November 2020 – PJ's Monday Musings

Monday Musings: thankful for the hope of our eternal country

Mondays…

Mondays when it’s cold and dark and wet outside.

Mondays after a long, holiday weekend.

Mondays in the middle of a pandemic.

Mondays when the motivation isn’t there.

Mondays after you’ve had to say goodbye to someone you love.

Mondays when you’re sick.

Mondays when you’re quarantined.

(Mondays when you’re sick and quarantined.)

Mondays after a not-so-normal Thanksgiving gathering.

Mondays when the kids are home from school…again.

Mondays with more angsty posts on social media.

Mondays.

Maybe you resonate with some of these Monday feelings right now…or maybe even all of them.

And, if you’re anything like me, sometimes you need a little perspective reminder.

Something to recalibrate your thoughts.

Something to remind you that this world is not going to give you the kind of hope and joy and peace that you’re looking for on a Monday (or any day).

Because, this world is not your eternal country.

And, these Mondays aren’t going to last forever.

So, rather than letting your Mondays (or any of your days) get the best of you, remember these words from Zechariah’s prophecy in Luke 1…

“Because of God’s tender mercy, the Morning Light from Heaven is about to visit us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Mondays…

Mondays when you remember God’s tender mercy for you.

Mondays in the Morning Light of Jesus’ presence.

Mondays when God shines light into your darkness.

Mondays when He guides to the path of peace.

Mondays when you can be thankful in all your circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:17)…

And hope for your eternal country.

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good because it is good, if bad because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.” – C.S. Lewis

Monday Musings: why we can (and should) still be thankful this Thanksgiving

Thankful.

If there’s anything that I’ve learned this year, it’s that we can (and should) be thankful in all circumstances.

Why?

Because it’s God’s will for us to be thankful in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

(Really, we could just stop right there with that…it’s kind of a mic drop statement that Paul makes in that verse.)

But, let’s be honest…this year has been unlike any other circumstance that we have all collectively faced in our lifetimes together.

And, it’s testing us in lots of ways.

Being thankful seems so 2019…the good old days, when everything was still normal. Back then, it was relatively easy to be thankful.

But, thankfulness isn’t so easy in 2020.

In many ways, this year has been a total dumpster fire, a train wreck, a sinking ship, or whatever other word picture you like to use.

And, it’s hard to be thankful in any of those circumstances.

In times like these, we can learn a lot from those who have gone before us, and David is no exception.

David (as in King David) was literally running for his life, trying to get away from Saul, who was literally trying to kill him.

Needless to say, his circumstances were less than ideal…literally.

So, David ends up finding a cave to hide in, and he starts writing (think of something like the equivalent of journaling today).

He starts off crying out to God, asking Him for protection and help and mercy. (Psalm 57:1-3)

He then acknowledges how bad his circumstances are…he’s surrounded by his enemies and he knows how bad they want to destroy him. (Psalm 57:4 & 6)

And then he praises God! (Psalm 57:7-11)

He’s still in the cave.

He’s still being chased by Saul.

And, yet he is still thanking the Lord for His unfailing love and His faithfulness to him. (Psalm 57:9-10)

Why?

Because David believes that God will ultimately fulfill His purpose for him (Psalm 57:2).

He believes that God will send His unfailing love and faithfulness to him (Psalm 57:3).

And, he believes that God is sovereign, and that He rules over not just his circumstances, but all of creation (Psalm 57:5 & 11).

May we all be a people whose hearts are confident in God no matter the circumstances (Psalm 57:7).

May we trust in His unfailing love and faithfulness at all times (Psalm 57:10).

And, may we continue to thank the Lord among all the people and sing His praises among the nations this Thanksgiving week and beyond. (Psalm 57:9)

My heart is confident in you, O God;
    my heart is confident.
    No wonder I can sing your praises!
⁸Wake up, my heart!
    Wake up, O lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn with my song.
⁹I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
    I will sing your praises among the nations.
¹⁰For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth.

Monday Musings: when personal comfort and safety become idols

Comfort and safety.

Let’s all admit that we’re creatures of both.

We live in a culture where a person’s comfort and safety is seen as an inalienable right…something worth fighting for even.

At the core of every person’s views on life, religion, politics, money, relationships and everything else is a deep-down desire for their own personal comfort and safety.

And, unfortunately, this desire has seeped its way into the Church.

We idolize comfort and safety just like everyone else.

We make choices everyday based on how comfortable or safe that choice will make us feel.

At the core of religious consumerism and the “Christian ghettos” we choose to inhabit is our deep-down desire for our own personal comfort and safety.

And, the problem with that is this…

We’re actually surprised when we have to face hard things.

We’re surprised that we might actually have to take risks or to suffer as Christians…either because of our faith or simply because of the fact that we live in a world that is horribly broken by sin.

And, so we end up living risk-averse, low-impact spiritual lives in a world that desperately needs us to “turn from our selfish ways, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.” (Luke 9:23)

When pursuing our own comfort and safety become the driving force behind the everyday decisions that we make, we eventually become spiritually impotent people who spend more time whining and complaining about the evils of our culture instead of looking for ways to transform it.

It’s almost as if we’re surprised by the fact that it might be hard, unfair, risky, or uncomfortable to live as Christians in a God-less society.

But, the reality is we shouldn’t be surprised at all.

Suffering is part of the deal of following Jesus…our own personal comfort and safety is not.

We know this is true because Jesus said it is, and His life on earth backed it up…He really was a “suffering servant.”

It was Jesus who said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But, take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We know this is true because Jesus’ first followers said it too, and they also went out and backed up their words with actions.

It was Peter who said…

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” (1 Peter 4:12-13 & 19)

As we continue to face trials and suffering in this world, may we be a people who suffer well…in a manner that pleases God.

May we be a people who keep on doing what is right even when it requires us to get out of our comfort zones, take risks, and do hard things.

And, may we do these things trusting our lives to the God who created us, always remembering that He will never fail us or abandon us.

Monday Musings: what God says to you in your angst

Angst.

If I had to choose one word to describe the general feeling of 2020, that’d probably be it. Everyone’s feeling a bit angsty these days.

Apparently, it’s not just a teenage thing.

Angst is nothing new…

Remember the story of the people of Israel escaping Egypt? It started with Moses versus Pharoah’s magicians in an epic battle of plagues…and ended with the people’s ultimate escape through the Red Sea.

What you might not remember is that God’s people got a little angsty before they crossed that sea.

You can read about their angst in Exodus 14:10-12, but all you really need to know right now is this:

When the people of Israel saw Pharoah and his army chasing after them, they went into full panic mode.

They freaked out.

And, they went on a little tantrum where they whined and complained to Moses about how terrible they knew life in the wilderness was going to be.

(So yeah…angst is nothing new.)

Now, Moses could have reacted in lots of different angsty ways himself.

But, he didn’t.

In fact, this is what he said…

“Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14)

Now, let’s fast-forward to 2020.

If there was ever a year that we all needed to hear a word like that from God, it’s this one.

We might have different reasons for our angst…our personal health, the economy, online everything, government restrictions, the election, politics in general, fear, family dysfunction, work stress, the “new normal,” and whatever else is causing you angst these days.

And, in the midst of all that angst, God is saying you…

Don’t be afraid.

Be still.

I will rescue you.

I will fight for you.

Just stay calm.

The question is…do you believe Him? Are you trusting Him?

At the heart of a trusting relationship with God is the confidence that He can overcome all of your deepest panics, anxieties, worries, and fears.

So, this week you have a choice to make.

Will you let your angst get the best of you…or will you trust the LORD to help you overcome it?

May these words from Psalm 46 encourage you to “be still, and know” the God who is just as present and powerful in your angst today as He was back in the wilderness with the people of Israel…

Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.

Monday Musings: an election week perspective

I voted…

And I hope you did too.

The right to vote is something that we should never take for granted here in America…especially when you consider the millions of people who live in countries where those rights either don’t exist or are unfairly undermined.

Much has already been written and posted about this election, and the last thing I want to do is add to the noise.

But, I do want to say this…

As Christians, we need to be careful where we put our ultimate hope and allegiance on this earth.

The psalmist perhaps said it best in Psalm 118:8-9, when he wrote… “It is better to take refuge in the LORD, than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.“

There is much at stake in this election…we all know that. But, we all need to be careful that we don’t put our ultimate hope in man to remedy the ills of our nation.

God is the One who “controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.” (Daniel 2:21)

God is the One who gives authority to man to govern and places them in positions of authority to serve. (Romans 13:1 & 4)

And, God is the One who is giving us a Kingdom that is unshakeable. He is the One who will shake all of creation so that only unshakeable things will remain. (Hebrews 12:27-28)

Sadly, the magnitude of this election has made patriotic fervor and nationalism idols for many Christians.

We are putting too much of our hope in shakeable things.

And, we all need to be careful.

I am thankful to live in a country where I can vote…where my voice can be heard and counted.

But, I am even more thankful that this country is not my forever home. I am thankful along with many others who have gone before us that we are all “foreigners and nomads here on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)

So, by all means, vote. I hope you did.

But, I also hope that you did so with these words from Psalm 146 in mind…

Psalm 146

¹Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord.
² I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

³Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.
⁴When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them.
⁵But joyful are those who have the God of Israel^[a] as their helper,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.
⁶He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.
⁷He gives justice to the oppressed
    and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.
⁸    The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
    The Lord loves the godly.
⁹The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows,
    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.