More……

Psalm 91:1-2 (HCSB)
The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

God is More.

Our lives are busy things (for most of us). We have things that call upon us every day, maybe our jobs, our family, our friends, our habits, our hobbies, our wants and our needs. For many of us, life is a busy thing that we just don’t have the time to interupt.

But then when trials come in our life, we run – we hide – we pray – we call out to God to help us, save us, protect us, shield us. Like the psalmist calls out, God becomes our refuge.

But that is not all that is there is it?

God is More.

God is just not a refuge, but also our fortress. A refuge is indeed a place we run to when we are scared, under attack, or just can’t take it anymore. But a fortress is a place to reside, a place to live, a place to remain.

We are not called to just run to God when times are tough, or worse, when all else fails. But we are called to live in the presence of God.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

So yes, life is busy. But we need to live our life in the presence of God. We need to trust in God as our fortress and our refuge – not just a place to run to when our own strength finally fails us.

(Photo flickr\sologenesis)

The God of Comfort – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (HCSB)
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is experienced in your endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort.

Welcome back to Delving into the Scriptures! Yes, I am still here. On a personal note, I have simply been very busy, and when not busy, taking time out either to recover or spend time with my family… But I am still here, still reading my Bible and finding things to share, I have just not had the time to share coherently! So over the next month or so posts will be irregular – normal service will resume no doubt in God’s timing!

One change you may notice is that I will be using more translations of the Bible from now on. Spending much time reading different versions, and also lots of comments about different versions, I’ve basically come to the conclusion that just as I write these posts to try and help myself and others better understand the Bible and our God, different versions can help with that. Some more literal versions such as the ESV really help with seeing how the words, sentences and paragraphs were put together, and help give an understanding. But other versions, such as the NIV and HCSB help bring out the meaning more clearly when ‘language equivalence’ just clouds the issue. Language and meaning changes – and since I don’t speak or read ancient Greek, I need to rely on those that have spent the time studying both the language and the Word to bring out what will not simply translate in words.

Moving on!

These verses really stuck out to me when I was reading them recently! Not because my bit of hard work and ‘busyness’ is an affliction – but I think it helps us to focus. Hard times are going to come to us all – and when they do, they accomplish God’s purpose.

When Jesus suffered, was punished, and was hung on a cross and left to die publicly for our sins, He did not shirk back from what He was called to do. He did not ask to at least be hidden. He did not call down a legion of angels to save Him from what was coming, though He could have without even speaking. He chose to suffer for our sake, for our cause, for our sins. He chose to suffer and die, publicly, for the stupid things we have all done in our lives.

So with that context, how can we expect any less?

And if we get less than what Jesus Himself faced, should we not think that a blessing, no matter how hard it is? I know suffering is hard, I know pain is hard, I know affliction and persecution is hard. But the things we experience do not compare to what our Lord experienced in just one day in Jerusalem.

And to add to all of this, for any suffering we receive now, we will receive comfort from God. That comfort may not come immediately – we live in a fallen world, and the time will come for all of us to pass away some time. Even those who Jesus healed of all of their afflictions have since passed away – a long time ago. But the comfort will come, and it will be infinitely more than any suffering we endure for His sake.

So take heart. If you are suffering, I am truly sorry, and I pray God will comfort you. And not only that, I pray when you are finally comforted, you can take that comfort to others in His name, and show them the love and heart of Jesus, the God who loved us so much He freed us from our sins by taking the ultimate suffering upon Himself.

Well Pleased – With What?

Matthew 3:13-17 (ESV)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

In my daily Bible reading (how are yours going by the way? Keeping up? I encourage you – keep reading daily! Do it!), I came across this verse last week. It has been a very busy week so I haven’t shared much, but this sat on my mind the whole time.

What was the Father well pleased with? An interesting question – and one which reveals a lot more detail that I first thought about.

Was God pleased that Jesus was being baptised, to complete all righteousness? I am sure that is part of it no doubt, but just part. You see, we know that Jesus was about 30 at this time (Luke 3:23). And what did Jesus do all this time up to the age of 30?

We know Joseph, Mary’s husband, was a carpenter. There is a good chance Jesus spent some time then as a carpenter, and certainly spent time ‘in the workshop’ with Joseph.

We know Jesus had at least other brothers, so He was an older brother to them.

We know Jesus had a miraculous birth and moved around a little as a kid, and certainly had a ‘different’ upbringing to many kids of the time.

And yet, in all of these things, He did not sin. Jesus lived a perfect life through all of these things, through all of this time. I’ve hammered nails and hit my finger – and I am sure there are times I’ve bordered on sinning when this has happened – and yet Jesus never did. Jesus had younger siblings – as the father of 2 wonderful children, I know how they can act towards each other at times. And yet in this, Jesus never sinned. I also moved around a lot as a kid and had a ‘different’ upbringing to many, which sometimes caused me to be singled out by others. This no doubt happened to Jesus – and yet He never sinned.

In 30 years of ‘life’, Jesus never once put a foot wrong.

Let’s be honest, our lives are so caught up in sin and this world that going a day, let alone a week without sin is something that is sadly rare. And yet, in 30 years, Jesus did not sin once.

No wonder the Father was well pleased.

So when you read through the limited accounts of Jesus early life, remember this – there is much more we don’t see. Jesus didn’t just appear on the earth at 30, or jump from 3 to 30. He experienced this life, in all it’s fullness, for those 30 years, and lived it perfectly. So when we look the Gospels and see Jesus running around doing miracles and preaching – and wonder how that can relate to our lives, don’t be discouraged! Know this – in those 30 years, Jesus faced every temptation, and overcame. That is why He can be our perfect mediator before God the Father, because He has been there, He knows how hard it is, and He has overcome.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV)
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Quality or Quantity?

What is more important to you – quality or quantity? I know most of us would respond that ‘it depends’.

So, what about the Bible – do you think reading great quantities of the Bible, or small areas in great detail is better?

Be careful, it’s a trick question…

Most of the encouragement I see in the ‘blogosphere’ seems to point towards quality. Take your time when you are reading your Bible. Spend time with each verse, with each word even, coming to grips with what God is saying to you. And really, there is nothing wrong with that advice – it is in fact good general advice – there is so much in there that even after years and decades of study, it will continue to bring new revelation to you, and bear new fruit in your life.

But sometimes, and this has happened to me in the past, we lose focus of the big picture. We spend so much time focusing on one little thing, one little verse, one little doctrine, that we forget what the whole book is about. We lose sight of things like God’s creation, we lose sight of the history of Israel and all that it can mean for us now, and we lose sight of Jesus and what He has done for us.

And so, I would encourage both. Quality AND quantity. Broad strokes and fine detail.

Take the time to meditate on a single verse, especially one that is grabbing you, where God may be speaking to you right now.

But also take the time to ‘read through’ whole sections of the Bible. Whole chapters, whole books even. And when you do, I promise you will be surprised – surprised how much we can also learn when we focus on the big picture of what God is doing had has done since the creation of the world…

The Kingdom of Who???

A funny thought has been going through my head the last few days.

Who’s kingdom am I building today?

It is an interesting, complex and challenging thought.

Am I building my kingdom, or God’s kingdom? Am I doing things for my glory, or His?

What am I here for? What am I doing, on this earth, today? What has God called me to do?

God has given us all common grace to enjoy our lives on this planet that He made. He instituted life, He instituted marriage, He brought into the world all of the good things we enjoy. So I am not saying we should all suddenly take a vow of poverty and fly off to a slum in India (though certainly some of us need to be there!).

During our days we have many things to take our time and focus. Our jobs (for those that won’t work shouldn’t eat – 2 Thes 3:10). Our family, especially those of us who are married, and even more so those of us with children. Our community, our churches. Let’s not forget our personal time with our God, that should be a daily priority for us all!

Yes, there is a lot for us to focus on, and we aren’t all called to go today to another land to preach the gospel and help the poor. But we also need to be honest – I am sure less go than are called. No, we are not all called to go (though we are all called to ‘go’ somewhere, just not all to a foreign land), but not all who are called do go – whether the call is to India or the house next door…

I am sure there have been thousands of times in my life that I was not where God would want me to be. He knew I would be there (because God knows everything), but that doesn’t mean He approved of it! More and more I am thinking of these things on a daily, even an hourly basis.

So today, right now, am I building the Kingdom of God, or the kingdom of Drewe?

Today, are you building the Kingdom of God, or are you too busy with your own affairs to worry about that today?

Matthew 10:37-39 (ESV)
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

That is a tough, tough verse. But what am I seeking? To find my life, so that I may lose it? Or to lose my life, in the service of Jesus, who is both God and my Savior, that for His sake I will find it.

Something to think about…

(Photo: flickr/meanest indian)