Rejoice while Waiting Pt. 2 - 2/25/2015
Hello Again!
I'm on a roll with these blog posts! Ok, well, I'm merely writing to express my feelings with a wider audience. Yesterday I shared with several people about my phone interview. They all had the same response, "Wow. That's interesting. And frustrating." The common consensus is that this was less than an interview and more of a conversation. Nothing exciting. Well, trying to hold on to hope yesterday didn't work. I gave into sin and allowed my frustration to become my life. I was hurt by the conversation, honestly. It was not the best conversation ever, but it was not the worst either. I often play it off as the worst conversation in history; that is simply not true. The man I spoke with is a brother in Christ and I care for him, deeply!
What happened yesterday though has happened before; there is a tough situation and I try and cover it up and make everything fine. I would say to myself, "Nothing is wrong. I'm fine." But something is wrong, incredibly wrong. I am, rather than living by the Word, living by my own word; which is very fallible. I had a wonderful morning of devotions and reading, but instead of fighting the rest of the day, I allowed this "good feeling" to try and carry me throughout the rest of the day. It seems right, almost holy, to do it this way. "I read the Bible! I prayed! I did everything you 'want,' Lord, why do I still hurt?" This was my constant plea last night.
"Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, 'Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.'" Proverbs 4:1-4 What caught my eye was the language about living; "keep my commandments, and live." First, the language of living has to do with being physically alive. And second, it has to with being spiritually alive; being alive in the Spirit. Keeping the commandments of God results in being truly alive (1 John 2:3) But, third, as one commentator notes about Prov. 2:18, "In wisdom literature, "life" is not mere existence, but a way characterized by true relationships that conform to God's design." Yes, conforming to God's design is obeying his commandments, but it is significant to note that it has the language of relationships. In this passage, Prov. 4:1-4, it is a father speaking to his son, and then God to his children. A good relationship bears fruit of the Spirit, but a bad relationship kills fruit.
It is also interesting to note that listening is a key aspect of being wise. Verse 4 reads, "he taught me and said to me, 'Let your heart hold fast my words...'" Also, at the very beginning of the chapter, "Hear, O sons..." The means by which wisdom comes about is passive; meaning that it is by an outside source; namely God. It is not by anything we do or say. More appropriately, it is the less of what we do, and it is the more of how we listen. And the more we listen, the better we will be. But, listening is not entirely passive. Yes, the act of listening is passive, but that does not mean that we are entirely passive. We are given commands, "...keep my commandments, and live." Listening produces keeping, and keeping produces living, and living produces wisdom and godliness.
Now, how does this affect my life, or your life? It means that we must continue to listen to our heavenly Father. We must be passive for a time. It is the first step to holiness. But, lest we fall into a passive sin like mine, we must then step forward in life. As I return to my new favorite author, William B. Barclay, he is writing about Paul's contentment. He specifically writes about how we can obtain contentment. It's not just a thing that Paul can be because of his spiritual loftiness. He makes note of the the verb "learned" found in verse 12. It has the context of learning something secret. Barclay writes, "Paul's use of this verb indicated that contentment does not come naturally. Not only must contentment be learned, but learning contentment is contrary to our normal (and sinful) ways of thinking." Learning is passive, right? We are to be taught first, but then teaching is useless unless we implement it into our lives.
So, what I leave you with is that we must strive, even in the most depressing times, and even we are on a "spiritual high," to continue to be a student of the Word that implements the teaching we receive. By grace, we will receive wisdom. By grace, we will live. By grace, and only by grace, will be like God. Keep listening to the Word of God, but do not just sit there, move!
Thank you!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Rejoice while Waiting - 2/24/2015
Rejoice while Waiting - 2/24/2015
I have not written anything in...forever! I am writing again because 1. I want to, and 2. I am in a period of waiting.
For those who do not know, this past weekend we had the Ligonier National Conference. It was a wonderful time! I met with a couple from Augusta, GA. They are from a church in Evans, GA and they are looking for a new youth director for their church. On the first day of the conference, I had the first interview with them. It went incredibly well! I met with them the second day of the conference for further clarification on things! He mentioned that he thought I would fit the role of their new youth director perfectly. He said, "I think you're our guy." At this, my heart jumped with excitement and fear! Tremendous fear! In just a few short months I might become their new youth director and be moving to Georgia! What a thought!
He told me that the next step would be a phone interview with one of the ruling elders from the church. Monday evening the call came! Nervously, with Bible ready and testimony in mind, I listened carefully to his words about the youth group and their goal. 20 minutes later, it was over. To be honest, I was in shock because it was so short and he did not ask me, well, about me. He told me a lot of information and listened to me the few times I spoke, but nothing like I was expecting. He concluded the time by saying that he would get back to me in 30-60 days. With much surprise and disappointment, we said goodbye.
Now what? I'm there with Bible ready to go, ready to spell out my philosophy of youth ministry and talk about myself to this man who literally holds my future in the balance, but nothing happened! How am I supposed to wait for 30-60 days in eager anticipation for another phone call with their evaluation of me and whether they wanted to move forward with me or someone else? Well, I am writing this post not for myself, well, sort of for myself, but for others who might be in a spot like me.
I am not an expert, but this morning, in my devotions, I read some wonderful things! Proverbs 3:21-24 reads, "My son, do not lose sight of these - keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." This last part about the sweet sleep is especially comforting to me. I often lay in bed and think about the crazy things in my life. I lay there and think of the things in my future. I lay there and look to myself and my problems rather than to God and his goodness. I lay there, and I do not sleep. To adorn one with jewelry is more than just to wear it. In verse 3 of the same chapter we see that we must "bind" steadfast love and faithfulness. The context of faithfulness compared to wisdom is a little different, but The language of bind is, as Derek Kidner writes, "striking expressions for glorifying in, mediating on and acting by these principles." Derek Kidner is a commentator of the Old Testament. Not always in the Old Testament does the jewelry motif mean this, but in the case of the wisdom in v. 21, it has a very similar meaning. Wisdom, no matter the circumstance, is what we must be glorifying in, mediating on, and acting by. We ought to live by wisdom because wisdom is from the Lord. Truly living in this wisdom is what beings peace of mind.
One other subject I read this morning is on contentment. I read this from a book called The Secret of Contentment by William B. Barclay. In it he is writing in light of Phil. 4:10-13. This is Paul's writing and he is writing on being content in the situation he is in; which is prison. To be content is to be truly joyful. Paul exemplifies this in this book of the Bible. The theme of joy is a permeating theme. "Joy" or "Rejoice" is found some 16 different times in this book. Barclay writes, "Joy refers to a state of gladness that typically occurs in Scripture with the recognition that God is in control no matter where we find ourselves. . . .The joyful heart is the contented heart, because it recognizes and delights in God's sovereign power and providential goodness." (Emphasis mine) I could be wrong, but it seems to me that joy is not based on external circumstances, but rather on internal promises from God. And believing in the internal promises is a work of the Holy Spirit.
To be wise is to believe in God even when circumstances are like mine; confusing and disorienting. I thought everything would be a perfect match and instead I was told to wait, for what seems like forever. In this moment in life, let's pray for wisdom and contentment. The Lord is pleased to give it generously!
Thank you!
I have not written anything in...forever! I am writing again because 1. I want to, and 2. I am in a period of waiting.
For those who do not know, this past weekend we had the Ligonier National Conference. It was a wonderful time! I met with a couple from Augusta, GA. They are from a church in Evans, GA and they are looking for a new youth director for their church. On the first day of the conference, I had the first interview with them. It went incredibly well! I met with them the second day of the conference for further clarification on things! He mentioned that he thought I would fit the role of their new youth director perfectly. He said, "I think you're our guy." At this, my heart jumped with excitement and fear! Tremendous fear! In just a few short months I might become their new youth director and be moving to Georgia! What a thought!
He told me that the next step would be a phone interview with one of the ruling elders from the church. Monday evening the call came! Nervously, with Bible ready and testimony in mind, I listened carefully to his words about the youth group and their goal. 20 minutes later, it was over. To be honest, I was in shock because it was so short and he did not ask me, well, about me. He told me a lot of information and listened to me the few times I spoke, but nothing like I was expecting. He concluded the time by saying that he would get back to me in 30-60 days. With much surprise and disappointment, we said goodbye.
Now what? I'm there with Bible ready to go, ready to spell out my philosophy of youth ministry and talk about myself to this man who literally holds my future in the balance, but nothing happened! How am I supposed to wait for 30-60 days in eager anticipation for another phone call with their evaluation of me and whether they wanted to move forward with me or someone else? Well, I am writing this post not for myself, well, sort of for myself, but for others who might be in a spot like me.
I am not an expert, but this morning, in my devotions, I read some wonderful things! Proverbs 3:21-24 reads, "My son, do not lose sight of these - keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." This last part about the sweet sleep is especially comforting to me. I often lay in bed and think about the crazy things in my life. I lay there and think of the things in my future. I lay there and look to myself and my problems rather than to God and his goodness. I lay there, and I do not sleep. To adorn one with jewelry is more than just to wear it. In verse 3 of the same chapter we see that we must "bind" steadfast love and faithfulness. The context of faithfulness compared to wisdom is a little different, but The language of bind is, as Derek Kidner writes, "striking expressions for glorifying in, mediating on and acting by these principles." Derek Kidner is a commentator of the Old Testament. Not always in the Old Testament does the jewelry motif mean this, but in the case of the wisdom in v. 21, it has a very similar meaning. Wisdom, no matter the circumstance, is what we must be glorifying in, mediating on, and acting by. We ought to live by wisdom because wisdom is from the Lord. Truly living in this wisdom is what beings peace of mind.
One other subject I read this morning is on contentment. I read this from a book called The Secret of Contentment by William B. Barclay. In it he is writing in light of Phil. 4:10-13. This is Paul's writing and he is writing on being content in the situation he is in; which is prison. To be content is to be truly joyful. Paul exemplifies this in this book of the Bible. The theme of joy is a permeating theme. "Joy" or "Rejoice" is found some 16 different times in this book. Barclay writes, "Joy refers to a state of gladness that typically occurs in Scripture with the recognition that God is in control no matter where we find ourselves. . . .The joyful heart is the contented heart, because it recognizes and delights in God's sovereign power and providential goodness." (Emphasis mine) I could be wrong, but it seems to me that joy is not based on external circumstances, but rather on internal promises from God. And believing in the internal promises is a work of the Holy Spirit.
To be wise is to believe in God even when circumstances are like mine; confusing and disorienting. I thought everything would be a perfect match and instead I was told to wait, for what seems like forever. In this moment in life, let's pray for wisdom and contentment. The Lord is pleased to give it generously!
Thank you!
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