A Tale of Two Cities: A Century's Difference

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way."

These oft quoted words open Charles Dickens' 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities.

Yet, in light of my present study, when I consider them, I don't think of London and Paris. Instead, what I find interesting is one city found in Scripture that is truly a tale of two cities.

One city full of contradictions. One city of opposites going in two different directions.

Twice, Old Testament Scripture addresses at length the pagan city of Nineveh. Yet, the city's two prophesies and two responses to those prophesies are vastly different.

First, there was Nineveh's encounter with Jonah, a reluctant prophet if ever there was one.

Although four chapters in length, the entire book of Jonah isn't actually Jonah's prophecy to Nineveh. The bulk of the four chapters is Jonah's avoiding God. In fact, save for one verse where God tells Jonah to go tell Nineveh it will be destroyed for its wickedness, the first two chapters are all about Jonah--a quick trip out to sea in the opposite direction, a storm, three days in the belly of a great fish, and (finally), a grudging acceptance of his commission.

In chapter three when Jonah finally reaches the city, Scripture says, "Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days' walk. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and he cried out and said, 'Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown'" (Jon. 3:4).

This must be the shortest sermon in history. One sentence. Eight words.

To complete a three-day's walk in one day is no small feat. I can imagine Jonah running breathless through the city like one of those crazy-sounding street-corner preachers who repeatedly proclaim, "The end is near!!!"

But what's even stranger is that Nineveh responded to this hasty message--not a little, but in a big way: "Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, 'In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish'" (Jon. 3:5-9).

Measly little sermon. HUGE response of repentance.

Compare this city of Nineveh with the Nineveh just a century later during the time of the prophet Nahum.

This time, there is no evidence that God's prophet reluctantly wrote down his prophecy concerning Nineveh. This time, the bulk of the prophecy isn't about the prophet's own problems with obeying God's commands. And this time, the message isn't a one-sentence generic doomsday message.

Instead, Nahum's prophecy is hard-hitting and exceedingly detailed concerning the exact nature of Nineveh's destruction. Nahum says, "She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste! Hearts are melting and knees knocking! Also anguish is in the whole body And all their faces are grown pale!" (Nah. 2:10). Additionally, he warns, "Your name will no longer be perpetuated. I will cut off idol and image From the house of your gods. I will prepare your grave, For you are contemptible" (Nah. 1:14).

In the NASB, the prophecy is 1,185 words long. A thousand words compared to Jonah's eight.

Yet, strangely, there is no evidence of Nineveh's repentance. There is no evidence that even one repented.

When Joshua destroyed the city of Jericho, Scripture describes the one woman who supported God's chosen people instead of the wicked in her own city. As a result, "Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho" (Jos. 6:25).

Logically, if God found it important to remember in Scripture one person who chose God's people over wickedness....surely He would have described the one or many who repented upon hearing Nahum's message.

But nothing. Not one story.

One thousand words fell on deaf ears and hardened hearts full of pride and arrogance.

History bears out Nahum's prophecy of Nineveh's utter and complete destruction. In fact, it was the Victorian time period before Nineveh's location was even rediscovered from under its tomb of sand.

One century later and a city went from an entire population kneeling in repentance to none repenting.

What happened? What made the difference?

It wasn't the length or compelling descriptiveness of a message. It wasn't the preacher.

The difference was the people's hearts. The difference was one century. One generation.

The people who repented during Jonah's day, who had heard God's judgment and seen God's relenting--those people were long gone. They had apparently failed to pass along to the next generation their own personal fear of Jehovah God. What they had passed on was their growing military power, their cruelty, their wickedness, and their pride.

And for that lack of telling about Jehovah, the next generation was annihilated.

It is not far-fetched to say that America is one generation away from being a Nineveh.

You and I. Our passing on to the next generation our love, fear, and reverence for a holy God.

If we don't, who will tell them?

(Image: Nineveh. Nebi Yunus. Iraqi archaeologists excavate the monumental entrance to a late Assyrian building. The large head of a bull-man sculpture lies in a passageway. Photo taken in May 1990 by Fredarch.)

What Do I Say First?

Wyatt snatches the plastic school bus from Amelia's hands, turns, and races down the hall to the other end of the house. Her screams immediately hit the upper octaves. As if on cue, huge crocodile tears follow, splashing onto her shirt.

In a week where my oldest has tried everything in his almost-4-year-old power to annoy, irritate, and frustrate his younger siblings, this is the last straw in a whole fist full of last straws.

It's time for the naughty bench.

When all the tears have stopped, I come and sit on the floor before him, somber and with an intentionally wrinkled brow. I wait patiently for him to describe exactly what he did wrong. Then, we discuss the rules and how there are consequences for breaking them. I repeat for the thousandth time that not sharing makes mommy sad, but more importantly, it makes Jesus sad.

He speaks the words, "I'm sorry mommy." Usually, I get a hug and kiss, but this time, I send him to give one to the little girl whose feelings he hurt.

This is the structured punishment my household repeats dozens of times each week--mommy's hand of judgment doles out consequences, many times with the explanation of why coming afterwards.

It's the same way, many times, we as Christians approach non-Christians, with this in-your-face discussion of sin, judgment, and consequences before explaining the why sin is so heinous to God.

I've long been a firm believer that for one to understand her position as a sinner, she must first understand her role in breaking God's law, the Ten Commandments. One cannot understand the need for grace, for a Savior, if one doesn't understand that to break even the tiniest part of the law means necessary judgment from a perfect God.

This past week, though, I've been having different thoughts. As part of my ladies' Bible study class, I've been reading and re-reading the book of Nahum, a small 3-chapter book of prophecy concerning Nineveh's complete annihilation and, ultimately, Assyria's fall.

What's interested me is that the prophecy doesn't begin as I expected--with God laying out Nineveh's sin. Instead, it begins with a half a chapter description of who God is:

"The LORD is a jealous and avenging God;
the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The LORD takes vengeance on his foes
and maintains his wrath against his enemies.

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power;
the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
and clouds are the dust of his feet

He rebukes the sea and dries it up;
he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel wither
and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.

⁵ The mountains quake before him
and the hills melt away.
The earth trembles at his presence,
the world and all who live in it."(Nah. 1:2-5).

Here, Nahum explains God's character--God is jealous, is the perfect avenger of wrongs, is wrathful against His enemies. God is slow to anger, is all-powerful, and is completely just in His punishments. God is in control of all creation and all mankind, both of which tremble before His almighty power.

But that's not all God is. While God is wrathful towards those who are His enemies and the enemies of His chosen people, in the next sentence, Nahum explains, "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him" (Nah. 1:7).

God is good. God cares for His people.

To understand the first five verses explaining part of God's character helps one understand this verse explaining more of God's character.

All parts of God's character are intertwined.

For instance, it may seem like God is not giving justice to those of His people who have been wronged, but that's only because His character is one that is "slow to anger." He is slow to anger because He is just and merciful.

Likewise, God must be the avenger, must be wrathful because He is completely good, completely caring towards those who love Him, and completely just.

You cannot have one characteristic without the other. They complement each other in perfection.

Only after describing God's character does Nahum then pronounce God's judgment on Nineveh. He describes Nineveh's sin of "endless cruelty" and gives graphic details concerning the judgment to come (Nah. 3:19).

Based on this passage, I'm inclined to believe that trying to explain God's law isn't enough when presenting the gospel to non-believers. Instead, I think Nahum was divinely "on to something" here as he shows that understanding God's character is key to understanding the law and what must happen when one breaks God's law.

Transgressing God's law doesn't mean much to the person who doesn't understand the God who created it in the first place.

Only when a person truly understands who God is can he understand why God would need to send His son Jesus to die a brutal death on an old rugged cross so He could offer each of us grace.

A Jell-O Contortionist

Ask any kid about Jell-O, and more than likely, he'll tell you his top two favorites along with some tips about how to best keep those slippery squares from ending up on the floor.

I remember Jell-O as a comfort food my mother made when I was sick. I also recall less-than-patiently making my way down the cafeteria-style line at Piccadilly toward my goal--those crystal goblets piled high with cubes in a rainbow of colors.

My favorite memory, though, is when I found a mail-in offer for plastic "jiggler" molds formed in the shape of eggs. After taping my quarters to a note card and printing my name and address in my best handwriting, I waited. What fun it was to pour liquid Jell-O into those molds and cool them in the refrigerator until they had transformed into eggs that were firm enough to bounce like rubber balls.

More recently, I've experienced the displeasure of Jell-O melting when left at room temperature...and I've watched my husband drink it like Kool-Aid when he was too impatient to wait.

As a liquid or solid, there's no doubt about it--Jell-O is good to eat.

But it's not a good thing to be.

In Jeremiah's day, the Israelites were a fickle people, changing their allegiances from hot to cold in a few minutes' time.

After Jeremiah finished prophesying all that the Lord commanded him to say concerning Israel's certain impending destruction if it did not repent, "the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, 'You must die!'" (Jer. 26:8).

Talk about a tough crowd. Don't like the message--dispose of the messenger. When the officials came on the scene, the priests and prophets agreed with the people and asked for Jeremiah's death.

Spirit-filled Jeremiah didn't just lay down and accept this fate. Instead, he spoke forth, reminding the people that his prophecy was from the Lord and, as such, their intended actions would bring harsh consequences: "Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing" (v. 15).

I can see the crowd's individual minds reeling--guilt and God's wrath didn't sound too good. True to their Jell-O like character, the very next verse shows the people changed their minds, this time supporting Jeremiah: "Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, 'This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.'" (v. 16).

The last verse of this episode reads, "Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death" (v. 24). I find this interesting since the people had already changed their minds a few verses earlier. Perhaps this implies that had the elders and officials (and an important man named Ahikam) not spoken for Jeremiah that the people could have easily changed their minds again. Perhaps they would have gladly put Jeremiah to death had someone in charge told them "Get 'em boys."

We see this same situation later in the New Testament. One day, the masses of people are praising and worshiping Jesus as their king with shouts of "Hosanna" and waving palm branches...only to reject him later that same day. And crucify him. All because He wasn't the military Messiah they were looking for.

This is not how I want to be. In the heat of the moment, I don't want my convictions to liquefy so that I go along with the crowd. But when things cool off and I'm not facing any trials, I also don't want to be molded into another form that looks like something other than my Jesus.

I think this is why Paul said, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Rom 12:2).

To keep from being like Jell-O and conforming into any shape out there, we must be transformed in Christ and constantly "renewing" our minds through the spiritual disciplines.

Not just conformed--transformed.

"All" Really Does Mean "All"

A woman steps forward in an American court of law and stands in the witness box. Before she is allowed to give testimony, though, she must raise her right hand, place her left on the Bible, and swear to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

While the oath may initially seem redundant, the wording is really an attempt to completely define what "truth" is. For example, to "tell the truth" requires the woman to tell correct information as she knows it. The "whole truth," though, implies that she is required to not only speak words of "truth" but must also not omit or withhold any "truth" as she knows it. Finally, "nothing but the truth" implies that she cannot give opinion, assumptions, or conjecture--merely the truth as she knows it.

In legal cases, the judge and jury want to know every possible fact in order to help them come to a just decision. When it comes to knowing and proclaiming God and the gospel, though, modern day Christians and non-Christians alike seem to be content with knowing part of the truth.

I've listened to many a preacher give a beautiful message of God's love and mercy. The problem is that's the only kind of message I have ever heard escape their lips. Sections of the Bible that deal with sin, God's wrath, anger, and judgment are ignored, passed over...especially if the current political and cultural climate view those "sins" as "choices" instead of actions that directly contradict God's word.

God is loving. God is merciful. God is forgiving. God is compassionate.

So, why bother weighing people down with the "bad stuff"? The Bible tells us not to judge after all. Must we really learn about and share all of God's teachings, from Old Testament's Genesis to the New Testament's Revelation?

The answer lies in the word "all." Merriam-Webster defines the word as "the whole amount, quantity, or extent of." It means exactly what we think it means. All.

When the prophet Jeremiah received a word from the Lord, he heard that word twice.

The prophecy wasn't filled with warm, fuzzy messages for God's people. Instead, it was filled with words Jeremiah knew the other prophets, priests, and officials were not going to enjoy hearing. Probably for that reason, God admonished Jeremiah to "Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the LORD'S house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word!" (Jer. 26:2, my italics).

God warned Jeremiah not to omit any of His words--he had to tell the "whole truth." Interestingly, God also emphasized that Jeremiah should speak to "all the cities" coming to worship the Lord--all of God's children deserved to hear of His pending judgment for their sin.

Scripture says that Jeremiah obeyed both "all" commands: "When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people..." (v. 8, my italics).

"Why" Jeremiah obeyed is not directly addressed in Scripture. But perhaps, he obeyed because God had already explained the reason for Jeremiah's message, that Israel might repent and God would not judge their actions: "Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds" (v. 3).

Perhaps, also, he remembered an earlier prophet, Micah, who had been "filled with power--With the Spirit of the LORD--And with justice and courage To make known to Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his sin" (Mic. 3:8). Like Jeremiah, Micah gave the same reason concerning why he had to speak God's word, even if it were distasteful to many: "But if they do not speak out concerning these things, Reproaches will not be turned back" (Mic. 2:6).

And perhaps Jeremiah also knew that history bore out the deferred judgment of a people when King Hezekiah both listened to the prophet Micah, "fear[ed] the LORD and entreat[ed] the favor of the LORD, and the LORD changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them" (Jer. 26:19).

Compare this to the Great Commission in the New Testament where Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20a, my italics).

Here, God the Son also uses the repetition of the word "all." Jesus' disciples are commanded to teach "all" of God's word. However, this time, they aren't just commanded to speak the message to merely "all" of God's children. With the coming of Jesus, "all the nations" is the new audience Christians are required to reach.

There is no way to turn back God's judgment on a man or woman unless the Word of the Lord is spoken--all the Word to all the nations. As Christians, you and I are just like modern-day Jeremiahs and Micahs, filled with the power and courage of the Holy Spirit. But unlike the prophets of old, we already have all God's word to study and proclaim in and out of season.

When given a platform to speak God's Word, to not proclaim it in its entirety because we don't want to hurt someone's feelings, because society is becoming more accepting of the sin, or because we don't want to incur the wrath of mankind, to not say anything is simply disobedience.

HOWEVER, that proclaiming must be done in brokenness over sin--not boastfulness over our knowledge of right and wrong.

Instead, our attitude must be like the prophet Micah who, when asked to tell Israel of its sin said, "Because of this, I must lament and wail...I must make a lament like the jackals And a mourning like the ostriches" (Mic. 1:8).

Try Being More Jealous

A man. An estranged woman. A slug loaded into a 22 rifle.

Ironically, he exhibits the virtue of patience as he lies in wait. Suddenly, eyes flicker as brain synapses fire in recognition. Finger on the trigger, he aims, blasting a hole straight through the metal door of her truck before hitting his target made of easily permeable flesh.

It sounds like something from the movies or a third-world country instead of civilized suburbia in America. Yet, this is real, occurring on the same road I drove down with my children mere hours before the shooting, the same road that crosses mine a few curves away from our seemingly safe home.

But what makes me take a step back is knowing that although we've never met, his blood is mingled with mine across the branches of our genealogy, his last name the same as my grandmother's.

The newspapers quote family members who can't believe it, who say this is nothing like the man they know. How many times have I heard similar stories. Yet, this time, it's closer to home.

If his blood carries this ability to let jealousy control him, does mine as well? The answer is yes. Although I may not want to consider it, this could easily be me or anyone else for that matter.

Jealousy is a powerful emotion. And as the typeface in my newspaper shows, this sinful emotion is just one step away from sinful action. Deservedly, it gets quite a bad rap.

Scripture, though, mentions a good kind of jealousy, one that I've somehow managed to pass over since my brain sees the word and automatically thinks "bad."

But in Paul's writings to the Corinthians, he tells them, "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy" (2 Cor. 11:2, my italics). Here, he presents jealousy as a good thing. At first glance, this seems contradictory to the "Thou shalt not covet" commandment, which pretty much forbids being jealous of what others have/are.

There is a key difference, however, in sinful jealousy and godly jealousy. Interestingly enough, the difference comes down to (1) motive of the jealous party and (2) a preposition. Yes, I said a preposition--remember those from grade school? Words like "of", "from", "to", and "around"?

To be jealous OF someone is sinful. This kind of jealousy often leads to more sin because its motives are self-serving and based mainly in pride.

To be jealous FOR someone, though, shows one's motives are focused on wanting the best for the other person, no matter if that person is a friend or an enemy. Jealousy, in this sense, shows concern and care for others, a real-life application of what Jesus referred to as the second most important commandment--"Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 19:19).

Paul lived out this kind of jealousy for those he witnessed to. He was jealous for them to know Christ, to love Christ, and to serve Christ with their entire being. As such, he went hungry and homeless, suffered numerous beatings, spent years in prison, and ultimately gave his life because of his sincere concern and care for the believer and non-believer alike.

Knowing Scripture as he surely did, Paul must have learned this type of jealousy from God, Himself, a God who repeatedly exhibited jealousy for His chosen people. In Zechariah, "the LORD Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion...Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,' declares the LORD Almighty....'My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem" (1:14, 16-17).

God is without sin; yet, here, He is rightfully jealous for the well-being of His people. This jealousy means that He grows angry when other nations (and individuals) mistreat His people and, much like a loving Father, that He does what is needed to ensure they are taken care of.

Later in the same prophecy, God repeats His jealousy for the people of Israel, again describing exactly what His jealousy for them means He will do:

"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.... 'I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain....Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there....I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God'" (Zech. 8:2-5, 7-8).

God is jealous for all His children--even those adopted into the family like me. He is so jealous for you and me that He sent His only son Jesus to die on the cross for your sin, for my sin.

In this "It's all about me" era, it seems we could all use to exercise a little more jealousy for the physical and spiritual well-being of our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and yes, even our enemies.

If You're Not Dead Yet

Several teenage girls sprayed their hair an all-too-mature shade of gray. One twisted hers up in a severe-looking bun and draped a brown, crocheted shawl around her falsely-hunched shoulders. Another wore thick, large glasses too big for her narrow face and stood, leaning heavily on a well-worn, wooden cane. Yet another held a set of dentures in her hands as all stood close together in a line, nervously giggling in dowdy, floor-length dresses.

As the crowd eagerly listened, each of these faux sages began to recite a few lines of a poem about aging that has remained in my head since I was in elementary school:

"Old age is golden, or so I’ve heard said, / But sometimes I wonder, as I crawl into bed, / With my ears in a drawer, my teeth in a cup, / My eyes on the table until I wake up. / As sleep dims my vision, I say to myself: / Is there anything else I should lay on the shelf?..."

The poem then ends with the lines, "I get up each morning and dust off my wits, / Open the paper, and read the Obits. / If I’m not there, I know I’m not dead, / So I eat a good breakfast and go back to bed!"

As expected, the poem garnered many a laugh, but it also harbored an accepted truth that's not so funny--the worthlessness of the aged.

I may only be thirty-three, but I'm already finding more gray hairs than my tweezers can pluck. It concerns me that one day, I may not be considered relevant just because I have more gray than brown hair.

But if I stand on God's word, I needn't worry about the last third of my life.

In fact, in Psalm 71, a man after God's own heart, King David, expresses concern that life in his old age isn't how he planned it to be. His enemies are still attacking; he isn't living in the luxury of a trouble-free existence; his physical strength is failing.

And so in his old age, he calls out to God, reminding God (and most likely himself, too) that God has been there "continually" throughout David's life. In verse six, David speaks of how God has "sustained [him] from birth." He then remembers that God was the "confidence from my youth" (v. 5)

In his heart, he knows that God has been with him from birth to youth to old age and will still be with him even now. To prove this, three times in this chapter, David uses the word "continually."

David first asks God to remain with him: "Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come" (v. 3). Then, he reminds God that he has faithfully followed Him and still does: "My praise is continually of You" (v. 6). And, finally, David proclaims that he "will hope continually" in God" (v. 14, all my italics).

Here, David's use of the future tense "will hope" shows that his head knows God is faithful and will continue to be faithful. Yet, even though David knows in his head that God is always faithful and never changing, that still doesn't mean his flesh doesn't rise up and give him cause to worry, especially when the circumstances around him don't look too good for an old man.

As such, David's human emotions seep through his simple request: "Do not cast me off in the time of old age;Do not forsake me when my strength fails" (v. 9).

He repeats this request again in verse eighteen, but this time explains why he's asking God to take care of him now: "And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come" (v. 18, my italics).

David knew he was relevant. Gray hair, arthritic knees, dim vision and all, he knew he still had something to give back to God--his testimony to "this generation"

A few verses earlier, David explained just what exactly he wanted to declare in that testimony: "My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your salvation all day long; For I do not know the sum of them" (v. 15).

David had to tell about God's blessings of salvation simply because they were limitless.

Matthew Henry's words are so powerful in explaining this Psalm: "The psalmist declares that the righteousness of Christ, and the great salvation obtained thereby, shall be the chosen subject of his discourse. Not on a sabbath only, but on every day of the week, of the year, of his life. Not merely at stated returns of solemn devotion, but on every occasion, all the day long. Why will he always dwell on this? Because he knew not the numbers thereof. It is impossible to measure the value or the fulness of these blessings. The righteousness is unspeakable, the salvation everlasting. God will not cast off his grey-headed servants when no longer capable of labouring as they have done. The Lord often strengthens his people in their souls, when nature is sinking into decay. And it is a debt which the old disciples of Christ owe to succeeding generations, to leave behind them a solemn testimony to the advantage of religion, and the truth of God's promises; and especially to the everlasting righteousness of the Redeemer."

Young or old. Blond, gray, or no hair. In the prime of your life or decaying. If you're not dead yet, you have a mission. I have a mission. A "continually" kind of mission.

Every day of every week of every month of every year--to testify of God's righteousness and salvation...because the blessings of His salvation are without limit.

Those blessings aren't just what God has saved you from in the past. They also include what he is saving you from in the future, paths of sin we will never even know we avoided if we abide in Him.

Gagging on God's Word

My pastor describes it as standing beneath a waterfall, the weight of the falling water pounding down over and around you as you stand on the rocks beneath, arm outstretched, trying to fill your cup. Simple physics says most of the never-ending stream of water will pass you by, failing to quench your thirst. Yet, drenched and weak from standing in the torrential downpour, you're thankful for what little bit remains in the cup for you to drink.

This is what it's like to read and seek to understand God's word.

These past two weeks, though, my interaction with the Word has looked a bit different. I stand beneath the waterfall, but with no cup. Instead, my mouth is wide open as I try to consume the big things of God. Much like my oldest son playing in the water sprinkler, each time I try to swallow, the water just won't go down my throat--it's too much for me to handle, and I gag in confusion.

Gagging on God's Word. It may not be an image we're comfortable with in relation to our interaction with the Word. Yet, if we're honest with ourselves (and if we don't pick and choose which Scriptures we read or dwell upon), there are plenty of passages in the Bible that make us pause, scratch our heads in confusion, and yes, gag, as we try to wrap our heads around a truth much too big for our finite minds to fathom.

Predestination. Faith and works. God's complete sovereignty and control over all sin while not being evil or sinful Himself. God giving saving faith and man accepting that faith even though Scripture says one can do nothing in herself to be saved. Being content in circumstances while praying earnestly about all things (like those circumstances).

It's topics like these that some Christians make sure to take the long way around, even if it means skipping entire books of the Bible. Others just merely accept without much thought the tension between the seeming opposites, calmly filing these topics away in the "unknowable" folder of their mind.

I understand that. God said through the prophet Isaiah, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Is. 55:9).

But does that mean we just don't try, that if after hours and hours of study, the Spirit still hasn't revealed the truth to us, we just give up? Do we simply avoid those mysteries that just might stay a mystery until God reveals Himself to us beyond the grave? Should we not strive to understand how seemingly opposite verses are held in perfect tension by our awesome God?

I'm uncomfortable with a "closed" file I tuck Scriptures away in just because they make me uneasy, cause me to question who God is, or make my head pound as my mind truly strives to understand the incomprehensible.

Also, Paul tells us God planned to reveal His mysterious wisdom to us even before the world was created: "No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began" (1 Cor. 2:7, my italics).

Before the Garden of Eden. Before the stars. Before time itself--God wanted me to know Him. He wanted me to understand the deep mysteries of Him, to gain His "wisdom."

The word wisdom, as used in the New Testament, has several definitions. One is "skills in the affairs of life, practical wisdom, wise management as shown in forming the best plans and selecting the best means, including the idea of sound judgment and good sense." The second definition is, "In a higher sense, wisdom, deep knowledge, natural and moral insight, learning, science, implying cultivation of mind and enlightened understanding."

Both definitions seem to fit together, the second implying both the attainment of knowledge and the first the ability to apply it. In short, "In respect to divine things, wisdom, knowledge, insight, deep understanding, represented everywhere as a divine gift, and including the idea of practical application."**

To that end--of obtaining and applying Godly knowledge--God gave us the Spirit, which "searches all things, even the deep things of God" (v. 10). Those "deep things" are not revealed to us all at once, though. Paul states, "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words" (v. 13)

Two times in the previous verse, Paul uses the word "taught." Here, the Spirit is the great teacher, instructing us, giving us understanding as we move forward in our Christian walk.

If I've learned anything as a teacher, it's that learning takes time. Even geniuses don't just learn everything there is to know overnight. In fact, the term "lifelong learner" has become fashionable over the past decade, promoting the concept that one never ceases to learn.

The same is true of God and His Word. His Spirit will teach us the deep truths of God, but not all at once and not even all while we are here on earth. Yes, while we may sometimes think of death as the end, it is really just the continuation of our Christian walk, merely face to face with our Creator instead of through a dark glass. Perhaps, even our learning will continue throughout eternity.

I don't know all the reasons why God doesn't immediately reveal Himself in His entirety to each Christian. Perhaps it's because we're not really ready for all the "solid food" of God that we think we're ready for.

Whatever the reason, that doesn't mean we just stop trying to understand the deep things of God through the Spirit. To do so would mean less knowledge of who God is, and that would mean less knowledge to apply in our attempt to live Godly lives.

For now, I'll keep standing beneath that waterfall, mouth wide open to whatever pours in. I may gag every now and then, but with the knowledge that if I step out of the downpour of His living water, I'll miss the clean, refreshing Words that He will choose to teach and reveal to me.
**(Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. 1301).