High and Lifted Up

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” ESV Isaiah 6:1

The reign of Uzziah was marked by an extended period of prosperity, economic development and military strength. Under his leadership, Judah built cities among the Philistines, built towers in the wilderness and hewed cisterns across the kingdom. Vineyards dressed the hill country and Uzziah himself had many cattle. He also commanded a great army of accomplished warriors in excess of 300,000 men (2 Chronicles 26:6-15). Life was good.

Even so, the people of this era were turning their backs on God and headed towards spiritual bankruptcy. In his latter years, even Uzziah had been blinded by pride and turned his back on God. Now he was dead. And it’s here that Isaiah gets his call to the ministry. The King is dead and the nation is headed into moral decline. Talk about timing.

What was Isaiah thinking? What was going through his mind? Was Isaiah distraught? The King was dead; perhaps he was grieving. Was he depressed as he looked around at moral the decline in his community? Was Isaiah anxious over who would lead the country or how the moral decline would be reversed? The text does not give us a definitive answer to any of these questions. But it does give us a picture of faith and hope in an eternal King.

Your imagination does not have to run very far in order to conjure up a bleak scenario in Isaiah’s world. But the same uncertainties and frailties of Isaiah’s time are with us still today. Truth is, we all wonder when (not if) another terrorist attack will occur on American soil. We all wonder when (not if) some bit of unsettling news will rattle our financial fortunes. We all, for different reasons, fear one political candidate over another. Our world is just as frail as Isaiah’s.

But Isaiah caught a vision of our eternal God. And guess what? Even in Isaiah’s bleak world, God was still sitting upon his throne. The king was dead, but THE King was alive! Not just alive and on the throne, but “high and lifted up” in an exalted position of authority; ruler of heaven and earth. And His majesty was such that even the train of His robe filled the temple that Isaiah saw. Yes, the King of all creation was reigning still (even in Isaiah’s uncertain world) and He still reigns today.

It’s easy to understand why depression, anxiety and worry creep into our lives. Our world is an uncertain place and we live in uncertain times. Each day we are reminded either by personal loss or by the news that life is short and that our times are uncertain. When will the next roadside bomb claim the life of a soldier? Which bridge will be the next to fall and claim innocent life? When will the medical diagnosis of a loved one be bleak? Not if, but when.

When the news hits home, will you hang your head in defeat or will you look up and catch a vision of the all powerful Lord, majestically sitting on His eternal throne? His reign is forever; His authority is forever; He will forever be “high and lifted up.”

Choose the Good Portion

But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." ESV Luke 10:41-42

Anyone who has known me for very long knows that I love to read. Keep the TV. Keep the radio. A good book rules the day. Few things bring me more pleasure than to steal away for a couple of hours, especially when it’s cold and damp outside, with a good read. I am a certified bibliophile; a lover and collector of books.

Now explain this mystery for me. God has given me an insatiable appetite for books. Why then, has he not given me an equal capacity to devour them? Many books in my library have only been scanned for lack of time. Though some were purchased only as reference material, a good many sit collecting dust even though I truly want to read them. So many books; so little time; so many distractions…

Distractions. That’s the real topic today. As I sat looking over my bookshelves this weekend, I made mental notes of some truly great works that are yet to be read. Works by Flavel, Baxter, Bavinck, Edwards & Warfield jumped out to me from the Puritan genre. My fiction shelf contains a new Tolkien volume recently compiled and released. Piper, Dever, Pink and Packer have modern religious titles lying in wait as well. All rich. All good. All enlightening. As I questioned why they lay unread, I came to a one word conclusion: Distractions. The urgent and pressing issues of the day distract me from the important and enjoyable task of reading those books.

In our text today, we find that Martha was having a similar problem. Jesus was in town. As a matter of fact, Jesus was a guest in her home and she was busy being a good host. I imagine that she made sure that Jesus was comfortable and then headed straight away to the kitchen so she could fix him a fine meal. Our text simply says that she was busy with much serving. And we would expect no less from a good host today. Being a good servant and being a good host seem to go hand in hand.

Unfortunately for Martha, her fixation on serving kept her from enjoying Jesus. She was so caught up in ‘doing’ that she didn’t get around to ‘enjoying’ Jesus. Martha was distracted. The urgent issue of serving distracted Martha from the important issue of knowing and enjoying Jesus.

The text is plain enough, so let me just say that Mary didn’t share Martha’s problem. Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus; enjoying Him. Now, the notion of enjoying Jesus will no doubt strike some folks as strange, but I am convinced that it is a noble, legitimate idea that is well supported by scripture. I’ll save those thoughts for another day.

But for today, let’s simply ask ourselves this question: Are we letting urgent things keep us from important things? Nothing is more important than knowing and enjoying Christ. Don’t be distracted. Choose the good portion.

Faith Brings Rest

“He [Abraham] did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” ESV Romans 4:19-21

Have you ever felt totally and completely overwhelmed by your circumstances? Have you ever wondered if even God could make things work out? Have you ever had your faith tested or shaken? All these questions are related to our text today.

God promised Abraham a family. More precisely, God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. This promise came as Abraham and Sarah were entering their golden age (childless) with presumably tired bodies and well beyond child bearing age. But even folks only loosely familiar with the story know that Abraham did indeed father children and that he was a man of faith.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a great definition of faith: “…the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb11:1) Our text today beautifully illustrates faith in the life of a believer. Let’s look briefly at three ways that Abraham lived out his faith.

First, note how Abraham reacted when he observed his current circumstances. He was about a hundred years old, and even in their younger days, Sarah had not conceived a child. Neither of these observations regarding his present circumstances would have been encouraging to Abraham. On the contrary, in human terms the desired outcome (children) would have seemed overwhelmingly hopeless. Yet we are told that neither of these current realities weakened his faith. His faith in God was unwavering even in the face of a seemingly insurmountable current reality.

Secondly, note that Abraham had steadfast trust in God. Rather than ‘throw in the towel,’ Abraham’s faith and trust in God grew stronger as he gave glory to God. Please don’t miss this: Abraham gave glory to God before God delivered on his promise. My friend that is how you live in faith!

Finally, notice that Abraham was content to leave the miraculous details to God. After careful observation of his current circumstances, Abraham knew that it was humanly impossible for he and Sarah to have children. But Abraham also knew that with God, all things are possible. Convinced that he was worshiping the one true and all powerful God, Abraham was fully convinced that God would follow through on His promise. It is difficult for me to find the proper words, but it seems that because of his faith, Abraham was able to rest in God.

In the face of overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable evidence to the contrary, Abraham’s faith was unwavering, his trust in God was steadfast and he was fully convinced that God would deliver on His promise. And Abraham glorified God even in his present circumstances.

God still delivers on His promises. He is still all powerful and all knowing. May God grant you faith like Abraham so that you too may find rest in Him.

He Slumbers Not

“He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” ESV Psalm 121:3

I’m lucky to have known all my grandparents and have many fond memories of all four of them. Each of them was unique and my memories of each are fond for different reasons. While I spent at least some time with all of them, the boy in me caused me to spend more time down on the farm with my grandmother Askew. Boys can find adventure lurking behind every tree on the farm. I sure did and I loved to visit there, especially in the summer when I could stay for a week at a time.

Mai Maw would always be up long before daybreak clanging pans in the kitchen getting breakfast ready for my grandfather and me. Breakfast was always the same: fried eggs, bacon, biscuits baked in a skillet and Karo syrup with butter. Ahh…the pleasures of childhood. My doctor tells me none of those items are on the list of things I want to eat today.

She was quiet a worker too. It’s probably just my imagination, but I swear I think she washed clothes every day. Some of you will smile (and tell your age) when you recall the washer she used. It sat on the back porch, got its hot water from a pot heated on the stove, and had a built-in ringer mounted on top. For the unenlightened, the ringer consisted of two wooden cylinders mounted close together through which you fed your clothes (and not fingers) in order to remove water from them; an early spin cycle of sorts.

Mai Maw never failed to have plenty of pecan twirls, moon pies and RC Colas on hand for my snacking pleasure. And I can never remember her turning down a request for what she called a “sizzle burger” if my hunger pangs were real. All the while, her chores continued throughout the day and supper was always a sit down deal.

As soon as the kitchen was clean and ready for another day, we all retired to the living room to watch one of the three channels that came in clear on the TV. Pai Paw had his favorite chair, I’d take the sofa and Mai Maw would claim the rocking chair. I still remember the sound it made.

Somebody told me once that a tired body rests better. Keeping up a normal routine and serving me all day must have been pretty tiring because as soon as she got still in that rocking chair she was out like a light. I used to chuckle at her; now I do the same thing. For you, me and Mai Maw, rest is a welcome reward to a hard days work.

Our heavenly Father is quiet a worker too; speaking all of Creation into existence, and upholding the universe with by the power of his word and all. Yet he never tires and knows even when a sparrow falls or a hair moves on your head.

The Psalmist reminds us that we have a heavenly Father who keeps us yet never grows weary. When our struggles seem insurmountable, he is aware. When we are burdened, he is there for us. Nothing escapes his sight. Nothing is outside his power. God is never asleep at the wheel. Seek your rest from he who slumbers not.

Taste and See

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” ESV Psalm 34:8

My bicycling friend tells me I looked like a dead carp. You know what I mean. When a carp dies, the currents inevitably send it nose first into the shoreline where its lifeless, bloated body floats in the sunny shallows; only moving with the gentle motion of the water. That was me. Nose first into the shoreline, clothes and all, only moving with the gentle flow of Cypress Creek. And enjoying every minute of it; it was good.

A couple of years back a friend and I coaxed our wives into driving us to Nashville and dropping us off at the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Now that I think about it, the trip was fraught with danger. The girls were all alone as they navigated their way home past the dangerous halls of the Temple of Temptation (also known as the Cool Springs Galleria). Meanwhile, it was up to my friend and me to muster the strength and stamina to pedal the same distance home via the Trace on our bikes. But given the choice, I’ll pedal the Trace any day to avoid the dangers lurking in the mall.

The first day was as hilly as anything I’ve ever ridden. There is literally not a flat spot of pavement to be found on the first 50 miles of the Trace traveling south from Nashville. Furthermore, I’ll put the first 16 miles up against any “hill” route around here you can come up with. Have I mentioned that our trip took place in late-August? Do the words hot and humid come to mind? The first day was a 3-H day; hot, humid, and hilly. I am told that I slept for 12 hours straight that evening; I have no recollection of it at all.

The next morning we were back on our bikes fairly early. The hills subsided, but the hot August sun continued to bear down on us with all its might. To make the heat worse still, the pavement changed from a light grey chip seal to a fresh, dark black top. Now, the black top was infinitely smoother, but it was also at least 15 degrees hotter. Couple that with the fact that my peak riding form left me many years ago and you get the picture. This fat boy was suffering.

And suddenly there it was. Within sight of the Alabama state line was an Oasis. Cool, shallow water carved its way out of the wooded shade and flowed underneath the Trace. If the creek could speak, I am convinced that it would have shouted: Break time! I didn’t have to imagine it calling my name twice. I only shucked my shoes before plunging headlong into the creek. And it was everything I could have asked for; cool; refreshing; rejuvenating. It didn’t matter that I looked like a dead carp because I was enjoying every minute of it. The water was my refuge from the heat.

I see people every day, perhaps even you, who appear to be spiritually exhausted; weighed down by the worries, troubles and temptations of the day. They are exhausted, just as if they’d been riding a bike in the hot August sun all day. All the while God has provided an Oasis in Christ Jesus; cool; refreshing; rejuvenating; a refuge from the heat of the day. Don’t wait for the second call. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

Have a great week.