In life's trials

Here are some quotes from Streams In The Desert that I find challenging and meaningful.

Speaking about this verse from Hosea 3:17-18; "Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Amazing and powerful words. A disastrous situation is pictured, desolation and emptiness yet there is courageous faith and a willingness to still rejoice in the Lord God. As one author put it these words are "worthy of being written forever in stone with a diamond tool". The Prophet declares that is time of distress he would flee to God; that he would maintain his spiritual composure; and that in the midst of everything he would delight himself with a sacred joy in God and have cheerful expectations of God. It is a faith to be desired and envied. Would that it be found in me?

"Who can estimate the great debt we owe to suffering and pain? If not for them, we would have little capacity for Any of the great virtues of the Christian life. Where would our faith be if not for the trials that test it; or patience, without anything to endure or experience and without tribulations to develop it?"

"The gifts of the fruit of the Holy Spirit do not automatically become evident in our lives. If we are not discerning enough to recognize their availability to us, to desire them, and then to nourish them in our thoughts, they will never become embedded in our nature or behavior. Every further step of spiritual growth in God's grace must be preceded by acknowledging our lack of godly attribute and then by exhibiting a prayerful determination to obtain it."

"Delayed answers to prayer are not only trials of faith; they also give us opportunities to honor God through our steadfast confidence in God even when facing the apparent denial of our request." Jesus of course said 'we ought always to pray and not lose heart' and 'to not let our hearts be troubles but to believe in God and in Him'.

The ESV Study Bible commenting on James 2:19; "Mere mental assent to the Christian faith does not save anyone. The faith that saves embraces the truth of the gospel and acts accordingly." Which is why James goes on to stress that faith with our works is empty, dead, futile. So commenting on verse 24 it says "For James "faith alone" means a bogus kind of faith, mere intellectual agreement to the gospel message without a genuine personal trust in Christ that bears fruit in one's life. True faith is never alone, but always produces work." As the Crossways Bible Study material would put it, "Christians do good works not to effect salvation but to reflect it."

Here are my seven key words this week from reading the daily lectionary selections:

grief

wait

die

delivered

talk/words

eternal

works

Joyce and I have been discussing eternal life. John 6:40 "This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in Him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day." The famous John 3:16 also gives us the promise of eternal life. So what is this life without end? I mean we think of all the meaningful and fun things we like to do in this life and declare that we will enjoy them forever in heaven. But how much reading, golfing, biking, jogging, painting, etc. can we do at one time. I think it would get fairly tiresome soon if all we did were our fun hobbies. And how much praising and singing to the glory of God can we do? Jesus says in heaven there will be no marriage so what will my relationship with Joyce be like? We assume we are going to know each other but how indeed do we know that? There must be countless numbers of people there. How will we connect with family and friends? And when we do connect, what then? Do we play cards and games, go on picnics and outing? Eternal life and eternity is far beyond what I can comprehend!

What I do believe about it is that God is present and sovereign over all of it and thus it will be good, great, magnificent. I probably should explore the topic further; maybe another time.

"But for now, may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)