Strength and Kindness

Once hath God spoken, twice I heard this, 

That `strength [is] with God.'
And with Thee, O Lord, [is] kindness, 

For Thou dost recompense to each, 

According to his work!

~ Psalm 62:11, 12 

(Young's Literal Translation) 

Strength and kindness. In our superlative society we have terms like viral and GOAT. If there's not some sort of exceptional quality attached to something, the message seems to get lost in the sauce. Do we plainly tell our children to "be kind" anymore? Now, we tell them they can "be anything they want," including a cat or a person of the opposite sex. Do we teach them about humility, the evidence of inner strength and character? Most likely we encourage them to "be the best" at whatever they do, up to and including video games, basketball, and even working the system to their advantage. It's a tough world out there, you say. We've got to teach our children how to survive it. It doesn't get any tougher than walking miles every day just to share the good news of salvation to people who were only looking for handouts (John 6:1-26). It doesn't get any tougher than choosing homelessness (Matthew 8:20) for the sake of healing and feeding and transforming the lives of as many people as you can reach and having your selflessness and your sanity questioned by your own family (Mark 3:20, 21). It doesn't get any tougher than being pursued day after day by your detractors (Matthew 16:1-6, 21), working to undo every seed you've planted, when the garden you came to set in bloom is theirs as well (John 3:16). It doesn't get any tougher than loving people enough to cry with them and for them (John 11:35; Matthew 23:37-39), and having your kindness repaid by being labeled a criminal, betrayed and abandoned by your friends, beaten almost to death, and then hung in shame and mocked until you took your last breath. Strength and kindness. The strength and kindness found in our God and come to earth in the form of His Son, Jesus.

As I was reading the above passage in Psalms this morning, it dawned on me how the word kindness has sort of fallen out of use, and just how perverted the American definition of strength has become. Kindness has taken on a milquetoast character. Why be kind when you can be the best or the most generous or the first? Kind is for the little red-haired girl, the object of Charlie Brown's childish crush. And strength means anything but the character of Christ. Strength isn't washing the feet of your betrayer, or your denier, or those who will flee your side when your enemies come. Strength isn't remaining quiet when you are falsely accused and broken. Strength isn't enduring every undeserved blow, every calloused insult, every burning lash. Strength isn't asking your father to forgive those who were apathetic or even, responsible for your murder. Oh, but it is! And kindness is a mighty force with which to reckon!

To feed those who have damaged you is to fly in the face of bitterness and unforgiveness that would destroy you. It is to tear down walls and crush the enemies of isolation and hate. To stand silently while others rant and rave and spit in your face is to hold your ground, to understand the work of the Adversary in a heart not fully healed, and affirm our resurrectionary God is truth and will never leave you or turn His back on you. It is to stand on the Rock and command the higher ground. To pray and fast --to give up a meal or a day of meals (!) in prayer for those who make it their life's work to destroy you and everything you uphold is strength and kindness --strength and kindness that breaks the bonds of evil, transforming entire landscapes to the glory of God. What the world calls weak and irrelevant is the very character of God, and by His strength and His kindness He holds every man accountable. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:17)

Midweek: NoteWorthy New Testament, NKJV

Not long ago, I handed my Bible to a friend that she might read a passage aloud to our Bible study group. She looked at me with one of those *blink*blink* types of looks. She has her own reasons why reading some prints is more difficult, but trying to read among all of my notes, arrows, highlighting, and circles was almost impossible. 

Well, if you can relate to what I'm talking about, perhaps you need a copy of Thomas Nelson's NoteWorthy New Testament. (Or maybe it's your friend that could use one.) NoteWorthy is a New Testament designed with journaling in mind. Moving through the New Testament from Matthew to Revelation, 52 selections (with plenty of space for notes) are divided into the six days of the week. Sunday's entire page is lined, prompting the reader to take time, reflect on the week's readings, and record any new thoughts and revelations. After the text, there are multiple lined pages for journaling in the back of the book. The passages are not assigned dates or specific days of the week, so you can start any time. A year after starting, you will have read through the New Testament in its entirety, meditating and journaling on the Incarnation, the birth of the Church, Paul's Epistles to the Church, and the promise of Christ's return. My copy was written in the New King James Version, so pronouns referring to the Trinity are capitalized. There are no study notes or charts, no maps, no words written in red, and no cross references. Where the Holy Spirit takes your study is entirely up to where you are willing to follow.

The complimentary copy I received was bound in purple Leathersoft™ with silver-gilding on page edges, and printed in 9-point Comfort Print®. It's lightweight, only about an inch thick, and measures 6.75" x 8.25". It has a purple satin bookmarker and a presentation page. It retails on Amazon for $34.49, at FaithGateway for $22.99, and is currently on sale at Christianbook.com for $22.49. 

So, do yourself and your friends a favor, and get a copy of Thomas Nelson's NoteWorthy New Testament with plenty of room for notes, and keep the text legible!

Between the Lines

Have you ever read Scripture and wondered, What on earth did I just read?! Maybe it made absolutely no sense or seemed irrelevant. Or maybe it was so familiar you read the words without anything really sinking in. Well, don't think for a moment, God will hide from those who really want to know Him. And Scripture is the best way to do that! So, it's important we pay attention.  

This morning, I began reading Psalm 59. I read a bit of the Psalms every morning before I pray or study His Word, and over the past few weeks, I'd been reading a lot of these same type of psalms, psalms that talk about enemies pursuing and the psalmist calling out to God for justice. I know there are all sorts of applications there for us: the Adversary seeks to receive God's glory by destroying God's people, some will mock us for our faith, there is evil and those who work for evil in our world... But this morning, I asked God to show me something different --Help me see in these verses who You are that I can worship You. And He did!

"Save me from my enemies, my God,
over those who rise against me make me safe.
Save me from the wrongdoers,
and from men of bloodshed rescue me.
For, look, they lie in wait for my life,
the powerful scheme against me
--not for my wrong nor my offense, O LORD.
For no misdeed they rush, aim their bows.
Rise toward me and see!
And You, LORD, God of armies, God of Israel,
awake to make reckoning with all the nations.
Do not pardon all wrongdoing traitors." ~ Psalm 59:2-6 (Alter)

All this talk about enemies and bloodshed, bows and traitors --this is a song, poetry! So, I thought about the ballads and odes of medieval times and the spirituals sung as slaves labored. They told stories, they cried out for vengeance and justice. The songs and poetry of the day expressed their deepest need. Our God gathers His children around Himself and lays His hand on us in blessing and affection; He will not turn us away, even in our fear and pain.

But it's not only dire circumstances that prompted the psalmist; pay attention all this teaches us about the God to whom he lifts his petition:

• Save me...my God: A personal God who saves, who is mighty to save!
• O LORD: Master, Ruler, King
• Rise toward me and see: A Father King that would leave His throne (!!!), rise from it as a parent jumps us to defend or protect their child. What parent, rising to find their child being harassed by a bully or trapped at the top of a tree would not then take action to save their child?
• God of armies: A strong and mighty Commander; thousands and tens of thousands do His bidding, laying down life and limb just to serve Him!
• God of Israel: A covenant God, keeping hesed (His lovingkindness) for thousands of generations.
• all: He is sovereign over all! There is no enemy, no traitor, no evildoer that will not answer before Him. Satan himself is accountable to our God! 

Wow! What a God we worship! But we are liable to miss the point if we read with our focus on ourselves. We should first, ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in our reading and second, bear in mind we worship El Elyon, the Lord Most High. These Spirit-inspired, centuries-old words teach us not just about history and human nature, but most importantly, the God who loves and created each of us for His glory. Our Father reveals Himself to us through His Holy Word, but we must train our hearts to search for Him --sometimes between the lines. May God add His blessing to the reading of His Word.

Photo courtesy Steven Ganski, Jr.