The Joy of Glory

Discovering endless joy in the boundless glory of God…

Tag: faith

March 17, 2014

Lent Devotional: Job 1:1-12

Job 1:1-12 (click here)
And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” (Job 1:8-11)

Reflection
What is the real reason that Job fears God? Satan’s claim is that Job’s motivation is completely bound up in the fact that God has blessed him with material possessions. He’s claiming that Job doesn’t really love God the giver, but just the gifts. Take away the gifts and he will curse God…at least that is the claim.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I fear God? Why do I love him, cling to him, and trust him?” It is important to know what is the foundation of our faith because if it is anything other than God himself it is a foundation that is easily destroyed.

If Job fears God because of God’s gifts…then his fear/faith is about to be gone. But, if Job fears God because of who God is…then his faith will remain no matter what happens.

What is the root/the foundation of our faith? Is it God’s good gifts or God himself? Only one of those things will sustain us when we undergo attacks from the enemy. Hint…it’s not the gifts.

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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March 15, 2014

Lent Devotional: Ecclesiastes 11

Ecclesiastes 11 (click here)
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9)

Reflection
All of life is SEEMINGLY vanity…but this is only how things seem as long as our gaze falls only on that which is “under the sun” and God is left completely out of the equation. However, when we know God and know that he will bring all things into judgment…all of a sudden EVERY act become eternally meaningful.

How should we think of this “judgment of God”? Should this frighten us so that we live our lives like slaves under a relentless task master…seeking to serve his every whim. Solomon seems to suggest something very different than that scenario.

He begins with the word “rejoice!” The fact that God is judge should bring us to proper enjoyment of all things. We know that God created all things good (including us) and invited mankind into eternal enjoyment of him. All of creation was to be enjoyed as a gift that ultimately pointed us back to the giver.

Solomon says that this is the kind of joy we seek. Not a joy in the mere gifts we find under the sun with no reference to God, but a joy that through these gifts points us to God! Enjoy all these things, but in such a way that you know God brings all things into judgment! Enjoy them in such a way that leads you back to God. That is the purpose for which all things were created and when enjoyed that way “God as judge” is not bad news…it is good news, for we will be judged as faithful ones who enjoyed him and spread the joy of him to the world.


*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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July 2, 2013

Letter#9: Being Critical Without Becoming Cynical

Dear Jonathan,

So another semester has begun! Are you getting used to the rhythm of seminary life yet? I’m glad that you are already enjoying your new set of classes and Profs.

In your last letter, I was particularly interested in what you had to say concerning the field of “text criticism” that you are beginning to explore. It is fascinating to study the process through which we have received the text of Scripture, but there are a few things you said that bothered me…some things that sounded slightly cynical.

cynicalI want you to know that it is possible to be critical without becoming cynical.

Seminary is a wonderful time to ask questions, engage your mind, and think deeply…in fact I hope seminary is not the only place for this, but the church as well. Yet, seminary does afford you a focused time for serious thought.

However, do not believe the lie that you have to check your faith at the door in order to engage with critical scholarship. Let’s take the field of “text criticism” as an example.

You told me that seeing the multi-layered process through which the text has been transmitted to us took some of the awe and wonder out of it all. Suddenly, the Bible did not seem like this beautiful book handed to us by God, but a very normal historical source that has been formed through a human editing process.

That is only one way of looking at the facts! Could we not also say that this long, tedious process of textual transmission puts God’s providence on display in a most remarkable way? Could we not say this affirms the truth that our God loves to communicate with us through very physical means!

Our God does not bifurcate the spiritual and physical, but is apparently bent on communicating spiritual realities through very physical things!

Is this not affirmed by baptism, communion, preaching, Bible reading, prayer, music…even the incarnation itself! God himself put on flesh and communicated with us through the gritty means of language and action.

Lev_septuagintThe fact that Scripture has been passed down from one generation to the next in a very nitty, gritty process affirms who our God is and how he works! Many other religions have holy books that have been seemingly dropped from the sky, but our God is the one who created all things and loves to work through those things.

Jonathan, think critically! Engage your studies in a manner that forces you to dig, evaluate, wrestle, and draw conclusions…but fight cynicism. The road of critical scholarship does not necessarily lead to the dead end of cynicism. No! If you end up in that cul-de-sac it is because you drove yourself there!

Many great, critical thinkers are some of the most faith-filled theologians! The harder they press into the study of the Word, the more they are filled with faith in the God of the Word!

Always remember, you do not stand over Scripture to master it! Through the Word, God is mastering you! Engage the Bible critically for the sake of seeing more of God, not more of man…and may the Spirit reveal to you the wonders of how he works spiritual wonders through very physical means.

You can be critical without becoming cynical!

Grace and Peace,

J

*To know/understand the premise behind these letters please click here.

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