A Heaping Helping of Rescue

Lightning flashed at my window awakening me to the sound of rain beating the roof. Years ago, I read Scott the riot act. We had a television in our room and, though he kept the volume down, the flickering disrupted my sleep. The TV had to go. There's not much to be done about lightning at 11pm, however. As I began to pull the covers up over my head *BING!* I remembered the back window of my truck. Had I closed it? I must have. No, I didn't! And I sprung out of bed, out the door, and into the pouring rain to close it. Hours later, I headed to the office to begin my quiet time, throwing in a load of laundry on my way. As I sat down at my desk, I realized my pen was missing. Check the surrounding area, retrace my memories. My jacket pocket! The jacket that was now in the washing machine rapidly filling with water! I dashed to the laundry room, hit the STOP button, and retrieved my pen before everything was destroyed.

Blessed be the Master, day after day.

God heaps upon us our rescue. 

~Psalm 68:20 (Alter)

I realize flashes of lightning and the sound of water as it swirls into the washing machine may not be what the psalmist had in mind. And it certainly isn't the Master's best work (see John 3:16). But rescues big and small are part of the way God cares for His people and the way He continues to bring glory to His name. Abundant, undeserved, tender, lavish acts of hesed, God's never-ending loving kindness toward His people. His sacrificial, attentive care for us testifies to His character. Like a parent who ensures their child's needs are met in full, morning, noon, and night. Like a husband, thoughtfully and intently, cherishing his bride. What kind of God must this be? Like no other, we declare! 

Things done for the good of His people bring Him glory, and things done for His glory benefit His people. In Exodus 14:4, God tells Moses, "Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” The Lord God punished Egypt and made Pharaoh even more resistant than he was so that God would be honored, so that the people of Egypt would know He is the one true God and He stands alone, so that everyone would see the might and sovereignty of God, a God who rescues His people!

Whether the rescue is great or small, by many or by few, our God heaps upon us our rescue, for our good and His glory!

Midweek: When Christ Takes Office

Welcome to Wednesday! As we head farther away from summer days and a blistering election season, into holidays and hopes for a better new year, please enjoy this selection, "Bettered Angels" from The Fellowship of St. James (November 8, 2024). What a poignant reminder of all that truly matters!

Is there anyone of stature today who can speak anything like Abraham Lincoln did in his First Inaugural Address—to good effect?

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Political vitriol and the language of conflict remain after the election and will for some time. It is one thing to fight for a just cause, but another to hate your opponent, which according to dominical teaching is akin to murder. We are taught to love our enemies, including domestic and political ones. Which does not mean agreeing with them or allowing them to do wrong. But embracing hatred is to serve a severe taskmaster and not one of the “better angels of our nature.”

On this feast day in the East of the Archangels and Heavenly Hosts, I am reminded of the overarching reality in which we live that is permeated by the love of God, “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This God and Father made us “a little while lower than the angels,” who are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.”

On the other side, there are fallen angels who hate us and seek the destruction of souls. God, in his love and mercy, does not desire the death of the wicked; thus “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” The angels will rejoice at each conversion.

And the angels “of these little ones” continually “see the face of my Father in heaven.” The bottom line is God’s personal interest in the salvation of each soul, which is reflected in the words and work of Christ and in the ministering of his angels on his behalf for repentance. God is watching and working. We wrestle not against flesh and blood.

The task of the Church is to be seeking the lost sheep, for each one found is a battle won in the greater war in which God will be victorious. The impressions that men have about political victories—as important as those can be (ask Lincoln)—must be tempered by the realization that we do not know the mind of the Lord and that earthly gains and empires will turn to dust and ashes. The small victories we can strive to win where we live by living the Beatitudes so that all may see our good deeds and glorify God, will produce eternal fruit—and cause the angels to rejoice.

What does a nation “whose God is the Lord” look like? It begins with each person, truly loving God and his neighbor. “As far as possible live at peace with all men.” Conflict is inescapable, but it must be endured in faith and not provoked in anger. There are many unsung examples of such patient endurance and witness, like the longsuffering Jack Phillips, Masterpiece Cakeshop baker, who doesn’t give in, and fights, as a humble Christian.

Phillips should not have been targeted and the authorities and laws should not have allowed this. As a matter of justice, the politics must change so that the laws are just and justly applied. More citizens’ minds and hearts must be informed to see the true spirit of justice and to vote accordingly. Christians have their work cut out for them in convincing more citizens to protect the unborn little ones.

The world is political and thus man is as well, but politics will cease in the end and man will stand naked before his God to give account. But God’s judgment is delayed. The coming of the Son of Man is not yet. But we are warned to be awake, watching, and ready.

But when this ongoing delay ends, the days of delay will fade like a dream, and those angels will appear with the Son of Man. There will be no more polls, debates, ads, ballots, voting booths, or tabulations. Christ will take Office with All Authority in Heaven and Earth. I may not still be here. But I pray to witness the joy of the angels and countless numbers of elect.

Yours for Christ, Creed & Culture,

Jim Kushiner, Executive Director Emeritus

~"Better Angels"

The Fellowship of St. James

Praise God, We're Being Run Over!

I lead prayer each Sunday in our fellowship. Yesterday, as I prepared to stand before our congregation, my heart was full, rejoicing --not because we've inherited millions, or all of our children will make it home for the holidays, or someone just offered me the book deal of my dreams --but because we are being run over. Major health issues, job loss or upheaval, an adoption that seems to be going nowhere, discouragement and uncertainty, grief, a lack of housing and a move across the sea, tenuous relationships. But Hallelujah! my King is still on the throne. And as I stood before my brothers and sisters who are going through their trials and miseries, I opened my Bible to Psalm 91, reading slowly and silently praying God's comfort in their hearts before we entered His throne room together.

Now, that's not what I wanted to do. Just before going forward, I'd glanced at my husband. And heard Someone say, "It's not about you," and while giving God the glory despite what we're going through does make it all about God, some people may not be "there" yet. Some people may still be deep in grief or wide-eyed with uncertainty, and may need to know first, God hears them when they cry to Him, God protects and provides refuge to those who seek Him in their distress. But here is the wonderful thing, moments later, our pastor related the story of a woman who once shared with him all of the terrible things she was going through. She gave God praise for her circumstances! Isn't God good?! Hearts were invited into God's presence with the hope of Psalm 91, and once there, were challenged to give our Master glory in and for our troubles, assuring them there are rewards in accepting the challenge. God had it all planned out. And I could stop right there with this --His goodness and His sovereignty, but I want to have my say today! I want to share my testimony, the testimony I would have shared yesterday if it had been the right time. Here goes:

For the past week or so, I have been in Psalm 66 for my quiet time. (Please, please click on the link and read it! You will be amazed and encouraged. The link will take you to two translations, New King James and The Complete Jewish Bible, side by side.) In the beginning verses, the psalmist calls to humanity to sing the praises of a wonder-working God. "He preserves our lives; He keeps our feet from stumbling." WhooHoo! right? But the next three verses (I'm paraphrasing verses 10-12) "You tested us, held our feet to the fire, ensnared us, disabled us, allowed us to be run over, endangered and sinking." Run over? Bound? How is that a good thing?! At the end of verse 12, the psalmist affirms, "You brought us out to rich fulfillment." And this is why I selected these two translations side-by-side. Some translations render these words, "brought us out to a place of plenty." Because of the corruptions in our western world, our minds (whether we want them to or not) usually go to thoughts of financial or culturally normative types of plenty. But fulfillment hits differently, Fulfillment is personal, emotional, spiritual, intellectual --full fullness, utter satisfaction. And that comes from being run over. The lessons that we learn in that time. The prayers that we pray. The vows that we make (Read on to verses 13-15). All of it is designed, allowed by our Heavenly Father to change us in some way. We draw closer to Him, listening as the Holy Spirit reveals those places in our hearts that are not fully surrendered. We bear our souls, and as they are laid out before Him and before us, as our words bounce off the walls of our prayer closets (or our automobiles), we hear them in all their brokenness or selfishness or bitterness; and we pray God will change us. That we might be more like His Son who prayed "Not My will, but Yours be done." He hears our prayer and brings us to the place of fulfillment. So, in the words of the psalmist:

Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for me.
I cried out to him with my mouth,
his praise was on my tongue.

But in fact, God did listen;
he paid attention to my prayer.

Blessed be God,

Who has not turned away my prayer,

Nor His mercy from me!