GodSprings - 28, April, 2018

When Through/in Trial - Will God Too Turn Me Down?

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:5

Imagine you are going with a friend on a highway. As you see the fuel indicator showing empty you pull the car at the petrol pump. You ask the man at the petrol pump to fill the tank. When it is time to pay you realize that you forgot to take your valet. Your friend though he has behaves as if he too forgot to take his. Your friend asks you to stay back and promises to go home and bring back the money. But he never returns. How many of us would like to have a friend like that who would leave us in time of trouble. Though it is a made up story when we are in trouble we usually are deserted even by the ones who are very close. What about God? Will God too turn us down?

Becoming a Christian is a process. It’s trials that make us perfect complete Christians. James tells us that we must be immovable when trails come we should remain steadfast through the trial and not fail. But for that we need the right wisdom to take the right decision.

We saw in yesterday’s devotion that one of the most important things we need in a trial and even in life is to ask wisdom from God. In most cases we will ask wisdom and advice from everyone else but God. James knows this is the human nature and so admonishes us to go to God. In the same verse James tells us why one should go to God. James doesn’t directly tell that we should not go to others but when he says ask God indirectly it is implied we should not ask others. Why does James think asking God is the best option?

James uses two words ‘generously’ and ‘without reproach’ as the direct result of asking God. James says that God gives generously. The original Greek word used for generously is aplōs which means without reservation, without having second thoughts, sincerely and wholeheartedly. God is not going to hold back if we ask for it. It is God’s character to give. It is something that is inherent. God does not choose to be like that. God is like that - generous by nature. God will not have any second thoughts and will give without any reservation or concern.

The second reason James wants us to ask God for wisdom in trial is because God will give without reproach. Now reproach is not a word that we use frequently in our usual conversations. The Greek word used for without reproach is mē oneidizontos which conveys that idea that God will not find fault in our request and so God will not humiliate us for asking. It also means that we will not irritate God by asking for wisdom.

Everyone wants to be with a person who is happy and everything is going right for him/her. None of us are happy when we are going through a trial. James being the half brother of Jesus has seen the life of Jesus closely or at least heard the stories and struggles that Jesus had to go through from first hand witnesses. James is sure that everyone will leave the person in trial though the person in trial wishes to have fellowship. And so James asks the one in trial to ask God to help because God won’t humiliate us.

When Jacob’s wife Rachel could not conceive children, she became a laughing stock to those who knew her. We all know that in the Jewish culture to be childless was thought to be under a curse from God since they believed that God alone opens the womb. Asking others for help was useless as they would only laugh at her. Rachel in Gen 30:1 asks Jacob “Give me children, or I shall die!” and Jacob replied “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” (Gen. 30:2) The only one whom she could depend or share her sorrow was her husband and he too reacts in a pathetic manner. But there is one person who heard her cries. Gen. 30:22 we read Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

Still confused whether to approach others or God. None will understand us as our God who created us. Go to God. Approach God and be sure He will not leave us empty handed because He is the only one who will not look down on us and humiliate us.

GodSprings - 27, April, 2018

When Through/in Trials - Asking Wisely / Living Foolishly?

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.
James 1:5a

In the beginning years of cars being used a man’s Model – T Ford broke down in the middle of the road. He tried his level best but couldn’t get it started. He tried to advance the spark and adjust few things but in vain. Just then a limousine pulled up behind him, and a wiry, energetic man stepped out from the back seat and offered his assistance. After fiddling and toying for a few moments the stranger said, “Now try it” Immediately the engine leaped to life. The well-dressed individual then identified himself as Henry Ford and said, “I designed and built these cars, so I know what to do when something goes wrong.”

When we are in the season of suffering we all try to solve or understand things from our perspective. God is the last one on the list to be approached. We approach God when we realize all our efforts have failed us and we are yet to understand what this trial or phase of suffering is making in our lives.

I am sure you are wondering what wisdom has to do when in trials. Is there a connection? If this verse is looked as an individual verse it loses its beauty. James has not yet finished on trials and says that when in trials what we really need is wisdom.

James is not talking about some abstract theoretical problem. When we go through trials we don’t have all the answers to our questions. The word lack used here is a banking word which means deficit or shortfall. This means when in trails we are sure to have a wisdom deficit. The Greek word for wisdom is sophia. It is not just knowledge but it is knowledge that is applied in practical ways and godly ways.

As we have seen earlier trials comes in all shapes and sizes. When through/in trials more than the decision between right and wrong which is also quite hard I believe it’s the decision between bad, worse, worst and good, better, best which can drive us nuts. Also when in trials we seldom try to view things from God’s perspective as we are constantly blaming God for putting us through this time of distress and trouble.

James 1:1 we saw that James is writing this letter mainly to the Jewish Christians who have been scattered among the nations because of persecution. He wants to teach them how to live out their faith and how to act as real Christians. Our true nature comes out when we are facing a problem. Our true faith is revealed in storms.

When Rebekah was pregnant with twins we read in Genesis 25:22ff

The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”

Rebekah knew that something was going on inside of her. She was not able to make out. And when she was not able to find out the reason she did the right thing of going and inquiring it to the Lord. She took her need for wisdom to the Lord.

In most cases we try to solve the problems by our own understanding and knowledge. We are happy and contented to move along with trial without knowing the why in these trials and struggles. Rebekah did the right thing of going first to the Lord.

I always used to pray to keep me away from trials and difficulties. But the struggles that I went through in the last one year has made me change my prayer – Dear Lord, I know you want me to go through this trial. I am ready to be tested. I will not move for I know you are doing it seeing the end and not the moment. Grant me the wisdom to understand what you want me to teach through this trial. Help me see things from your perspective.  

Still wondering whom to ask and what to ask? I am sure today or tomorrow we all will have to go through some struggle. May we ask God who created us for the wisdom rather than being a fool by depending on the partial knowledge about our self and about what our future holds for us.

GodSprings - 26, April, 2018

When Through/in Trials - Perfect and Complete / Imperfect and Incomplete?

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:4

Temperature is rising with each passing day here in Bharatpur where I stay. To keep myself hydrated I thought of buying watermelon. I remember my dad used to buy perfectly ripe watermelons. He would take a watermelon hit it three times and would come to know whether it’s sweet and ripe. I also tried to do so. Went to the market and took few watermelons and hit them so that the shopkeeper may think I am an expert in this. For me all the watermelons sounded the same. I was confused and picked up one. Came home and I cut it and realized it wasn’t ripe.

It surely is tough to buy a ripe watermelon. On the outside they all look like the same. But it is on the inside that counts. And to know whether it is perfectly ripened or not you have to slice it. Same is the case with life also. To know our life is ripened in Christ we have to be cut and sliced. In the last two meditations we were looking at trials and its effect. When we go through trial what is it that we choose – joy or happiness and are we movable or immovable.

James continues to tell us that the deeper purpose of trials in our life is to make us complete and perfect. These trials are necessary so that we lack nothing.  

The Greek word used for perfect is teleion which is used in secular sources for animals that are full grown. When James uses this word here, I am sure he meant a believer who is fully grown. The faith is tested to see whether we will move or change in our belief in the Lord. And when we have it in the full effect we will be perfect and complete. Along with the secular usage this word perfect also has the meaning of being rich in character i.e to be in the place where we really want to be and where the Lord want us to be.

When we go through trials in our life we have to choose one or the other. If we choose the latter then we walk in congruence to Lord’s desire. The best example we can find in the Bible is Job and his wife. When Job had to go through trials and sorrows, his wife said to him to curse God and die. (Job 2:9) Many of us can knowingly or unknowingly respond in that way. But there is yet another way that Job shows by the way he responded. Job said, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we nor receive evil?” and the verse continues and tells us that in all this (sorrow, trouble, trial, tribulation – whatever you may call) Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)

This is life in the world we are living. It requires a continuous and active choice to choose God. When troubles come we can hate God. We can hate life. We can also start to hate the providences that have dealt us so rudely. Or we can fall on our knees and pray in faith that in this time of trouble and distress God is fitting something better for us and pray that we may receive strength to withstand it.
I close with a Facebook post I read few years ago which says Problems are like washing machines. They twist us, they twirl and push us around, but at the end, we come out cleaner, brighter and better than before.

May we be joyful in times or trial remaining unchangeable and immovable by the outer circumstances so that we may attain completeness and be made perfect in Christ.

GodSprings - 25, April, 2018

When Through/in Trials - Movable or Immovable?

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 

James 1:3

A mother and her four year daughter were preparing to retire for the night. The child was afraid of the dark and the mother, on this occasion alone with the child, felt fearful also. When the light was out, the child caught a glimpse of the moon outside the window. “Mother,” she asked, “is the moon God’s light?” “Yes,” said the mother. The next question was, “Will God put out His light and go to sleep?” The mother replied, “No, my child, God never goes to sleep.” Then out of the simplicity of a child’s faith, she said that which gave reassurance to the fearful mother, “Well, as long as God is awake, there is no sense both of us staying awake.” 

To know something for sure is of great importance how we steer our life. What is it that we need to know when we are in trials? We need to know for sure where we are anchored. James tells us that we need to know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness.

In simple terms what James is trying to tell us is that we need to know that God is doing a work in our life. And the work that He’s doing is to develop our spiritual strength so that we’ll be more useful and more blessed. Charles Spurgeon says that this testing of faith is allowed by God so that we become more productive, achieve more and accomplish greater things for God. 

The best example can be found in 2 Corithians 12 where Paul went to God in prayer three times requesting God to take away the trial he is going through. But God did not take away the trial and on the contrary gave the grace to endure it. 

We need to know that things don’t just happen in our lives. Things don’t happen by luck. We should not just call it a bad day when things don’t work according to our plan. We need to know that there is a God who is working purposefully to achieve His end. 

Only when we are sure of this fact will it produce steadfastness in our life. Being steadfast is to be unshakeable and immovable. John Piper explaining faith tells that Faith is like muscle tissue: if you stress it to the limit, it gets stronger, not weaker. James is also telling us to be in certainty of this one thing. When our faith is threatened and tested and stretched to the point of breaking, the result is greater capacity to endure. 

James never tells us to fake or pretend. We will be tested and trials will come in our life. The question is whether we will accept it in the right way. John Ortberg gives the model of a pregnant woman to explain how we should live a Christian life expecting trials. When a woman is pregnant she rejoices in knowing the fact. At the same time she also knows that she will have to face nausea, mood swings, pain, uneasiness and in the end of all the pain during and after childbirth. But she rejoices because she looks past these things and sees the end i.e her child. So it should be with the Christian. 

We will enter into discouraging situations. In those situations our faith will be tested. Can we be steadfast in our belief in our Lord and refuse to give up in despair? Like Jonah in the belly of the fish, like Paul when he didn’t know how to move forward can we turn to the Lord trusting Him completely and be immovable and unchangeable in our faith?

GodSprings - 21, April, 2018

When Through/in Trials - Happiness or Joy?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds .
James 1:2

Luther Bridgers was an American songwriter and minister (pastor). In the year 1910 he left home to conduct some revival meetings in another town. Two weeks went by. After the last meeting, he went to his hotel room to sleep. But he was awakened by a phone call at midnight at about 1 am. “Is this Mr. Bridges?” asked the police officer on the other end. He responded in affirmative. The officer said, “Well we are sorry to tell you that your house caught fire tonight, and your wife and children have burned to death.”

The zealous preacher was taken aback. He stood in shattered silence still holding the receiver and trying to come in terms with the news he just heard. Luther later said that this was the time when he felt like the Devil laughing at him and saying, “God doesn’t love you. Are you going to worship a God like that?” But Dr. Bridgers dropped to his knees and began to pray earnestly. He prayed, “Lord I have preached the gospel to other people and told them it would comfort them in every hour of sorrow. Grant that this same gospel may comfort me.” Not only did God answer his prayer, but through that painful experience Dr. Bridgers faith was renewed and strengthened so much that he penned the words to this lovely hymn.

There's within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low:
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
in all of life's ebb and flow.

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
sweetest name I know,
fills my every longing,
keeps me singing as I go.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YIan96NyCw)

As James begins his letter he starts with something all humans who are born into this world face. No matter you are rich or poor, powerful or weak, big or small all have their own share of troubles and trials. It is clear in the way James brings forth this fact. James does not say that if you face trials, but whenever you face trials. In our journey of life we need to expect trials because today we might be in the middle of a trial or just coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial.

Warren Wiersbe in his commentary on James titled Be Mature says “We cannot always expect everything to go our way. But when trials come our outlook determines outcome and attitude determines action.”

This might be the reason why James says we need to count it all joy. The word count is hegeomai in Greek means to evaluate. One of the best examples would be Paul. When Paul became a Christian he evaluated his life and set new goals and priorities. Things that were once important to him became garbage in the life of his experience with Christ.

But to have a correct evaluation we need to change the way we look and give value to. If we value comfort more than character then trials are surely going to hurt us. If on the other hand we value the material and physical more than the spiritual then we will not be able to count it all joy. In short James says that we need to be trained to be good accountants to know what to place on each side of the ledger.

We often miss the mark because we ask the wrong question. We always ask others and ourselves – What makes me happy? James is aware of this folly that we tend to make and so he says not to be happy but to be joyful.

Joy and happiness isn’t one and the same. Happiness is circumstantial. Joy on the other hand is a supernatural delight. It comes from God. We don’t have it in ourselves to be joyful. When James tells us to consider it all joy he is wanting us to get God’s heart in the matters of trial. He is simply asking us to reach out to God.

What will I choose today? To be happy or to be joyful? Happiness is just for a moment but joy is for a lifetime and for that we need to reach out to God. May we all strive for a joyful life rather than a happy life.

GodSprings - 20, April, 2018

Whose Servant Am I?

James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
James 1:1

Lee Strobel in his book God’s Outrageous Claims shares the story of Bob Pierce the founder of World Vision which is the International Christian Relief Agency. Bob had advanced leukemia. In one of his visits to a colleague they were walking by a village when they saw a young girl lying on a bamboo mat next to a river. On approaching the girl they came to know that she had cancer and had only a short time to live.

Bob was annoyed and furious and demanded to know why she wasn’t in a hospital. His friend explained that she was from the jungle and wished to spend her last days next to the river where it was cool.  As Bob looked at her, he felt such compassion that he got down on his knees in the mud, took her hand and began stroking it. Although she didn’t understand him, he prayed for her. 

Afterward she looked up and said something. “What did she say?” Bob asked his friend. His friend replied, “She said, ‘If I could only sleep again, if I could only sleep again.’” It seemed that her pain was too great to allow her the relief of rest.

Tears came out from the eyes of Bob. Then he reached into his pocket and took out his own sleeping pills, the ones his doctor had given him because the pain from his leukemia was too great for him to sleep at night.

He handed the bottle to his friend and told him, “You make sure this young lady gets a good night’s sleep as long as these pills last.” Bob was ten days away from where he could get his prescription refilled. That meant ten painful and restless nights for him. Seeing his life Bob’s friend said, “When you decided to be a servant of the Lord and work of Him I never thought it would be such a costly affair.”

James, at the very beginning of this letter identifies himself of being a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. In our modern English we have two terms slave and servant. But the word or concept used here is doulos which means a bondservant – one who has voluntarily sold himself into slavery.

As we go through the whole of the letter of James we see that it conveys the servant-Lord relationship which we who claim to be Christians are to persevere. As we travel and journey we will have to put our servanthood into practice in the midst of suffering, in choosing our relationship with material wealth, and in many other issues.

Gayle D Erwin in his book The Jesus Style states – “To be a bondservant implies absolute obedience to the command of the master, absolute humility and absolute loyalty.” And he further states that “A servant’s job is to do all he can to make life better for others – to free them to be everything they can be. A servant’s first interest is not in himself but others….Servanthood is a loving choice we make to minister to others.”

We need to ask ourselves what brings utmost joy to us. Who have we chosen to serve? Today though we preach about Jesus’ humility and servant mind we love to be the professional or executive servant who first loves to bring joy to oneself and then to others.

In my work place, in my church, in my neighbourhood am I doing things which would bring glory to my Master. If I am a bondservant of God the word of God is law and there is no questioning His commands. It is the word of the man who has no interests of his own, because what s/he does, s/he does for God. His/her own profit and his/her own priorities and preferences do not enter into his/her calculations because loyalty is to Him whom s/he serves.

We surely can if we consider ourselves as bondservant of God and of Lord Jesus Christ. But that journey is going to be painful. It’s a journey of truth. It’s a journey of sacrifice. And at the same time it’s a choice – living according to worldly standards which thinks it’s only the end that matters and not the means or going according to godly standards where we stand and speak out for the truth and our life itself is a witness to the world. But remember choosing Godly standard is a costly affair because our Lord too had to pay a great price which was His life itself.

GodSprings - 29, March, 2018

Which Way After Holy Communion? Towards Death or Towards Life?

Judas who would betray Him, answered, “ Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “ You have said so.”
Matthew 26.25

Leonard Sweet in his book From Tablet to Table shares an incident where one person challenged him if he could tell the whole Old Testament and New Testament in six sentences – three for each. Leonard Sweet wondered how could one concise the whole of Old Testament and New Testament in three sentences each. Not able to come up with an answer Leonard Sweet asked him to go ahead with the answers. The man said, “The Old Testament can be fully understood in three sentences – They tried to kill us. We survived, Let’s eat. In the same way the New Testament can be summarized in three sentences – I love you! I forgive you! Let’s eat.” 

At the very beginning and all through the Bible in all the stories about God and his people we find food is involved. Stories that changed life and history of individuals and humanity – the bite of an apple, trading an inheritance for a bowl of stew, waking up to find the land strewn with bread (manna), Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding where water turned into wine, the first Holy Communion which was the Last Supper where the bread and wine now became permanently linked to the Body of Christ.

Food has always played an important part in every culture. Food is the language of care. It is also something that we give during celebration. Food is the thing that connects us, that bears our traditions, our sense of home and family and on a much practical level it is our ability to live and breathe each day.

When Jesus chose bread to represent his body I believe there is a greater symbolic meaning attached to it. Shauna Niequist writes in one of the articles that dealt with Bread and wine - Chicken when you cook it, is still chicken. It was raw chicken, and then it becomes cooked chicken. Onions: raw, then cooked. But it’s another thing altogether when flour and water and salt and yeast become bread. 

All those involved in baking know that the outcome depends on readjusting, finding warmer or cooler places to let the dough rise, learning how much kneading is too much or too little and the correct amount to be put in the oven.

When Jesus said He is the Bread of life he intended that this transformation has taken place in His life and it should in all those who partake in His body. When we look into the ministry and life of Jesus one thing is evident that Jesus and table went together. Leonard Sweet says that from birth till death Jesus and table went together. The infant Jesus is laid in a manger, from which the animals are fed and thus there is a table at the stable. Jesus makes it clear to the disciples and to the crowd after the miracle of feeding five thousand and he explained what He meant when he said He is the Bread of life by saying Unless and until a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies it will not yield fruit (John 12:24).

Each and every communion calls us to die. Which way are we choosing is important? The first Holy Communion that Jesus celebrated shows us that the option, the choice is in our hands. Till the last moment Jesus gives us a chance for us to change our thoughts, our way of thinking and let it be in congruence with the Lord. One thing that surprises me the most is that when Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” All started asking was it about them that Jesus was talking about. All the disciples might have been approached by the Roman and Jewish heads so that Jesus could be trapped in some way. All the disciples must have in their hearts thought that they will not travel if Jesus is going to the cross. They followed thinking he is the Messiah and bring down the Romans.

Though Bible mentions only Judas asking Is it I? I believe this was a question asked by all. And Jesus might have given the same answer to all. Jesus was giving a chance for repentance. Jesus was telling them, My child haven’t you still understood that I know what’s going on in your mind. I am giving you a chance to repent. To make an about turn from the wrong you are about to do. Sad fate. Judas didn’t. But Peter did. When the cock crowed Peter cried in repentance knowing what great sin he had committed.

As we celebrate one more Maundy Thursday and remember Jesus instituting the first Holy Communion we need to ask ourselves – Which way am I choosing after taking part in the Holy Communion? Towards life or towards death?