Confirmation of the Spirit's Leading

We've all heard the term, "when the 'planets/stars are in alignment', the time will be right," and, whilst it's a secular view, there is a time for everything; when everything seems right:

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven... " ~Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NRSV)

One such time in my life, when God seemed to be saying, "Now is the right time to do this thing," there was a definite discernible feel that God had prepared the way. Suddenly there were no barriers, where previously there were plenty of barriers. People who could have gotten in the way, gracefully allowed the passage of God's will to unfold. This was the season of courting my wife. We both sensed God's leading - the confirmation of the Spirit's sponsorship in preparing the way.

It is a wonderful reality being in the lap of God's will. The mindful Christian will never want to be anywhere else.

KNOWING AND ACCEPTING THE TIMING OF THINGS

We are probably more adept at getting the timing wrong in our lives than being swept off our feet at the answer of our prayers. Prayer is seen to be answered in our favour less than we would like. This is obviously because our flesh is in the way.

But when we are consciously seeking to be in the lap of God's will most of the things we want will become secondary. This has to be done by intention; to surrender those things that get in the way of discerning the Spirit's actual leading. Sometimes we hear many 'voices'; it's good to be clear regarding the Spirit's leading. The Spirit's leading is confirmed not in just one or two ways, but in many ways; too many ways to ignore.

Knowing and accepting the timing of things is part of the mystery of maturity.

When we come to a place of knowing and accepting the timing of things we experience more joy, because most, if not all, our prayers are being answered. Indeed, our hopes, dreams, and plans tend more to conform to the pattern of God's needs for our lives.

So, two things merge. First, there is the fitting of our expectations to our circumstances and, second, later on, there is the fitting of our circumstances to our expectations. When we can adjust to our circumstances, and live happily that way, we are ready for the new thing. But that doesn't mean God will necessarily bless us there and then.

It is truly wonderful, and this is where God is real to us, when there is a persuasive confirmation - an incredible number of 'coincidences', alignments, and complementary strategies - of the Spirit's undertaking as he works in and through us for his Kingdom.

***

One thing we ought to pray for, continually, is confirmation of the Spirit's leading. This requires discernment. It's the quality of seeking the knowledge of God's will for our lives, right now. There is no better reality than being in the lap of God's will.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Trumping Tests, Trials and Temptations

"For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried." ~Psalm 66:10 (NRSV)

Tests, trials, and temptations are the opportunities we need that prove our mettle. We cannot find evidence for transformation unless we've experienced it. We need opportunities to trump our tests, trials, and temptations. And even if we fail our tests, are overwhelmed by our trials, or are weakened into submitting to our temptations, we have hope in the next opportunity, and the next, and so on. God is faithful; he will give us more opportunities in order to grow.

Such are tests, trials, and temptations: the stimulus for triumph. But this is not triumphalism for its own accord. No, God is turning what would be disaster into possible victory because of the example of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

So we come from a situation of loathing our tests, trials, and temptations and we move - or better, are transformed - into an attitudinal situation where we see these three as initiatory spurs; compelling, propelling, and impelling us toward the very purposes of life: to overcome.

A POEM - PURPOSE IN TESTS, TRIALS, AND TEMPTATIONS

Challenges and tests are the defining of me, They purpose and prophesy who I'm to be, When I see them this way I'm beautifully blessed, Because they are God's ammunition bringing out my best.

I can tell this is true when I've finished the task, When I can again take off my mask, Because there are times when I must ascend, When I am called to faithfully contend.

And God's reward is insistently true, That I in my obedience will pull through, For the taste of blessing is never better than this, Where I am again afforded consummate bliss.

***

The poem attests to the fact that challenges and tests tend to define us - how we receive them and work through them. They are God's crucible in which our characters are refined, as we are tried like silver. We are blessed to see life like this in the midst of challenges and tests. By being tried and found true our best is brought out so we can see it. God needs no convincing; he knows we can trump our tests, trials, and temptations, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As we finish the task - which is getting through the challenging time - we can afford to take off the mask of patient-with-ourselves-and-grateful-to-God stoicism that saw us through. By this stoicism of good faith we ascend the rawness of our problems in the realisation of hope. We are called to faithfully contend in patience and gratitude.

God's reward is ever true. As we continue to obey we are steadily drawn toward pulling through. There is hardly a more blissful moment than having trumped the test, trial, or temptation.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Sickness Is Punishment From God?

These last few days have been hell... or so my frail body led me to believe. I don't remember a time when I was more sick, had a higher fever, or committed my soul over to the Lord more times. More than two days were spent in bed, curled up in the fetal position, shivering, fading in and out of consciousness, yet never crossing the brink into blissful ignorance. I did not sleep a wink; for two whole nights the seconds would drag on, after seemingly tossing and turning for hours I would look at the clock to see that only one minute had passed. It was an eternity of agony. In that time I even forgot how to swallow, due to the excruciating pain of my superfluously swollen glands. a few bottles of prescription/OTC medication later, I am still alive. Thank God.

I am sick way too often. (Though never like this.)

Some people like to point that out to me. They say I clearly am a worse sinner than the average Joe (or apparently child too, since they are sick the most.) The theory is that I must have some crazy secret sins tucked away in the closet. I must be offending God more than the healthy people and He is punishing me out of wrath.

So is He?

Does God punish people for sin with sickness?

A lot of people would say "yes He does," and quickly bring up anecdotal evidence of some "sinner" that "got what he deserved." This is, of course, never examined against the millions of little Hitlers in full health while countless numbers of children die from sickness.

Lord have mercy on us for our silly beliefs.

Sickness is a result of sin, that is true. All disease, pain, afflictions, sorrows, and such entered the world due to sin. Everything bad around us is the result of sin. Your sin, my sin, our sin, their sin, Adams sin. Yet that does not translate into punishment, especially when Gods children are concerned. Pain and sickness is the opposite of punishment!

On a global level, it is the merciful plea of a righteous God, it is the wake up call to a world dying in sin. A call that says: repent, believe, and be saved!

On a personal level, it is the refinement of an individual. Its is Gods loving hand working in His child for the good of His child.

Some suffer more, some less. I cannot explain why, only God can know. I dare not presume that means there is more refinement needed in that person, because only One can know that. He permits it for His plans, to test some like Job, to draw others unto Himself; maybe sometimes to teach us or lovingly chastise us. We are His sheep and He our Shepherd.

I am not saying that I am better or worse, that I am an undeserving Job, or that I have sin in my life. Truth be told its probably a little of everything.

I don't understand exactly why God inflicted this upon me and maybe I never will. I'm not really sure what I need to do or learn, expect to have patience and trust. I repent and commit myself into His hand.

I know one day, when we shall see and know as we ought, I will fall at His pierced feet and thank Him for these last few days.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Isaiah 33 - Deliverance Will Come!

"Your eyes will see the king in his beauty; they will behold a land that stretches far away." ~Isaiah 33:17 (NRSV)

Such is the promise for the people of God from the LORD their God - they will see their king in all his radiant beauty. They will see their king - we call him Jesus - because they are obedient in turning to God in harsh times.

THE DISCONSOLATION OF THE OPPRESSED

This prophecy in Isaiah foretold of a time unspeakable, where the land of the people of God would be swept away by violence. The land was part of the identity of the people of God, and they had lost it. In our time and society we must think of how it would feel to have our country, or our world, invaded and oppressed by a malevolent foreign ruler.

This prophesy speaks of a time where a heinous and devouring destroyer would come against them. But as with all the stories, when the people of God turn to God their deliverance comes nearer... indeed, the Prophet foretells of the time when the destroyer will be destroyed:

"... when you have stopped dealing treacherously, you will be dealt with treacherously." ~Isaiah 33:1e, f (NRSV)

Such is our hope - that whatever oppression we deal with, as we obey God, praying for our deliverance, we will be delivered at the right time, because the destroyer is destroyed.

There is a promise in Isaiah 33 that the people of God, having turned back to God, would see the LORD'S judgment; that the defiance of the evil ruler will come to naught. They will become a fire that consumes themselves (verse 11).

In verse 15, God Almighty speaks of the sort of person who will be raised: they will walk righteously and speak uprightly; they will despise the gain of oppression; they will waive bribes instead of accepting them; their ears and eyes will turn away from bloodshed and evil.

TURNING HOME FOR HOPE

"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our ruler, the LORD is our king; he will save us." ~Isaiah 33:25 (NRSV)

This is our hope today. That we would call upon the LORD in his faithfulness to deliver us from whatever devours just now. That devouring situational monster that has caused us suffering - no matter how long we have been oppressed - is to be vanquished, for the LORD will save us.

Turning home for hope in the obedience that God calls us to is about recognising that in our weakness is our strength. Our rigging may hang loose (verse 23), but, in being forgiven our iniquities, God will save us from the tyranny that has been, or is, set against us.

***

The beauty in God's judgment is that it prevails for the obedient oppressed. By our oppression our weakness is our strength. Wait and see; see what the LORD is doing, yes even now. The LORD is coming with a mighty vengeance.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

This House We Live In!

When a person or a family buy a house, it's always a reason for joy, there is a sense of pride in ownership, knowing that It belongs to you, and that, even if you owe most of it to the bank, it is registered in your name, you are paying into your own, you're investing on your dwelling for now and for the future.

When a child is conceived in the womb of a woman, there is a spiritual act which takes place together with conception; God creates a soul to inhabit the house which begins to take shape in the womb.

Now, conception is the creation of a life, a soul which God conceives. What a man and woman do in the natural sets in motion the creation of a new body which will serve as a dwelling for that soul.

And it does not matter what color or shape or size or sex that body is, and it does not matter whether it is short or tall or perfect or faulty, missing a limb or an eye or its nose, the soul God's created is always complete, it's always whole, it's always perfect. And that soul comes equipped with a set of skills and endowed with a preset purpose designed by God.

Now, our fallen nature has caused our surroundings, and society at large to see us for what we are in the natural, in the exterior, and we have attributed to the body all of the value of a life; in other words, we have transferred to the house the values of the individual. This is equivalent to us saying I am my house and my house is me! This has caused us to become enslaved by our bodies and its natural cravings. Like a man owning a broken house, we spend our days seeking to please the desires of our bodies, trying to fix the cracks and the holes and the dripping pipes.

The thing is, in the natural, we can own a house made of bricks and mortar, and dwell in it for as long as we can afford it, and even pass it on to our children, but In the spiritual we are always renters, our body, the house in which we live is not our own, is just a temporary dwelling were we are allowed to stay for a season, and in order to exercise the skills we've been given, and to fulfill the set purpose God has assigned to us, and whether we exercise our skills, and whether fulfill our purpose or not, at the end of our journey we are going to be evicted.

Something we do need to think about is the fact that we do have a choice of dwelling when we vacate our present house, and we can either be upgraded or downgraded, that is entirely up to us.

When king David was affirmed in his kingdom and finally build a cedar house, a palace for himself, he saw the need to build a house for the Lord, and set his heart to it, (2 Samuel 7) yet the Lord told him he was not the one to build a house for him. And He added; "The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you". In his natural thinking David understood that his kingdom would be transferred to his children and that his son would build a house for the Lord, yet God was revealing that He would create a flesh in which to dwell in our Lord Jesus Christ, a natural descendant of David, yet a spiritual offspring of God.

"He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." (v 13)

And Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. And furthermore, he says: Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:6-10).

A House made of wood or brick and mortar may last hundreds of years, yet nothing which lives in the natural lasts forever, in the same way our body, the house we live in, is also temporary, and it will last up to 70, 80, maybe 100 years if we do not destroy it before. There is an eternal dwelling which God has prepared for you, a home in which you are meant to live forever.

Jesus tells us: In My Father's house there are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3 NKJV).

Take this words to heart, and realize that our body is a slowly decaying house, and that no matter how many repairs you do, it will soon collapse and we will move on to a new house, and I must announce to you that only Jesus can lead you to your eternal dwelling of peace and blitz and joy everlasting, any other option leads to darkness and doom!.

As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him and His righteousness to children's children, (Psalm 103:15-17)

Rev. Jose A. Luna

A Friend Servant of Christ Jesus

Still Too Bad For God?

In a similar-titled article I recently introduced this question, but now I must take it further. There are some pressing issues you may have, and perhaps not everyone who read my first article will be satisfied that their deep concerns were adequately covered. So here are some further issues which I hope will help you.

1. WORSE THAN WHAT?

Yes, I understand that many people may say, 'Hey, thanks for being concerned, but you haven't got a clue about some of the things I've done!' Well, yes, I have to agree and an article like this has limitations. Also, I am only dealing in general terms and you may have given yourself to corruption and plunged into it to excess and got others to do the same and now you think you have passed the point of no return. And then, your conscience may have become so dulled you now have little sense of moral right and wrong. Maybe though you still resent lies being told you or your legally held property stolen! When people object to such things, 'they show that the work of the law [of God] is written on their hearts' (Romans 2:15). This doesn't excuse you, but it may explain why you still disapprove, even your own behaviour.

We must also emphasise what we mean by 'sin' - God's word reveals that 'sin is lawlessness' (1 John 3:4). That is anything that breaks or is contrary to God's perfect standard, as summarised in the Ten Commandments. By nature we are all transgressors, 'all have sinned' (Romans 3:23) - we have all broken the law of God and cannot repair that breach by our own efforts.

2. MERCY FOR ME

King David is a well-known biblical example of someone who let lust take over his mind and let it run full course. He committed adultery and followed this by arranging the murder of the woman's husband who was away on active military service when his wife became pregnant. This was serious moral failure, for which after a while David was rebuked by Nathan the prophet. David was conscience stricken and sought God's mercy, and God graciously forgave him. See how David expressed his plea: 'Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! (Psalm 51:1-2). Did you or I ever pray like that - maybe it's time to do so today? You feel your sins are great? Then seek the living God who is great in mercy!

If anyone has committed a criminal act - whatever the colour of your collar, you ought to confess this both to God and to the appropriate civil authorities. And if you owe restitution or compensation to offended parties, to individuals or to an employer, or, say an apartment store - then settle the matter, and offer serious apologies, whether they are going to be accepted or not.

And be sure you don't think this is a first step to earning God's forgiveness, which is never earned but always undeserved. God is never in debt to anyone - we ought to make restitution for wrongdoing as part of our repentance, but never as moral leverage, upon which God might be more inclined to forgive us.

3. HOPE FOR THE FALLEN

Some Christians have fallen away from their earlier professed faith and have got into serious trouble. Now, after reflection, they know they would like to come back to faith, but feel so hard-hearted, so insensitive to the things that once concerned them, they are discouraged and feel hopeless. Many sins have a cultural notoriety, but it is not necessarily public disapproval that makes them any worse to God. Draw a line between the sinful behaviour and the sin-darkened heart as the polluted source that led to that behaviour. We are in urgent need of having our sensitivity to sin's seriousness brought home to us.

I mention this because there are large numbers of very pleasant and cultured religious people who will be cast into outer darkness for all eternity, in spite of all their church attendance and support for religious institutions, if they never repent of their sin of unbelief in Christ and earnestly seek God's mercy and grace as a wholly undeserved gift! They have never sought to be reconciled to God and justified by his grace on the basis of Christ's finished work upon the cross! Never - instead, they thought that climbing up the ladder of good works was the way to heaven - how appalling to have thought that they were good enough to bypass the sin-bearing sacrifice of the Son of God - Oh no, they weren't sinners like the rest of humanity! But there is mercy and grace even for the worst, blind religious pride, for God's forgiveness is not according to the limits we set for it, but 'according to the riches of his grace' (Ephesians 1:7).

So, knock on that door and ask to receive his overflowing and undeserved favour, and don't give up, and you may find there is plenty, way more than you ever dreamed, even enough for you! And then live a transformed life by faith in Christ, your Lord and Saviour.

4. NO GRADES - ALL HAVE SINNED

There are no two grades of 'sinners' - the notorious and the cultured - not at all, even though some may be more conspicuous than others, because it is God himself who knows the heart - 'for you, you only know the hearts of all' (1 Kings 8:39).

The point of this is to explain that some actions are more serious from society's point of view. If you engage in drunken driving and kill someone, you are both a sinner and guilty of a criminal act, and you will have to face the consequences. God will forgive you through Christ's death and shed blood, if you repent and turn to him in penitence and simple trust, but you will pay society's price in the way society specifies - that is pretty obvious.

5. RELIGIOUS SIN NO EXCEPTION

Whereas, if you have been a religious person for many years, perhaps a clergyman, pastor or office holder, but have never actively trusted in Jesus Christ to blot out the ugly sin of proud self-righteousness, you must do so without any more shilly-shallying. I say that because the sin of religious pride that sets up a pass mark for heaven and then awards that pass mark is a terrible rejection of the sacrifice of Christ. In effect, it says, 'I'll get there under my own steam thanks; I'm quite good you know - Jesus didn't need to bother about dying for my sins!' That sort of widespread religiosity is Christ-rejecting religiosity. Turn from it quickly before you get so impressed and blinded by your own wonderful good deeds that you see no need of turning to Christ, as someone who has never loved God, not even for a moment, but have rather loved your own fine reputation!

Still too bad for God? Don't write yourself off any longer! Ask the Holy Spirit of God to convict you and show you the awful seriousness of sin and the astonishing wonder of Jesus' love that he would die for sinners - even the worst, taking the penalty of their sin upon himself! None are too bad for a lowly, gracious Saviour who understands the depths of human depravity and 'is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them' (Hebrews 7:25).

The Last Word!

You know, Peter was quite sure about Who Jesus was. Even though he denied Him three times in one night, he knew beyond a shadow of any doubt exactly Who Jesus was. As a matter of fact, Jesus knew that he knew exactly Who He was, testifying and grounding Peter in the fact that it was God the Father Who had revealed Jesus' true identity to him through personal revelation knowledge (Matthew 16:16-17).

Peter knew Who Jesus was. After all, he was there at Jesus' transfiguration on that mountain - seeing with his own physical eyes the Lord's glory revealed, and hearing with his own hot little ears the Almighty God's voice announcing His personal approval of Jesus, when He declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; [take heed and listen to] Him" (Matthew 17:5). Other than Jesus Himself - along with the possible exception of Mary His Mother (Luke 1:28-35) - no one else on earth could have been more sure about Jesus' identity and nature than His disciple Peter. Perhaps that's why Matthew 10:2 calls Peter the 'first' - that is, the 'chief' - apostle (because in mere 'order of selection' Andrew, Peter's brother, actually came to follow Jesus before Peter did [John 1:35-41]). But, I digress...

Here's an issue we're probably all familiar with: You're trying your best to believe the Lord for something, or you desperately need His wisdom in a matter. You're struggling mightily, feeling around for the right direction to go, but you're just not sure which of the thoughts you're having is the 'right' one - or if any of them are, for that matter. In short, you don't have a clue what to do, and God doesn't seem like He's in that much of a hurry to give you any concrete answers. Finally, in some combination of confusion, dismay, exhaustion and, yes, even irritation, you cry out, "Lord, please; if You could just give me some kind of sign here! Can't you see that I'm struggling, and that I'm looking to You for help??"

I assure you, He sees it. But, largely unbeknownst to us, the fact of the matter is that even if the Lord relented and gave us a big red flashing sign with an arrow pointing in the appropriate direction, that's still no guarantee we'd actually believe it enough to act on it. We could find our brains 'rationalizing' us right out of what our natural senses had experienced. (Of course, this would actually be Satan whispering to us to disregard God's leading, trying his best to either 'talk us out of' or 'into' something.)

The Apostle Peter came to realize this truth, and we as apostles (yes, we're all apostles also - we've all been 'sent' into the world as Christ's ambassadors for the Kingdom of God [2 Corinthians 5:20; Mark 16:15]) must become aware of it, as well. Peter taught that, even though he saw and heard of the Messiah's glory with his very own eyes and ears, even though he himself was there and had firsthand knowledge of Jesus' majesty; when push came to shove, he didn't rely on any 'sights' or 'sounds' he'd received through his physical senses. He relied on something even more stable and trustworthy: the 'written down' Word of God! (2 Peter 1:16-19)

Now, I'm not saying that God will never, ever give us any types of signs. I'm not saying that at all, because He certainly will - when He deems it appropriate. After all, He's in the miracle-working business - always has been, always will be; because He doesn't change (Malachi 3:6). And, signs can be big, hugely conspicuous events that nobody can miss; or they can be very small, quiet, inconspicuous "coincidences" that nobody sees - except you (because you're the one it's for... and because of the fact that there's no such thing as a 'coincidence'). But, signs are generally not for believing Christians; they're largely meant to show unbelievers that there really is a God behind the scenes doing work (1 Corinthians 14:22). Believing Christians are supposed to (indeed, we're commanded to) live not by our eyes, ears or by signs, but by our faith in God's Word (Isaiah 11:3; 2 Corinthians 10:7; Romans 1:17; John 1:1).

The point here is that forty-eight hours after you received a 'sign,' you could be questioning all over the place just what it was your eyes saw, and why they saw it. But, forty-eight hours after, God's written Word is going to say the same thing it said forty-eight hours before - or forty-eight years before, or forty-eight centuries (Hebrews 13:8). That's what Peter meant when he called the Holy Scriptures a "more sure [stable, firm, steadfast, trustworthy] word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19), and we're much better off to put our ultimate faith and trust in them than in anything else. All of God's Word is profitable for teaching, convicting, correcting and directing us (2 Timothy 3:16). His Word should be the first place we look to, and it should be "The Last Word" for every question and decision we need to make in our lives (Revelation 1:11, 22:13).

The Psalm of Habakkuk

Psalms litter the Bible beyond the book of Psalms, and they even appear outside of the Bible - for instance, in the Mesopotamian literature. These poetic utterances, usually accompanying high emotion, teach us much about the worship of God. Habakkuk 3 - the Prophet's Prayer - or, as others have called it, the Psalm of Habakkuk - is the type of Psalm that could be set to dramatic music:

"O LORD, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O LORD, of your work. In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known; in wrath may you remember mercy." ~Habakkuk 3:2 (NRSV)

The psalmist, Habakkuk, begins the Psalm in reverent fear for his LORD. He knows something of the infinite power of Yahweh. Habakkuk is desperate to see God's power for righteousness prevail in his time.

THE CONTEXT OF THE PSALM

Reading Habakkuk we notice a flow. The first two chapters are about Habakkuk's lamenting enquiries, which are followed by the LORD'S answers. There is a real mode of prayer and intimacy with God as the Minor Prophet raises his concerns and casts them upon God.

Habakkuk commits to wait patiently upon Word from the LORD (2:1-2).

It is clear throughout the first two chapters - where Habakkuk seeks God twice and then God answers twice - that an understanding of faithfulness is communicated to the Minor Prophet from the LORD.

Chapter 3 comes about because Habakkuk notes the faithfulness of God and he is inspired to trust the Divine nature.

A PSALM OF GOD'S ANGER

God was coming to judge the people of Judah and Habakkuk accepted that, hoping that through such discipline, mercy, too, would be known.

There is a true essence of fear in verse 2, profiled above. God's judging nature has been known through the timeline of creation. Just like when we quiver at a lightning crack overhead, or we shudder in amazement at the sweeping tide of a tsunami - the Earth sees and trembles (Psalm 97) - God can bring us to quaking fear in an instant.

But such is the Minor Prophet's faith that he concludes the Psalm as psalmists generally do; there is a fresh commitment made to trust God - to rejoice in his Saviour.

***

No matter what we fear our best response is to trust God. Perhaps fear, of all the emotions, brings us closer to God - because we must rely on our LORD in order to survive. As Habakkuk found, the Fear of the LORD brings us to a faith-response of reliance in trust.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

The Social Justice In Action

There are myriad concerns in our world today, So many we find our thoughts run astray, But to what does God call every woman and man? It's simple, really; we act where we can.

Plenteous are feelings that rip our hearts apart, Of injustice and greed of those without heart, How are we to reconcile the issues of grace? It's simple, really; we seek God's face.

Wondering aloud within the privacy of our minds, In this, God will help us sort out our binds, Again, to what does God call every woman and man? It's simple, really; we do what we can.

***

The issues of social justice are poignant and pressing on a Christian's mind. Mindful Christians cannot help reading their Bibles with hearts split asunder for the injustices that played out in biblical times, because of thought for the same injustices that play out today.

This can leave us with a very heavy burden, especially if we are confused about what God is calling us to. There are at least two courses for social justice, which, for the purposes of this article, is a verb and not a noun: social justice is not a name, it's about action.

THE ACTION IN SOCIAL JUSTICE IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY

There are things in life, in our day-to-day, that ought to inspire the social justice of action. When we see someone treated rudely, we don't fight with the offender, but we 'meet' the offended, offering our support, encouragement, and love.

When we notice that things aren't going well for someone, because they appear a little more distant, depressed or worried, we have the opportunity to give them not only our time, but our very selves. A true heart is beyond pretentious listening; it hears the groans and shrieks of the soul in distress. Such understanding transcends words.

There are so many day-to-day situations that we are called to act in - little situations and large, and all between - just because we are there.

THE SPECIFIC CALL OF SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR OUR LIVES

Not everyone has a particular call to go and serve in some foreign land to fight for the rampant injustices of a foreign culture in the name of Christ. Some do, but many don't.

But there is still a specific call of social justice - where God calls us to action - for every human being. My particular call is the protection of the outlier; I hate it when people are excluded because of bigotry, prejudice, bullying, etc. The characterisation of my action is quiet but immediate. I believe in inclusiveness wherever possible.

We all know what social justice issues tug at our hearts. These occur without even a thought. They are more about instinct for right and wrong. So it is not difficult to know what God is calling us to do. We ought to do what we can do.

***

Social justice is truly a verb, not a noun: it's something we do. At's action-oriented. Where God's Spirit leads us to make a difference we are blessed to obey. We are blessed, also, when we don't let the devil make us feel guilty for the things we can't or don't do.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Logistics and Progress in Poland

Logistics in Poland is very well thought out. On a recent road trip from Lwowek Slaski (a small town close to Germany on Poland's western border) to Warsaw, Poland, I passed through the center of Poland and saw a landscape filled with warehouses - distribution centers for many retail stores.

Central Poland is home to millions of meters of warehouse space. Major cities in Poland will soon add even more warehouses as their economy continues to improve.

According to an August 2012 issue of The Warsaw Voice, by 2020 Poland will become the main logistics center in Europe. Colliers International, a real estate services company who conducted the research, expects distribution centers to grow the fastest in Gdansk/Gdynia, Lodz, Katowice and Wroclaw. Twice as much warehouse space was constructed in the first half of 2012 as the year before with the largest amount of new space built in the vicinity of Warsaw. The midwestern city of Poznan, central Poland and Upper Silesia also gained a significant amount of warehouse space.

I have been to most of the cities mentioned in the article I read. I love Poland and the Polish people. Some of my best friends live there.

It wasn't too long ago that shelves were empty and goods were difficult to obtain in this country. I am thrilled to see progress come to Poland. To me, these warehouses do not mar the beautiful countryside as they are strategically placed simply to make it easier to deliver goods throughout the country.

As a Christian, I know where everything I need is located. Every material, physical or spiritual need that I have comes from one source.

Every good and perfect gift is from above...(James 1:17). Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'... for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:31-33).

The Open Courage of Vulnerability

"To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength." ~Criss Jami

How might we know that we trust God in the midst of our relationships? One way we can know is by our courage to share our vulnerabilities with trusted others. When we are prepared to share our weakness, in making ourselves vulnerable, we show our strength; the strength of honest courage to cast upon our relationships the real 'us'. When we offer our world the real 'us', we invite our world to reveal itself in the same vulnerability. Not all our offers are taken up, but invitations to courage are invitations to the abundant life.

Vulnerability is one of the biblical paradoxes. By sharing our weakness we show our strength. Strength is derived from trust. And God does not disappoint.

THE QUALITY OF THE BEST RELATIONSHIPS

Christian living in summation is the best of relationships, because it invites the community, living in all sorts of networks, to be relational by being vulnerable. This is the commitment of realness.

By practicing a trust in people by sharing our awkwardness, fears, embarrassments, and inadequacies, we practice trust in God. Where we can practice a trust in people we not only exercise courage in doing that, but we are blessed by God through the provision of the abundant life.

The abundant life is the reward for authenticity.

The abundant life is an investment in our lives and in the lives around us.

The abundant life is a state of giving back to God.

All in all Christians should be at the top of the pile regarding the quality of their relationships, being that they relate with the relational, living God, who lives in them, all around them, everywhere.

When we acknowledge the Presence of God we note with crucial endeavour the importance of being honest, because we stand in the court of God.

By being vulnerable with God, via the honesty of our prayer and life, noting that God is alive and relational, and being vulnerable with other people, means we can be at home with ourselves.

If we feel no trepidation for judgment, we are free; we experience the abundant life.

***

The abundant life is enjoyed when we have the courage to share our vulnerabilities. In trusting God and trusted others with knowledge of our weaknesses, we show courage and strength, and we redeem the abundant life.

Things go never better for those who are real about themselves.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

What To Do While We Wait

"I do not know why there is this difference, but I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait. When you do enter your room, you will find that the long wait has done you some kind of good which you would not have had otherwise. But you must regard it as waiting, not as camping. You must keep praying for light: and of course, even in the hall, you must begin trying to obey the rules which are common to the whole house. And above all you must be asking which door is the true one; not one which pleases you best by its paint and paneling." ~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1898-1963)

As perennial as summer sunshine and winter rains is the commonness of both trials of situations and human trials requiring patience. In other words, there are so many trying situations we find ourselves in, as well as the frustration of much waiting.

We all get to ask, "How long, Lord?" many times during our lives.

Some times are easier to wait for than others. But in the waiting we often get disconsolate, angry, fatigued, and resentful. We think, "If God really loved me he'd give me what I want, and now." Part of us knows this is an immature expectation, but part of us also needs to believe that God is interested in giving us what we want - especially if it is truly good for us and others.

THE OPPORTUNITY IS A SEASON OF FAITHFULNESS

C.S. Lewis' imagery is poignant. If we imagine ourselves within the house of life, not camped in the hallway, but waiting, we don't feel comfortable, but at least we are near the room we plan to enter. Whilst we are in the hallway, praying for the light of insight regarding the right time and door to knock on, we can deploy our minds in strategies of preparation.

It's no good being in this house of life and not obeying the rules, for we only hurt our chances of advancing through the right door at the right time. None of us want the regret of having missed a crucial opportunity.

The opportunity we have before us - in spite of our impatience and foolish temerity - is to get active in the hallway by studying each door and the make up of the parts of the house we have access to. We get interested in the things we can be proactive about. We push our case gently but with sublime consistency.

Getting curious about the parts of life we have access to is an appropriate distraction.

When we are mindfully occupied we get creative whilst working within the boundaries which contain the rules of the house. We have sufficient access within those boundaries to explore and prepare. We keep ourselves healthily stimulated.

***

Waiting for the desires of our hearts isn't a waste of time. We can be busy clarifying our desires and working faithfully toward the fulfilment of them. Waiting contributes a large part of the reward value when we are blessed as we look back - God is faithful.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Walking After Emptiness

Thus says the Lord, "What injustice did your fathers find in Me, that they went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty?" Jeremiah 2:5

As a parent, I often relate closely to the emotions that God often expresses in books like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Having teenagers, and having friends with teenagers, I've known how it feels to find out that your child has walked after "emptiness," even when you thought sure you'd worked overtime talking to them about staying on the narrow path, making good choices, and the consequences you experience when you don't. Still, many kids are experiential learners. You can tell them every day of their lives that walking away from God will bring them nothing but emptiness, but they want to be the masters of their own fate, and experience their own brand of freedom. They want to experience those things that the world touts as desirable.

But isn't that a description of the majority of people in the world-people who walk after emptiness and become empty?

The problem is, the world's emptiness often comes in a lovely package. Consider the bright lights of Las Vegas. A beautiful prostitute on the street. Electronics that have all the latest bells and whistles. A beautiful home with an expensive price tag. Someone else's wife or husband. A drug that promises to make you feel good. The list goes on.

But inside that package is pure emptiness. And a darkness far darker than we ever thought possible. As soon as we have that "lovely package" in our grasp, we realize that we are still unsatisfied, and our desire is unabated.

"For my people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,

To hew for themselves cisterns,

Broken cisterns that can hold no water." (Jeremiah 2:13)

So not only do we forsake the fountain of living waters-the only fountain that satisfies-but we try to slake our thirst with basic tap water. We will inevitably get thirsty again because it's just that-water. But the water that God supplies, the fountain of living waters does so much more. Here is the definition of the word "living" in this verse, which comes from the Hebrew adjective "chay":

living; alive; have life; sustain life; live prosperously; live forever; be quickened;

revive from sickness, discouragement or even death; vigorous; fresh; life; refreshment

What amazing properties God's living water possesses! Yet that water cannot be poured into us-or even remain within us-if we walk away from God. When we walk after emptiness, we become empty. Even if there had been a fountain of living water bubbling up within us formerly, apart from God, we become broken cisterns that can hold no water. It all drains out.

That's what happened to all the families of the house of Israel. They rejected God for false gods. They walked away from Him, and the further away they went, the more they forgot how it felt to be filled to overflowing with His glorious, loving presence. And before long, they realized that not only were they empty, but they were desperate. Hopeless. (Jeremiah 2:25) In a dry and barren wilderness created by their own doing. Dying of thirst.

Millions in this world are walking after false gods too, like money, drugs, pornography, illicit sex, status symbols. These false gods are basic tap water and these people are broken cisterns, so they keep going after more and more, hoping that at some point, it will fill them up. But it just keeps draining right out, and they continue to be empty and dry.

Let's not walk after emptiness. Let's walk toward God, knowing the closer we get, the more healed we become, and the more satisfied we feel. And refreshed. Vigorous. Vibrantly alive. And utterly in love.