Desires Part Deux

Desires Delivered Part Deux

²⁷    Turn from evil and do good;

then you will dwell in the land forever.

²⁸    For the Lord loves the just

and will not forsake his faithful ones.

They will be protected forever,

but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

²⁹    the righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it forever.

This is our second week in Psalm 37; to be honest because of what’s in it, we could stay here for a month or more. It’s a prayer filled with wisdom inviting believers to find our way in life with a clear focus on the Kingdom of God and a deep trust that God is leading the way.

It’s a prayer that teaches how to live as Jesus’ disciples in the world.

So, last week we focused on one word in the psalm, fret. As in do not fret. We talked about people who worry too much about all the wrong things. We saw that in Christ anxiety and fear are broken through developing a trust relationship with God in prayer.

This week let’s talk about the word good.  It shows up in verses 3 and 27 with similar promises

Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Turn from evil and do good;

then you will dwell in the land forever.

In Christ, to dwell in the land means to enjoy God’s blessing of eternal life right now and always. And that’s good. So let’s take a moment to be clear on what kind of good we’re invited to do.

I’m sure you hear the word almost every day. Ask someone, how are you doing and most often they say doing good. Right? Sometimes people talk about doing good at work or school or that something like a birthday present or party was good. And all that is all good.

What we’re talking about here today is not that use of good. Most of the time when we use the word good it means nice or productive or enjoyable. Often it’s really just our opinion of how a day went or how well we think something got done.

When the Bible uses the word good it most often is speaking about something bigger, deeper and more important.

Jesus once said, ^{Mark 10.18} “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

Or the psalms often say things like,

^{Psalm 53.2-3}     God looks down from heaven

on the sons of men

to see if there are any who understand,

any who seek God.

³     Everyone has turned away,

they have together become corrupt;

there is no one who does good,

not even one.

The good being spoken about has nothing to do with opinions; it has to do with moral value, purity, what is decent or blameless. The good Jesus talks about is pure good ultimate good, never changing good, which is God alone.

Let me tell you a story that may help us understand what’s good and how to go for it.

Back in BC live two couples I know. At one point they decided to team up and buy a vacation cabin by a lake. They liked each other and figured even if they wanted to be there at the same time, it would be a good idea.

So they went ahead and did it. They found themselves almost living together at times. Cooking together, talking, playing card games. It seemed so good. But it didn’t last.

After a while one of the men, we’ll all him Joe, decided that the other man, Jack, wasn’t a good husband. Jack didn’t do what Joe thought was good. In Joe’s opinion Jack didn’t spend enough time with his wife; he was always on his phone! Jack’s wife wasn’t concerned, but Joe and his wife wouldn’t let it go or have a discussion about it. This opinion became a conviction and finally blew up into a fight.

The cabin had to be sold, now! The two couples had to decide whether they even wanted to see each other anymore. And that was made really hard because they both went to the same church both men were on the council together.

It was at this point that they called their pastor.

Long story short, after much talk, repentance and confession, they made up. And they managed to stay in the same church. They had learned something; they had changed. They had discovered what the word good actually means.

Joe had to accept that his opinion of good may now be God’s truth. It was just his opinion; he didn’t have all the facts, he guessed and then gossiped about the situation. I don’t Joe is the only person to have made that mistake.

Isn’t it true that people are often judged as good or bad based on opinion rather than Truth? Isn’t it true that many times people separate over a difference of opinion? And equally true, too often people don’t work it out together, see the truth and be healed.

Those two couples had a choice to remain separate, hold a grudge and remain judgmental or they could reconcile in a way that really is good. By the way, is it, could it be good to keep and hold a grudge? I wonder why so many believers say no to that question yet their lives reveal something different. I, you too I’m sure know far too many people who hold grudges against people both in and outside of the church. Some have left the church because of a grudge. And usually it started with a simple difference of opinion as if anyone has a full knowledge of how to live perfectly in the world at every moment of every day.

Instead of opinion and grudges, the psalm invites us to something more. Jesus through Psalm 37 is calling his people to do good. And I cannot think of a higher good than in following his ways so that goodness becomes a greater reality for more and more people all the time.

Jesus’ standard for goodness clear.

^{Luke 6.27} “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ³⁵Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

I don’t know about you, but I find that passage a challenge. It goes against what we see all around. Lend without expecting back? Seriously? Pray for those who mistreat you? Who does that?  

This is a passage, explains what our text means. It’s an invitation into the truly good life. A life patterned after Jesus.

It happens through prayer and practice.

During the tense time for those two couples their pastor spoke on prayer and at one point said: It is hard to remain mad at someone if you pray for them.  Prayer gives us a chance to have God show us the difference between truth and opinion. A few weeks after that service one of the wives told my friend, their pastor, that comment broke her pride. After that she knew she had to be reconciled with her friend. Anything else would be to disgrace Jesus’ work on the cross.

When we pray for others God does something amazing. Instead of seeing an enemy, or someone who is a lazy or doesn’t have the right religious ideas. Instead of seeing people as less than acceptable in some way: people who deserve judgment, say. Instead of all that, the Father helps us see someone who is also made in His image; someone who is may be trying to do the best they have with what they have. Someone who needs Jesus just as much as anyone else.

 And that’s when the power of God can be released powerfully.

In prayer and after when people realise that opinions push us apart, but the Spirit unifies through differences. It’s when we leave the prayer room and begin practicing what God has convinced  us of. That’s when healing happens; that’s when true reconciliation happens; that’s when things become just a little bit more the way they should be. Those are moments of doing good.

Don’t let those moments pass you by. One man said, to pray is to change. If we do not want to change, then we will stop praying about certain people or situations. Reflect on it; is that true for you? Who or what have you stopped praying for? Is it possible that there’s a grudge or resentment holding reign in life? Stiffing joy?  In whom or where can prayer make a difference and are we willing to listen to the Spirit in prayer so that God’s goodness will be more visible over all the earth?

The Desire of Your Heart?

The Audio file is available at 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tfdj9z1oh4e3ajk/Church%20Service-2012-08-26-01.mp3

Key thought: knowing God shapes our prayers such that we pray for the right things.

At the beginning of a service I always wonder how people are doing.  Usually I have a fair understanding of the issues and problems people are facing. I have the privilege to be invited into many of those situations. Yesterday we had a wedding, last week a funeral, some weeks before a killer hail storm.  In a week school starts again. Some people are moving soon.  The list goes on. And in every case there are questions and worries.

I’ll confess that it can be overwhelming. Someone asked me recently, how do I manage when there are always so many problems?

I turn that question back to you. How do you manage? In the reality of life, with all its joys that are so easily overshadowed by worries, how do you manage?

Psalm 37 gives us some direction.

Psalm 37

Of David.

¹      Do not fret because of evil men

or be envious of those who do wrong;

²     for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

³     Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴     Delight yourself in the Lord

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵     Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him and he will do this:

⁶     He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

⁷     Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when men succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸     Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret—it leads only to evil.

The psalm is of course a prayer. And the first three words set the tone. Do not fret. It means to worry or be overly anxious. And it goes on to say that in prayer God will give the desires of our hearts

A couple of weeks ago I gave the opportunity to fill out a survey on prayer and bible reading habits. I found the results encouraging and interesting. Just about everyone who filled it out prays at meals, but only half have a regular habit of praying each day as the day begins or in times of need.  That suggests to me that we pray thanking God for what He provides – and that’s good – but I wonder, do we pray over the daily schedule. After all don’t we have times of need every morning in deciding what to do and how to do it? Isn’t it just possible to be so used to things that we can go a whole day without really thinking about what we’re doing? Sort of swept away in business so that at the end of the day or week you wonder now what did I do today? I know I did stuff but I think I missed out on something.

I want to draw your attention to a single verse, verse 4 where it says: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. “ Does that sound good to you? Does that sound like a good thing? The psalm tells us how to make it happen.

In the whole psalm there are three simple suggestions for personal prayer.

The first is to ask God, where am I going? Our Lord makes some strong claims about life here and all over the Bible. There are two ways to walk in life. With God in contentment (v 3), sure hope (v 9), peace (v 11), generosity (v 21) and wisdom, (v 30), which define a successful life. Or walk without God and copy what the world does. It’s tempting because as verse 1 says it seems to lead to wealth and security, but a road littered with victims of anger and worry (v 8), envy and greed (v 12 & 21), violence, (v 15), and lying (v 30).

In prayer God can and will show the truth of which road a person is on and what the end of that road will look like. All anyone has to do is ask. God is faithful to lift us from where we are to a better way of being.

In prayer a person can ask, am I an angry person, do I worry too much, am I violent in how I go about my day and what is that doing to the people I love. Sin is a serious problem and often believing people are blind to their own sin. Believers need to meet God in prayer to know the truth about their lives. The values we hold are given as an example to our children and are our witness about Jesus to the world.

At some point in the day – every day – meet with God and ask, “Where am I going”?

The second suggestion in the psalm is to look up and see the truth. The fact is that everything I just said in suggestion number one depends on suggestion number two. The only way people change for the better is if they hear God’s voice in prayer. Learn to trust him, commit to him and delight in him.

Our Father invites our trust. It’s in prayer that we put our worries before God and reassured of his love and power leave them there. So that we can go and do what we can with what we have. It’s in prayer that we learn that prayer isn’t magic. There is a real and personal God who loves; not some power force that can be controlled or forced into doing what we want. How else can we cope with reality? War, death, hail storms and the like?

I remember many times praying something like: O Lord if only you would do this or that, everyone would see how amazing you are. I’ve learned that a far better prayer is O Lord, I’d really like this or that and it seems to me that’s how everyone would see how amazing you are, but your will be done.

This can be hard but as a loving God, God may not give what we ask for because it would do more harm than good. It may not happen because something bigger is going on that can’t be seen. It’s only in prayer and with faith that anyone can accept with courage and joy the result of prayer and God’s answer.

At some point in the day – every day – meet with God and ask, “Give me faith to trust you more.”

Third and last suggestion is this, be constructive with your life. Verse 7 explains the heart of the Psalm and of prayer. Be still before the Lord. Wait for God to speak. Isn’t it true that most of our prayers are just going in one direction? We talk God listens: hello, good stuff, good stuff, blah, blah, good stuff, Amen. Would you ever have a conversation with someone who always did that? Who never let you speak? It’s a good thing God is patient.

Prayer, is a conversation and like with anyone else it takes time and attention to have a good one. I have a very busy mind. It goes from one thing to the next easily. I am also a capable intelligent person. I read a lot and learn on the job. I’m pretty sure I can find solutions and make things happen in the moment. Slowing down is hard for me. But It’s the difference between life and death for me.

Unless I slow down and breathe deeply. Quiet my mind and thoughts, unless I wait for God in prayer. I become overwhelmed, ineffective and depressed. The work is endless and joy is replaced by busyness. I’ll admit to you it’s hard and takes time. First thing in the morning I’m itching to go and get things done. That’s fine is you run the 100 meters but in the race of life, the marathon – it won’t work.

At some point in the day – every day – meet with God and ask, “help me to be still, I want to hear your voice.”

Why got to Texas? Part 1

I was in Texas recently for a short term missional trip. My co-leader and I went with 6 youth and joined a church also called Sunrise (they spell it with a ‘u’) in their work among the people in South Austin. There were a variety of work sites, but one theme recurred: homelessness.

One site was at a different church and their effort to make space available for homeless people to find their way again. The contact person had been there for about 18 months. He was overwhelmed that 10 people had come to help clean up the workrooms and storage area. As I got to know Bill and Len, his buddy, I found out that he was a recovering alcoholic and once homeless too. Now he was in charge of keeping the place tidy and while the evidence suggested he wasn’t quite up to it, he was eager wanting to help people who probably still had more than he had. He told us about the retail network they had established and showed us the paintings, jewellery, lamps and birdhouses that had been made in whole or part out of recycled materials. The artisans received the income from sales and yet another organization rented them used RV’s at $25 a month so that they had a chance to life full lives again.

Later the director joined us and explained that it was their mission to treat discarded wood and other materials just as Jesus treats discarded people and people who don’t know right from wrong. By reclaiming and redeeming them/us.

We left about 3 hours later. The retail shop was set up. New display shelves on the wall, floors mopped and clean. The wood bin still held used 2x6 lumber, but now there were no nails in them. Somehow through us God made things new again. Overwhelming.

Storm's a Coming,?

It’s been quite a summer for weather so far! Having lived in Alberta for only a year and a half, we’re still unaccustomed to the violent and sudden storms that happen so often here. Where we lived before, storms would move in off of the ocean and slowly but surely cover the valley like a thick blanket. Often staying for days on end. Storms on the south coast rarely had lightning or hail as part of the bargain. Usually it was rain, cloud and darkness. Here, storms are lively mixtures of lightning thunder, rain and often destroyer hail. But this you already know.

What we also know is that with the storms comes moisture for field and crop. Not everyone suffers when the storm hits, after all. More than most have a benefit and somehow even those beaten up survive and see recovery. And it’s not like some people are hit harder than others for any particular reason. After all Jesus once said that the rain falls on everyone regardless of their life direction or faith convictions. I expect he was and still is trying to explain something to us.

I sometimes imagine people as storms that can blow uninvited into an otherwise calm life. They’re just a thunder cloud waiting to happen, they sneak up on us and blast away with whatever the issue is. Others are more like a gentle rain, but hang like a wet blanket. Of course that’s one point of view.

Another is that regardless of which, it isn’t the people or their actions that come into our life that make life good or bad. It’s how we receive them, right? Sometimes we need the storm. It gets our attention and calls us to action. The random shootings that happen more and more often are a signal call: there is something wrong with our culture, economic policies and goals. Sometimes the storm is a reminder that hurting people hurt others and what they need most of all is a listening ear.

Sometimes we need the ‘dreary rain’ of paying attention to those so often judged as not being ambitious or smart enough by current standards. How many powerless, lonely people are just craving a friend? It seems that weather has a way of stopping is in our tracks; every storm front is an opportunity to re-evaluate. Where is my life taking me? Who is along on the journey with me? What in my life has actual value?

The band Queen wrote a song about this; it’s called “Limited Company.” It’s on the Night at The Opera album. The song is a story told by a man who in young age was advised by his father to "take care of those you call your own, and keep good company". In his younger years, he follows his father's advice, keeping his friends and marrying a girl named Sally. However, after their marriage, he begins to lose interest in his friends, who gradually disappear. As he grows older, he becomes increasingly skilled at and dedicated to his occupation, working long nights and neglecting his family.

Eventually, the man's efforts are “rewarded,” the lyrics go:

“All through the years in the end it appears
There was never really anyone but me
Now I'm old I puff my pipe but no one's there to see
I ponder on the lesson of my life's insanity
Take care of those you call your own
And keep good company”

It seems to me that all we really have in life that has real value is people. Family, friends and random strangers that appear if only to help us see the truth: love one another.

How Do You Hear?

Today’s text is from the Psalms. The first one. The first of many prayer poems and songs that ask questions and talk honestly about life. When it’s going well and when it’s not. When God seems interested and involved and when it feels more like – where are you?

So in the Psalms we can find words to help us sort life out. The first sets the tone. So, here it is.

Psalm 1

¹     Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of mockers.

²     But (instead) his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

³     He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

⁴     Not so the wicked!

They are like chaff

that the wind blows away.

⁵     Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶     For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm one is short, sweet and to the point. In a colourful way – using trees and streams - it asks a simple question. What kind of people do we want to be?

Righteous or wicked? And if that sounds too harsh then an acceptable way to say it is one who walks with God or one who doesn’t. Neither term ‘righteous’ or wicked’ refer to the kind of person someone is. It’s not about being good or bad. It’s about life direction. Wicked people may well be pretty nice, generous and kind; it’s just they don’t acknowledge God or want honor God. Ironically, righteous people can be pretty bad-tempered, drink too much or work too much; it’s just for them, there is an honest desire to acknowledge God as Lord and to honour God even in their brokenness.

The Psalm tells us, as the entire Bible does, that though God loves all people, some choose to walk with him willingly as a response to love and some reject God and his love. All are loveable; not all receive this life changing grace.

So, that’s what the psalm asks, which path? The righteous one or wicked one? But what else should we take note of? Well, the word blessing is worth talking about. Blessed is the man, woman, person who does not. And then there are three does nots.

The term blessed describes a person who is in a good situation and deserves to be congratulated. The Hebrew word does not exactly mean that God blesses, or rewards, such a person; it actually means that such a person is happy, or fortunate, deserving congratulations. This is an important point. Some people think that so long as a believer does the right thing, say honour their father and mother then God will and must give them something in return. A give to get if you will. Like working for wages. It’s about motives. Instead of ‘doing the right thing’ from a sincere desire to honour God; ‘Doing the right thing’ is sometimes an outward show - a way to get stuff. Keeping this straight is very important. Not every so called good deed will be rewarded in the way we may want. Sometimes doing the right thing is the reward in itself. After all Jesus said when we give stuff away don’t let the left hand know what the right is doing. That is – at times giving anonymously is the right thing to do. The secret reward is usually having that deep sense that God loves you.

That’s what blessed means here and most often means in the rest of the Bible. The “do nots” of verse one follow. Each builds on the next so that those who walk in the counsel of the wicked will eventually behave as wicked people do.

Step 1: They don’t listen to the life shaping word of God. Instead they listen to other advice. Advice that suggests there is no harm in greed, lust or abuse.

Step 2: Those who stand in the way of sinners: “Here, sinner means the same as wicked;  people who refuse to acknowledge God. A step beyond listening, these people follow the advice given by non-believers.

Step 3: Those who sit in the seat of scoffers: Scoffers are those who say God and his ways are stupid, foolish, limiting.

The Psalm says that taking life advice and direction from people who reject God is risky. So don’t; don’t join or, associate with people who make fun of faith or, of God. So, be aware, listening leads to doing and at some point left unchecked, it leads to life far apart from God and meaningful blessing. Life becomes futile – a dusty field of broken dreams.

On the other hand, the Psalm makes bold claims about what kind of life is available for those who meditate on the “law of the Lord.” Those who learn to combine faith in God with every activity and moment of life. Those who look for what God is saying about life in every way God’s revealed it. The Bible, Creation, human creativity and so on. Those who do this drink living water, grow and mature spiritually, become fruitful and a blessing to those they spend time with.

The comparison is drastic and it’s meant to be so. Life matters, choices matter. Psalm 1 reminds us that there are two very different ways of life.

Choose to walk with God and know blessing.

Choose to walk away from God and suffer.

Beyond being baptized or doing profession of faith, which way are you walking?

Where is life taking you? Where are your choices taking you? Where is the Lord taking you?

And are you sure about that?

Here’s a question I struggle with personally. How can anyone know which path they are on? We live in the world that is. Customs, opinions, the ways of farming, doing business and even doing church are all affected by our society. How can we know, really know which way we’re traveling?

For instance Jesus says, Matthew 6.19-21, 24: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Those words seem so clear and simple. But aren’t we challenged by the idea that putting money away from retirement is a good idea? Or that providing a good living for our families is also right and good? And what exactly does it mean to serve money? And does that always look the same one person to the next? Does the amount of wealth a person has matter or is it just the rich who might have this problem? How about the honest and very real difficulty of figuring out how much is enough?

Sometimes preachers make it all the more complicated because the solution is made overly simple or guilt is thrown in or worse. Sometimes people are just encouraged to give more money to the church as a way of paying off a guilty conscience. It’s like saying don’t think about whether work and money plays to large a role in life, just make sure the contributions come in.

Is that what Jesus meant? Is that why he gave this and so many other teachings?

It seems far more likely that the point of a passage like this is to open the eyes. To not miss the point of life: to think about choices because loving God above all is the foundation to finding satisfaction and purpose. And loving one another is more rewarding than any amount of money could ever be.

You see, Jesus’ message is just like the message of Psalm 1. Choose well so that life is successful in the ways that matter most. And the only way to choose well is by listening to the Spirit as much as possible. So that the other messages, values and opinions can be evaluated and either used or discarded.

Psalm 1, the Bible, God the Father, Son and Spirit are asking each one of us, are we learning to integrate life and faith so that the life we have will matter?

It’s not enough to say I believe in Jesus and then do as I please. That may still result in going to heaven someday, but it certainly will mean missing the blessing available each day between now and then. The Bible teaches us that only God judges the heart. Outward appearances are deceiving. I’m curious how this congregation is doing and I refuse to judge that on Sunday morning attendance. In the same way, I’m also committed to helping people have opportunities to engage God and scripture as often as possible.

So, in your bulletin there is an insert. It’s a devotional life survey that I invite you to read and fill out right now. It’s meant to remind all of us that there are many ways to hear the Spirit and many places where life priorities can be talked about and truth known.

The survey is not about guilt, but by filling it out you may fell some conviction that though God speaks constantly, there are life paths that make His voice harder to hear.

The survey also provides ideas for how to gain back or expand opportunities to hear God’s voice.

Faith and Certainty?

There is a story about a man and his son. The son was on his way to seminary and the father was worried that some liberal school would undermine his son's faith. "Don't let them take Jonah out of your Bible." The older man urged. By this he meant that unless the story of Jonah is historically true in every detail, the slippery slope of liberalism had begun.

Two years later the son returned. Eager to see if his faith had been preserved the father asked, "is Jonah still in your Bible"? To this the son replied, "yes it is, but father is it in yours"? Confused, the father reached for his Bible, turned to the correct page only to find the pages had been carefully removed.
"You see," the son said, "while I was away those two years, while you worried about me and my faith, my trust in scripture, you hadn't come across those very pages that mean so much to you." Ashamed, but understanding the father understood that unless the word is alive in the heart, the pages mean little.

To me, a great irony surrounding the book of Jonah is that the very means of deciding that it is God breathed and useful are the same means used to discredit it.  The scientific approach takes things apart and asks is it possible, likely? The scientific approach wants certainty. So whether the search tells us that no fish could swallow a man, let alone have him survive three days. Or whether the same method tells us that given certain factors it is entirely possible, haven't we missed the point entirely?

Jonah is the story about God's love for all people. Is that truth clear and evident in Jonah and the rest of scripture? Is that truth more important than the size of Nineveh or the type of vine that sprang up? I hope so. Do believers need certainty to believe Jonah and keep it in their Bibles? I hope not! Isn't faith all about suspending disbelief and embracing a God who loves, guides, directs and accomplishes what's best for believer and unbeliever alike?


Are the words of 1 Corinthians 1 true, and don't they describe this issue so well? "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength."


Whether a man lived inside a fish or not is not the right question. A better question, I think, is do you see evidence of such a loving God - "a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity," (Jonah 4.2) working in your life and in the lives of those you know? If our trust in scripture is based on certainty, is faith even possible?

Down and Out?

Down and Out?

 Jonah 1-2

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:

 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it,

because its wickedness has come up before me.”

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.

He went down to Joppa,

where he found a ship bound for that port.

After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish

to flee from the LORD.

Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea,

and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.

All the sailors were afraid

and each cried out to his own god.

And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.

But Jonah had gone below deck,

where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

The captain went to him and said,

“How can you sleep?

Get up and call on your god!

Maybe he will take notice of us,

and we will not perish.”

Then the sailors said to each other,

“Come, let us cast lots

to find out who is responsible for this calamity.”

They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

So they asked him,

“Tell us, who is responsible

for making all this trouble for us?

 What do you do?

Where do you come from?

What is your country?

From what people are you?”

He answered,

“I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD,

 the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.”

 This terrified them and they asked,

“What have you done?”

 (They knew he was running away from the LORD,

because he had already told them so.)

 The sea was getting rougher and rougher.

So they asked him,

“What should we do to you

to make the sea calm down for us?”

 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,”

he replied,

 “and it will become calm.

 I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Instead, the men did their best to row back to land.

But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.

Then they cried to the LORD,

“O LORD, please do not let us die

for taking this man’s life.

Do not hold us accountable

for killing an innocent man,

for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased.”

Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard,

 and the raging sea grew calm.

At this the men greatly feared the LORD,

and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD

and made vows to him.

 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah,

and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.

He said:

   “In my distress I called to the LORD,

   and he answered me.

   From the depths of the grave I called for help,

   and you listened to my cry.

You hurled me into the deep,

   into the very heart of the seas,

   and the currents swirled about me;

   all your waves and breakers

   swept over me.

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight;

   yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’

The engulfing waters threatened me,

   the deep surrounded me;

   seaweed was wrapped around my head.

To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

   the earth beneath barred me in forever.

   But you brought my life up from the pit,

   O LORD my God.

“When my life was ebbing away,

   I remembered you, LORD,

   and my prayer rose to you,

   to your holy temple.

“Those who cling to worthless idols

   forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

But I, with a song of thanksgiving,

   will sacrifice to you.

   What I have vowed I will make good.

   Salvation comes from the LORD.”

And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

The word of the Lord goes out, a man runs away. He can run but he can’t hide. The Lord catches up with him and there you have it. The most impressive catch and release fishing trip in history.

So what’s the point of the story so far?

Is it normal to run from God?

Does running make someone bad?

Can those who are called actually escape God?

Will God forget those he’s called?

What does God do to those who run?

Or is this all summed up in verse 8?

“Those who cling to worthless idols

   forfeit the grace that could be theirs.“

That’s the verse we’ll be focusing on.

Last fall when I was teaching religion to grade four students at Ponoka Elementary. We explored the story of Solomon. Wisest man to ever live; in his early years fully devoted to God; fully embracing grace that was his by promise. Only to later turn away, forfeit that grace because he chose to serve worthless idols.

I explained it this way.

I said imagine Solomon is having conversation with God all the time. And remember, God knows everything and everything God says to Solomon is always true and best for him and the people. So when Solomon decides to get advice from so called other gods, from statues mate of metal instead of God, it would be like getting advice from a water bottle instead of a best friend.

I finished with, does that make any sense?

Ten year olds are pretty smart.  They got the point, do we?

The word worthless is harsh; in the text it means of no value to do what is required. The thing we’re talking about may be very valuable in other ways but it’s the wrong tool or choice for whatever is going on right then. For instance say you have a solid gold hammer – an award for excellence in construction - and want to drive a nail into some hard wood. That hammer won’t get the job done. The metal is too soft; it would bend or the nail would end up sinking into it. For that job your golden hammer is worthless.

Verse 8 is asking us, is there anything in life that may otherwise have value that is getting in the way of receiving grace?

Family has value and family time; work has value and doing a job well does also. Can either of those become idols that get in the way of receiving grace?

Food, drink, sports, activities from card games to quadding have value – great value. Can either of those become idols that get in the way of receiving grace?

We could list more, but the point for those types of things is always the same: priorities, moderation, balance. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Whatever, fill in the blank, do it as a response to God’s call as his child. Keeping in mind that God’s gifts are wonderful; God comes first.

Could there be anything else that is getting in the way of receiving grace?

I often ask a simple question; I’ll ask it now. When were your sins forgiven? When? When a person asks, for forgiveness, when we see Jesus at the resurrection? When?

The Bible is pretty clear. All sin was forgiven before anyone here was born. Mine, yours, Jonah’s sins were all nailed to the cross. From God’s point of view – and this applies to everyone here plus many more – the price was paid; your sins are forgiven already, even the ones you haven’t committed yet.

But has it done the average person any good? Has being forgiven made any difference? Or is anyone here their own worst enemy when it comes to getting in the way of receiving the grace that can be theirs?

The Bible is clear those who may receive the grace of God without fear or doubt are those who admit to the sin in their lives; those who believe and accept that Jesus died to remove the penalty of their sin. Those who believe that Jesus rose from the grave proving that He is God and it is Finished!

Have you acknowledged the personal debt owed?

Did Jesus die for your sin?

Did Jesus rise to give you new life?

Yes, no?

That is the gospel after all. And the result is letting grace, forgiveness shape life. When believers get this the final idol dies. The final idol, the worst one: personal pride, thinking we know it better than God.

Ever had a thought like these?

                My sin wasn’t so bad, Jesus certainly didn’t need to bother with that one, even if it was a sin.

                Or the other extreme: my sin was unforgiveable.

                Or fear: my sin really wasn’t forgiven – is God really there?

                Or pride: I haven’t suffered enough or done enough to please God.

What stopped Jonah from receiving grace?

What causes believers today from receiving grace? Isn’t it often the idol of personal pride lying and deceiving working on the fear Jesus died to remove?

When the Son sets you free, you are free indeed! (John 8.36)

God’s children are forgiven, period. It’s Father’s Day isn’t that the cause of all celebration?

True, we confess ongoing sin, but only as a reminder to invite the Spirit’s power into our lives. Anything else is a misguided idea to have Jesus die all over again.

It’s wonderful when those who love Jesus take personal sin seriously; but more seriously than God? Dare we question Christ’s work on the cross? Dare we question grace? Of course no one deserves it. That’s good reason to dance and sing!

We live in the time of grace, confession, grace, celebration, grace! Remember this, because of when he lived Jonah changed because he got hammered. Swallowed and then barfed up on a beach. He lived always wondering who God is, wondering about God’s love and mercy. He lived without the cross.

We don’t live under the veil – in the time or conditions of the Old Testament. We have been born into the time of the Spirit, the Last Days when change comes by the Spirit to all who receive the grace that is theirs in Christ.

This is why the more often we eat and drink the more aware, the more grateful, the more willing to let the spirit change our hearts.

Has the idol died; is there a worthless idol stopping grace from being received?

Receive now and always the grace of your saviour.