Big Bible Questions: What do these stones mean to you?

Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’^[1]

Joshua 4:6 (NASB95)

We like to memorialize things. As a nation, I can only speak of the U.S. since that is where I live; we memorialize our independence on July 4^th with celebrations ending with fireworks displays. We celebrate our freedom to worship as we please with Thanksgiving Day, usually with a turkey dinner. We celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas with nativity scenes and gift giving. We remember those who died for our freedoms on Memorial Day with the Tomb to the Unknown Soldier. As individuals, we celebrate our birthdays with cakes, candles, and gifts. We celebrate anniversaries with special dinners. I think it is fair to say that every culture finds ways to memorialize things.

Our Stone of Remembrance

Israel had a lot to celebrate. They had been delivered from Egypt. They were finishing forty grueling years in the desert. They were entering the Promised Land, and what an entrance it was! As the priests carrying the Arc of the Covenant set foot on the waters of the Jordan River, the waters backed up several miles upstream. Some would say that this could have been a natural occurrence, perhaps a convenient beaver dam or a landslide upstream. The problem with this explanation is that the Jordan was in flood stage during the harvest season. No natural phenomenon could possibly account for this miracle.

Joshua had replaced Moses as the national leader. God promised that He would provide Joshua something that would cement, in the people’s minds, that Joshua held God’s favor. What a better way than showing this new generation something that duplicated Moses’s parting of the Red Sea?

After all the people had crossed the Jordan on dry ground, Joshua ordered that a memorial be set up on the western shore of the Jordan. Twelve men walked back into the dry river bed, picked up twelve large stones and piled them in the shore. Why? So that the next generations would see them and ask what they were for. Parents would explain the events of this day, how God had delivered the nation from Egypt, brought them to a land flowing with milk and honey, and allowed them to cross into the land on dry ground. The event was memorialized.

Melanie and I have a stone set in our front yard as a memorial. We call it our Ebenezer Stone (1 Samuel 7:12 &13 when Samuel set a stone memorializing the victory over the Philistines). It reminds us that God has been involved in our lives. He has brought us to this place. He has brought us victory. It also serves to remind us that God is continuing to lead us through financial distress, emotional drama, and even our current physical ailments. God is in control. He knows what we need and will always provide it. Our stone stands as a testimony of God’s constant oversight of our lives.

We all memorialize things in our lives. If you are a believer, how have you memorialized God’s provision for you and your family? If you are not a believer, I encourage you to accept Jesus as your Savior, your Messiah, your Redeemer. He will memorialize your action by writing your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jos 4:6). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

The Thing About Trails

Here’s the thing about trails, unless you have traveled them before, you don’t know what you will see. I took my grandson, Colton, to Entergy Park in Hot Springs to take some senior pictures. Yes, our oldest grandson graduates this year. (Our next to oldest, Aaron, graduated last year.) As we walked the trails looking for good photo ops, I often stopped and snapped “trail” photos. The one to the right is an example. I had not walked this trail before. I wasn’t sure what I would see. I didn’t even know if it was worth the effort to climb. (I’m still not in good shape from all the chemo over the past years. My fault.)

As we climbed this trail alongside beautiful Lake Hamilton, we noted the trail curved to the right. Reaching the turn, a gazebo popped into view. Ah! A photo op. This was enhanced by a nice view of the lake from the top of this hill.

Life is like that. From day to day we encounter turns and curves. We can look at them one of two ways. We can shudder in fear or we can watch with anticipation. We may see something fantastic, or ho-hum, or disgusting. We may experience delight, apathy, or pain. We don’t know, but with the right attitude, we can gain something from each experience.

Big Bible Questions: How long will they spurn Me?

The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?

“I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”

Numbers 14:11–12 (NASB 95)

 A lot has happened between the last big question and this one. Israel has successfully fled from Egypt. Miracles have helped them along the way. They camped at Sinai and received the law that would guide them. They have now marched all the way to the borders of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. The spies were sent out and returned with amazing reports of the richness of the land. The only downside of this land is that it is inhabited with “giants”.

Now the rebellion begins. Well, not exactly begins. The people have rebelled against God many times. They wanted to return to Egypt even before they crossed the Red Sea. They wanted to return to Egypt when water was scarce. They wanted to return to Egypt when all they had to eat was manna. They didn’t want to talk to God direct at the base of the mountain. They didn’t want the One God when Moses was delayed on the mountain, so they collected their gold and made an idol. The list could continue, but the point is made. These Israelites were a rebellious lot.

Up to this time, Moses has been asking how long HE would have to put up with the people. Now the tables are turned. God’s patience has finally reached the breaking point! He is so fed up that He wants to wipe out the whole lot of them and make Moses the heir to the promise of Abraham. Heady material, if you are Moses. It didn’t take Moses long to respond.

He immediately lays out how Egypt will respond, how the Canaanites will respond, and how anyone who hears of God’s actions will respond. He concludes with sound advice to the Almighty:

“But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared,

             ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’

             “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”^[1]

What a man! Consider what he has done. He stood in the gap for a rebellious people – messiah like. He talked back to God – best friend like. He advised God with great wisdom – sage like. He refused to become a nation in his own right – humble like.

What can we learn from this event? 1) God CAN become so flustered that He wants to destroy someone. 2) His mind CAN be changed. All it takes is a faithful person with the courage to point out the benefits of waiting. 3) WE can be that person. Like Moses, we can stand in the gap for those who are on the verge of dying without God, without a Savior, without a hope giving them another opportunity to repent. God listens to the prayers of His children who can change His mind. Are you willing to be that person?

 

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Nu 14:17–19). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Big Bible Questions, Who is with you?

Then the two men said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place …”

Gen. 19:12 (NASB)

Questions. We ask them every day. “Where are you going, son? Who will you be with? How long will you be? What are you going to do?” When we ask questions, we expect answers. As we discovered last time, we don’t always get the answer we want. Today’s verse asks a question and gives an answer – but the answer didn’t fit well with the facts of reality.

God had just told Abraham that He, God, was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the grievous sin of homosexuality (sound familiar?). Both cities were filled with moral, spiritual, and physical filth. It seems that the citizens of these communities were beyond redemption for Abraham had pleaded with God to save the cities if fifty righteous people were found there. Then, not believing himself that there were fifty, he bargained the number to forty-five, then forty, then thirty, and finally twenty. It seems that he might have felt fairly secure at twenty among the thousands of residents of both cities.

When God’s angels entered Sodom, they went straight to Lot’s house and asked today’s question. “Whom else have you here?” True to God’s word, the census was taken. Lot was sure he had a significant number. He was asked to lead them all out of the city. The end list was rather dismal. Lot assembled his two daughters, his wife, and himself. Even counting the two angels, the number of righteous in Sodom amounted to six. It is rather obvious that Lot didn’t have much to account for during his stay in “Sin City”. And even what he had was suspect.

The angels lead Lot and his family out of the city leaving them at the city limits after instructing the family to flee to the hills and not look back.  Suspect family member number one was Lot’s wife. We all know that she looked back as the city exploded into flames … and was turned into a pillar of salt. Her heartstrings were attached to the allurement of Sodom. What we often overlook is the remainder of the family members.

For some reason, Lot did not turn to Abraham. He hung out in the hills with his daughters. At some distant point the daughters disparaged ever being able to marry and plotted an act every bit as shameful as any of Sodom or Gomorrah. “We’re not getting any younger, and we have no hope of ever marrying,” said the oldest. “Let’s get our father drunk on the nights when we are most fertile and lay with him.” This plot they carried out to perfection. Both became pregnant by their father. Suspect family member numbers two and three. Lot didn’t have much left. How many were really with Lot? The count is down to one. And what about Lot himself? Even Lot is suspect. Why was he living in the city? He was a shepherd. Is it possible that Lot did not see the green grasses as much as he saw the gleaming lights of Sin City?

How many are with us? Hmmmm. I think I had better take stock of my life. What about you? What are we really living for? Where are we really going? What are we really doing with our lives? Who are we taking with us? Do we want to leave a legacy that matches Lot’s … or Abraham’s?

Jesus, Miracle Worker

When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?  Mark 6:2 (NASB)

Son of God. Son of Man. Master Teacher. What else could a guy ask for in a Savior? How about Miracle Worker?

Of course we know that Jesus is a miracle worker – He performed many miracles beginning with the miracle at the wedding feast. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus created “new wine” for the wedding – that which is pure, unadulterated with fermentation? Later in His ministry, He tells us that no one puts new wine in old wineskins because the new wine, as it ferments, expands and breaks the old wineskin, which is no longer pliable.

Shortly after the miracle of the new wine, Jesus began to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, raise the dead, and cast out demons. All of these are spectacular events, but I believe one of the greatest miracles was the feeding of the 5,000. In the middle of nowhere Jesus produced enough bread and fish to feed the multitude. Oh, by the way, the 5,000 count was just men. I’m sure we could count a few thousand women and children in the group as well. Now THAT’S a “feed”. It wasn’t fancy, but it was good. The reason I think this was a great miracle is this: it proved that Jesus had the ability to feed an army – but He chose to go to the cross alone. It also demonstrates His teaching about the “bread of life” – He is the bread of life, and He is sufficient to feed an unlimited quantity of people.

I am also attracted to the miracle of walking on water! How I would like to be able to do that! Can you imagine the places we could catch fish if we could only get there? No problem. Step out of the boat and walk to the hard to reach fishing hole! But again the miracle was more than meets the natural eye. Jesus demonstrated to His disciples that He controlled nature. He could overcome the problem of gravity. Peter sank after a few steps. Jesus immediately stopped the storm, and the sea became as calm as glass. There is more to the miracles than we can imagine.

Every miracle had a lesson or a purpose. Every one of them resulted in changed lives – no not only the physical ones – the spiritual ones. Each resulted in the advancement of the Kingdom of God. This trend was continued in the Book of Acts. Peter opened the eyes of the blind beggar – and thousands were redeemed. It seems, though I cannot be totally certain, that every miracle performed in the New Testament was first and foremost evangelistic! That is the way it should be even today.

Yes, it is good to have a Savior who is wholly God and wholly man. It is wonderful to have a Savior who teaches God’s truth in a way that can be understood by the common man. It is powerful to have a Savior who can heal the sick, feed the multitudes, and raise the dead. But there is something even greater than all of this. We will discuss that next time.

If life hands you …

You finish the sentence. Most will probably finish with “… lemons, make lemonade.” There can be many other choices.

We love those little sayings. They seem to make life bearable, and we all need a bit of encouragement – well, perhaps a whole lot of encouragement. I love Dove® candies. I eat two dark chocolate Dove®s for my heart. (Dark chocolate is good for the heart, right?) Then I eat two milk chocolate ones for my reward. All Dove® promises have a pithy proverb or saying inside. I have a collection of the encouraging wrappers on our refrigerator. I look at them sometimes just for enjoyment. Here are some of my favorites:

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”

“Enjoy the small things in life.”

“Trust with your heart, not your head.”

“Open your eyes to all the love around you.”

“Happiness is in the heart, not in the circumstances.”

“A good love is delicious, because you can never get enough.”

Uplifting, aren’t they? Each one helps me center my thoughts when I need a bit of focusing. Not a one of them is false, though each reflects a bit of my life. “Enjoy the small things” is powerful for people with cancer. Sometimes the small things are all we can cling to. The big ones are way too hard to grasp. “Open your eyes to all the love around you.” Yes, it is there. We may not see it because we are blinded by the circumstances surrounding us. John tells us that “God is Love.” The Word also tells us He will never leave us nor forsake us. Even if human love seems so distant, God’s love never fails.

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves” is one of my favorites. It is focused outward rather than inward. I suppose this could be called one of my life proverbs. I like to make people happy. I like to see a smile on their faces. One of my non-critical doctors has an aide who is perpetually sour. She seldom says anything after calling my name other than “You go in room 4.” I always ask how she is. I drag comments from her in our 40 second walk. The last time I was in for a visit, we were laughing about the Super Bowl game and the two teams who played. I brought her some sunshine. I received the benefit of the sun shining on her as well.

As good as these sayings are, none of them are true life guides. I’ll share one that is NOT on a Dove® wrapper.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.^[1]

This is a statement you can trust. It will never fail you. Why? It was written by the wisest man who ever lived, who’s wisdom came from Father God, Solomon. Following the path He set for us will lead from dawn’s early light to high noon sunshine. Our paths, our trails, will never be shrouded in darkness as long as we follow the “path of the righteous.”

I like to picture myself in the photo to the left of this post, but I am not alone. On my right hand is One who has walked the path before me. He is the One who surveyed it and cleared it. He made it just for me. Then He, Jesus, walks beside me, holding my hand, guiding me, and even carrying me when I grow weary.

“Happy trails to you, until we meet again.”^[2]

 

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^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Pr 4:18). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[2] Dale Evans, http://www.royrogers.com/happy_trails.html, c. 2011.