the only thing different that day, as I writhed in pain and eventually ended up in the bathroom, was the cake. 

     Not much later, I discovered that buttermilk pancakes hurt me as well. Then cereal with milk. Chocolate milk. Ice cream. Cheese. Muffins made with milk. The cherry yum-yum dessert at the church potluck, which was some heavenly concoction containing cheesecake, cherries and graham crackers with whipped cream? All digestive land mines for me. Some yogurts. Buttermilk waffles. Scrambled eggs with milk and/or cheese. Did you know Doritoes have Romano cheese in them?

     As I grew, my stomach became more sensitive, the pain much harsher, and the consequences worse for mistakenly ingesting any form of milk, except butter. Captains wafers with sour cream and chives. Chocolate chip cookies. Cheese pizza!  Feta cheese. McDonalds Soft serve ice cream. Kit kats. It turned out that pretty much anything and everything I loved has some form of milk in it. More specifically---lactose...which is milk sugar. Then, I had the same experience with Apple juice when I was 15. I haven't willingly drank apple juice in 24 years after that night. I finally came to the conclusion that I can't have heavily concentrated sugar of any sort. And I dare anyone to try and easily find a juice blend today that doesn't have apple juice as a major ingredient. But I digress...

      At first it was really hard to live without these wonderful foods. I would try those pills, which barely worked. Chalked that up to a hyper sensitive gastrointestinal tract. Mistakes were costly. I would eat the wrong thing, perhaps not guessing the ingredients (who knew so-and-so added condensed milk to their mashed potatoes?) I would pay severely for that later on. Question: How many youth groups are there that have pizza parties? Answer: a lot. And so on. When my boyfriend (now husband) & I were first dating, he would order an ice cream cone and eat it with great delight and relish it in front of me, just to tease me. He was great like that (joking). He only did that a few times, to his credit >smiling<

 But all joking aside,  I learned to live with it.

   I learned to work around it. I eat before I go places. After dealing with it for years and years now, I have replaced those things I once thought I could never live without, with new pleasures. Although sometimes it feels like a rather bland diet, it has been a steady progress. Through science, new enterprises, and the burgeoning explosion of new foods, there is now ice cream made out of soy or coconut milk. It's not quite the same, but a good substitute. There is dark chocolate of the most exquisite taste, without milk. And sections of foods in grocery stores that lack milk. Not to fail to mention the exciting world of exotic foods such as Thai, which utilizes many amazing ingredients like curry and coconut milk, also lacking actual dairy.

     My boyfriend-turned-husband, James, has become a relentless seeker of non-dairy delights for me. He goes to the store for the family, and checks ingredients like a modern day Sherlock Holmes/Knight in shining armor for me. Nothing is ever bought by him that is not examined for all forms of milk sugar. He also methodically peruses grocery store shelves seeking items I may like, bringing me home rare treats like Belgian chocolate. I am truly blessed and always surprised by joy at his empathy and kindness now. He's come a long way from the soft-serve ice cream eating tease he once was. I would never try anything new if it weren't for him. But that's another story.

     The children are sympathetic. They solemnly know what I have to deal with, having seen "Mom" get rapidly ill after making a mistake eating milk products. They pray for me. They notice when I pass over a lot of different food groups, serving myself a salad or something else. They also truly know and understand what I have to deal with.

     I've come to use some of those moments to speak about Heaven with them. I love to describe what Heaven will be like, sharing that when we are finally with God, He has a place for us, a home that Jesus Himself is preparing, and everything will be made perfect and new. There will be no more crying with Him. There will be a feast--the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and we will be made whole and perfect. There will be no more lactose intolerance... And I remind them that while our time on earth may seem long sometimes, in reality, Heaven is eternal, and so we all may suffer some on earth, yet it will not be this way in Heaven with God. They sit and listen, and then rattle off a seemingly endless list of what I will eat when we finally arrive home.

     Which brings me to my new blessing and Ebenezer stone. Last night, we celebrated Fat Tuesday, or the party before Lent. We went to a local resturant and enjoyed a lovely meal as a family. Elias chose to give up sweets for Lent, and asked for milkshakes afterwards. Because we drove in separate cars, I left the resturant to get something from a grocery store after the meal. The rest of the family went to the Cook-Out for milkshakes.

     As I drove to the store, a small part of me wished for a milkshake. I don't often long for milk products anymore. It just is what it is. But last night? I thought hard about what milkshakes used to taste like. The rich creamy taste of cold, sweet, ice cream with all sorts of ingredients. Some of my favorites, as a young child, were Blizzards from the local Dairy Queen, that my Father would get for me. I quickly put the thought out of my head, finished my shopping, and began the drive home.

     As I drove, I wished for something akin to a dessert. Do you ever crave something, yet not know precisely what you want? It was like that. Then a friend texted, out of the blue, and asked if we went to fastnachts. After discovering that it was the German version of the celebration before Lent, my friend offered to bring over some fastnachts cakes. Kind of like a doughnut, but also similar to a funnel cake on steroids, fastnachts cakes are glorious!

     Within 30 minutes, our sweet friends came by our house and hand delivered some of the most delicious cakes I've had in a very long time. They had been over to mutual friends house, and were making rounds celebrating. We enjoyed their company, though brief, and then enjoyed these amazing cakes! It was such a treat and delight! We were very blessed.

     Today, it hit me. Such a small desire last night, to have some kind of dessert. Not even an hour later, my beautiful friends show up with still warm cakes for our family. If these are the kindnesses, and love of God displayed on earth...cakes made before my heart even longed for something I couldn't put my finger on...what must our heaven hold? What has God, who knows our hearts better than we do, have in store for us? I can't even begin to imagine, but I know it is going to be beyond our wildest dreams.