Nehemiah 1:1-11

Nehemiah was a man who lived on his knees. Whenever he needed guidance, strength, provision, or protection, his first response was prayer. Because of Nehemiah’s humble dependence, God was able to use him greatly to achieve His purposes.

This principle is still true for believers today. God can use us in the most awesome fashion if we’ll seek Him and make ourselves available. He has a calling for each of us and doesn’t want us wasting the opportunities He provides.

To follow Nehemiah’s example of dependent prayer, we must first recognize God as the sovereign Ruler of the universe (v. 5). Although He’s our loving Father and loyal Friend, we must never forget that He is also our high and exalted Creator whose holiness is beyond our comprehension. Never think of the Lord as “the man upstairs” or come into His presence in a frivolous manner.

Because Nehemiah respected the awesome holiness of God, he approached Him with confession, admitting not only his sin, but his father’s and Israel’s as well (vv. 6-7). We cannot hide, deny, or cherish sin and expect the Lord to hear and answer our prayers. Purity of heart and the power of God are linked. We need the sensitivity to instantly recognize when we’ve strayed, and the willingness to deal with sin immediately.

The reason Nehemiah stood so tall and strong was not due to his natural abilities, but because he developed a relationship of dependency on the Lord through prayer. The same can be true for you. Don’t rush into your day without taking time to enter God’s throne room to seek His guidance.

Swedish chemist Alfred Bernhard Nobel was once largely known as a maker and inventor of explosives. In 1866 Nobel invented dynamite, which earned him both fame and the majority of his wealth. At one point in his life he held more than 350 patents, operated labs in 20 countries, and had more than 90 factories manufacturing explosives and ammunition. Yet today he is most often remembered as the name behind the Nobel Prize, the most highly regarded of international awards for efforts in peace, chemistry, physics, literature, and economics.

In 1888 a bizarre incident occurred, which seemed to have afforded Alfred Nobel an unlikely opportunity for reflection. Many believe it was this event that ultimately led to his establishment of the Nobel Prize and subsequent change in his reputation. Alfred’s brother Ludvig died while staying in Cannes, France, but the French newspapers mistakenly confused the two brothers, reporting the death of the inventor of explosives. One paper’s headline read brusquely: “Le marchand de la mort est mort”—the merchant of death is dead.

I can’t imagine reading the headlines of my life written at the hands of my harshest critic, but I do remember laboring over an assignment in middle school in which I was required to write my own obituary. Some of the class was given the task of writing it as if they died well in their eighties; others had to write as if they died that year. The assignment was meant to incite reflection, and in most of us it did—particularly those of us who were designated early deaths. As in the case with Alfred Nobel, my premature obituary suggested headlines I did not want to live with; that I was the one writing them made this all the more sobering.

In a very real sense, I am still (as is each of us) the writer of my own obituary. But I am no longer thinking about the words and headlines in the way I was thinking about them in middle school. As I struggled to find the words, it seemed I had so little with which to work—no graduations, no family, no accomplishments worth mentioning, no overarching purpose for my life. I was imagining all the things I had not done and feeling quite insignificant about the things I had. At that point in time, it seemed clear that a few more years were necessary in order to make a meaningful headline.

Today I realize that a life well lived is not about time at all. The writers of Scripture seem less concerned with the reputation we leave behind as they are with the reputation we are moving toward. “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness” before people, to be seen by them.  If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). There is the sense that our hearts hold the words of an obituary that no one here will fully see. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

The headlines we write on earth are printed on pages that will eventually fade and crumble. But there is one who reads the words imprinted across our hearts, engraved on the lives we have affected, stored up as treasures in a greater kingdom. As he stood with his tempter high on a mountain taking in the kingdoms of the world and all of the splendor that was being offered to him, Jesus considered the reputation of God and not his own. As he hung on the Cross, scorning its shame, he took death instead of glory; he bore the disgrace of man instead of the splendor of God.  His obituary was insignificant to all but a few.  And then he rose from the grave, forever rewriting the headlines of all who would believe.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Morning  “Pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.” /
Song of Solomon 7:13

The spouse desires to give to Jesus all that she produces. Our heart has “all
manner of pleasant fruits,” both “old and new,” and they are laid up for our
Beloved. At this rich autumnal season of fruit, let us survey our stores. We
have new fruits. We desire to feel new life, new joy, new gratitude; we wish
to make new resolves and carry them out by new labours; our heart blossoms
with new prayers, and our soul is pledging herself to new efforts. But we have
some old fruits too. There is our first love: a choice fruit that! and Jesus
delights in it. There is our first faith: that simple faith by which, having
nothing, we became possessors of all things. There is our joy when first we
knew the Lord: let us revive it. We have our old remembrances of the promises.
How faithful has God been! In sickness, how softly did he make our bed! In
deep waters, how placidly did he buoy us up! In the flaming furnace, how
graciously did he deliver us. Old fruits, indeed! We have many of them, for
his mercies have been more than the hairs of our head. Old sins we must
regret, but then we have had repentances which he has given us, by which we
have wept our way to the cross, and learned the merit of his blood. We have
fruits, this morning, both new and old; but here is the point–they are all
laid up for Jesus. Truly, those are the best and most acceptable services in
which Jesus is the solitary aim of the soul, and his glory, without any
admixture whatever, the end of all our efforts. Let our many fruits be laid up
only for our Beloved; let us display them when he is with us, and not hold
them up before the gaze of men. Jesus, we will turn the key in our garden
door, and none shall enter to rob thee of one good fruit from the soil which
thou hast watered with thy bloody sweat. Our all shall be thine, thine only, O
Jesus, our Beloved!

Evening  “He will give grace and glory.” / Psalm 84:11

Bounteous is Jehovah in his nature; to give is his delight. His gifts are
beyond measure precious, and are as freely given as the light of the sun. He
gives grace to his elect because he wills it, to his redeemed because of his
covenant, to the called because of his promise, to believers because they seek
it, to sinners because they need it. He gives grace abundantly, seasonably,
constantly, readily, sovereignly; doubly enhancing the value of the boon by
the manner of its bestowal. Grace in all its forms he freely renders to his
people: comforting, preserving, sanctifying, directing, instructing, assisting
grace, he generously pours into their souls without ceasing, and he always
will do so, whatever may occur. Sickness may befall, but the Lord will give
grace; poverty may happen to us, but grace will surely be afforded; death must
come but grace will light a candle at the darkest hour. Reader, how blessed it
is as years roll round, and the leaves begin again to fall, to enjoy such an
unfading promise as this, “The Lord will give grace.”

The little conjunction “and” in this verse is a diamond rivet binding the
present with the future: grace and glory always go together. God has married
them, and none can divorce them. The Lord will never deny a soul glory to whom
he has freely given to live upon his grace; indeed, glory is nothing more than
grace in its Sabbath dress, grace in full bloom, grace like autumn fruit,
mellow and perfected. How soon we may have glory none can tell! It may be
before this month of October has run out we shall see the Holy City; but be
the interval longer or shorter, we shall be glorified ere long. Glory, the
glory of heaven, the glory of eternity, the glory of Jesus, the glory of the
Father, the Lord will surely give to his chosen. Oh, rare promise of a
faithful God!

Two golden links of one celestial chain:

Who owneth grace shall surely glory gain.

The Lord bestows favor and honor.    Psalm 84:11

 God is wonderfully generous by nature; to give is His delight. His gifts are immeasurably precious and are given as freely as the light of the sun. He gives grace to His own because He wills it, to His redeemed because of His covenant, to the called because of His promise, to believers because they seek it, to sinners because they need it. He gives grace abundantly, seasonably, constantly, readily, sovereignly; the value of the blessings is doubled by the manner in which it is given.

Grace in all its forms He freely supplies to His people: Comforting, preserving, sanctifying, directing, instructing, assisting grace He generously and constantly pours into their souls, and He will always do so, whatever may happen. Sickness may come, but the Lord will give grace; poverty may descend on us, but grace will definitely be supplied; death must come, but grace will light a candle in the darkest hour. Reader, how blessed it is as years roll on, and the leaves again begin to fall, to enjoy this unfading promise, “The LORD bestows favor and honor.”

The little conjunction “and” in this verse is a diamond rivet binding the present with the future: Favor and honor always go together. God has married them, and no one can separate them. The Lord will never deny a soul honor to whom He has freely granted favor; indeed, honor is nothing more than favor in its Sunday best, favor in full bloom, favor like autumn fruit, mellow and perfected. How soon we may have honor none can tell! It may be that before this month of October has run out we will see the Holy City; but if the interval is longer or shorter, we shall be honored before long. The honor of heaven, the honor of eternity, the honor of Jesus, the honor of the Father—the Lord will certainly give all this to His chosen. What a wonderful promise from a faithful God!

Two golden links of one celestial chain:

Who owns favor shall surely honor gain.

Family Reading Plan    Ezekiel 34   Psalm 83

 Jonah 1:1-17

When Jonah ran away from the Lord, he probably thought he’d escaped an undesirable assignment. But rebellion never makes life better–or easier. Before long, he found himself in an even less pleasant situation: taking a wild ride inside a fish. Two things stand out in this story.

Jonah’s determination to get away. The reluctant prophet boarded a ship going in the opposite direction. Perhaps you’ve had the same problem he had: God’s plans don’t match yours. We can coast along with the Lord in sweet fellowship until the day He asks us to do something we don’t like. That’s the point at which our devotion to Him is tested. If you resist, He will allow a storm to rage in your soul until you submit to His authority.

God’s persistence in going after Him. As a prophet, Jonah was to speak for the Lord. That’s a commitment God takes seriously. When you read through today’s passage, you’ll notice certain actions the Lord took to help Jonah fulfill his obligation–though they’re not the kind we want to experience. He “hurled a great wind on the sea”(v. 4) and “appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah” (v. 17). When we resist God, He will put pressure on us to get our attention and bring us back to Himself. That’s how important we are to Him.

Rebellion carries a high price tag. We lose not only peace and joy but also future opportunities to serve God. Consequences can even reach into eternity. You wouldn’t want to stand before Christ, knowing that disobedience led to loss of eternal rewards. Begin now to obey quickly and fully.

I was on hold the other day trying to schedule an appointment for a hair cut. As I waited for the receptionist, I half-listened to the obligatory recordings. The announcer asked me to consider scheduling a make-over with my upcoming appointment and to make sure I leave with the products that will keep up my new look. (Apparently, when you have a captive audience of customers “muzak” is hardly strategic.)  But I was then caught off guard by a question: “What do the local communities of Chad, Africa, mean to you?”  The answer he offered was as immediate as my inability to think of one:  “Chad is a leading producer of organic acacia gum, the vital ingredient in a new line of products exclusively produced for and available at our salon.”

In a culture dominated by consumption, the commodification of everything around us is becoming more and more of an unconscious worldview. Thus, when we think of Chad, we can think of our favorite shampoo and its connection with our hair salon. The land where it came from, the conditions of its production, and the community or laborers who produce it are realities wholly disassociated with the commodity. Like soap and luggage, the nation of Chad can become just one of the many commodities within our consumer mindset.

As I put down the phone, I couldn’t help but wonder about Amos’s description of those who are “at ease in Zion.” How at ease do you have to be to begin to see the world in commodities?

In fact, at the time of Amos’s words, Israel itself was at one of its most opulent junctures. They had expanded their territory in more than one direction. Their winter palaces were adorned with ivory and their feasts were lacking nothing. They could be heard singing songs to the sound of the harp and seen anointing themselves with the finest of oils. It was in such affluence that the shepherd Amos proclaimed indomitably: “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria” (Amos 6:1).

Though unpopular words to voice, Amos’s omen is far from isolated in ancient Scripture. While Amos compares the drunken women of Israel to the fat cows of Bashan, Micah describes the rich as men full of violence, and Jeremiah cites those with wealth and power as those who grow fat and sleek. Likewise, in the book of Revelation, the church that God wants to spit out of his mouth is the one who has “acquired wealth and needs nothing,” the one who has not realized that they are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17).

As G.K. Chesterton once noted, “Alas, it is impossible to have any sort of debate over whether or not Jesus believed that rich people were in big trouble—there is too much evidence on the subject and it is overwhelming.”(1) The pervasiveness of this evidence makes for a rough entry into the ongoing debate about the morality of affluence among Western Christians. Like Chesterton, I am at times uncomfortably aware at whom the words of Christ were aimed: I am the rich Christian to whom Jesus speaks bluntly.

I am also among the crowd he takes the time and care to caution. Among his many words about money, Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

How then might we live in a world of affluence? How might we fight the all-pervading atmosphere of consumerism and the attitude of commodification around us? How might we learn again to see our neighbors when they have become invisible behind our mountains of stuff? There is good reason for unrelenting words against the greed that turns communities into commodities and souls into consumers. There is similarly good reason that Christ has called the poor in spirit blessed, for those who cling to the Father know it is God alone they can eternally hold. We were not made to be at ease in Zion any more than we were made in the image of commodity. We were made in the image of God.

This God we now faintly resemble never sleeps or slumbers, perhaps in part because the suffering among us never sleep or slumber. It is this God who calls us to follow and to deny ourselves, to consider the “treasures” that might block our vision of God—as well as our vision of our neighbor. There are none seen as commodities in the eyes of the Creator; there are but children with the eyes of their Father.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) As quoted by Arthur Simon in “What Was That About the Rich Man?” Books & Culture, March 1, 2004.

Morning “The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.” / Psalm
33:13

Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when
he is spoken of as stooping from his throne, and coming down from heaven to
attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love him, who, when
Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not destroy those cities until
he had made a personal visitation of them. We cannot help pouring out our
heart in affection for our Lord who inclines his ear from the highest glory,
and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner, whose failing heart longs after
reconciliation. How can we but love him when we know that he numbers the very
hairs of our heads, marks our path, and orders our ways? Specially is this
great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive he is,
not merely to the temporal interests of his creatures, but to their spiritual
concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the
infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by
thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, “Like as a father pitieth his
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Thy sigh is able to move
the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline his ear unto thee; thy prayer
can stay his hand; thy faith can move his arm. Think not that God sits on high
taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet
the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfect towards him.

Oh! then repeat the truth that never tires;

No God is like the God my soul desires;

He at whose voice heaven trembles, even he,

Great as he is, knows how to stoop to me.

Evening “Go again seven times.” / 1 Kings 18:43

Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have
pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible that
the Lord should be deaf when his people are earnest in a matter which concerns
his glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God, and
never for a moment gave way to a fear that he should be non-suited in
Jehovah’s courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word
was spoken but “Go again.” We must not dream of unbelief, but hold to our
faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from
Carmel’s brow, and if nothing is beheld, she sends again and again. So far
from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more
fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not abashed: her groans are
deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or
stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy
answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good
to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart
searching itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly
blows are thus struck at our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are
cleansed. The great danger is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing.
Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At
last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and
even so with you, the token for good shall surely be given, and you shall rise
as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of
like passions with us: his power with God did not lie in his own merits. If
his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood
with unceasing importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire.

And he said, ‘go again,’ seven times.   1 Kings 18:43

Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of response, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when His people are serious about a matter that concerns His glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God and never for a moment gave way to the fear that he would not be suited for Jehovah’s courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but “Go again.”

We must not dream of unbelief but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel’s peak, and if nothing is seen, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is quickened to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled but not crushed: Her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: Deadly blows are then struck at our corruption, and the sinful images are cleansed. The great danger is that men should faint and miss the blessing.

Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue to watch and pray. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain; and even so with you, the token for good will surely be given, and you will rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man with passions just like us: His power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing persistence, and it will be with you according to your desire.

Family Reading Plan   Ezekiel 31   Psalm 79

John 1:35-42

Andrew is the disciple known for bringing people to Jesus. Immediately after meeting the Lord, he introduced his brother Simon to the Messiah. Another time, when a great multitude was hungry, he found a boy with five loaves and two fishes and brought him to Jesus (John 6:8-9). When some Greeks wanted to meet Christ, Andrew and Philip made the introductions (12:20-22). This disciple never lost his enthusiasm for the Savior.

Andrew’s own conversion experience motivated him to let others know about the One who’d changed his life (1:36-37). How about you–have you lost the joy of your salvation? If your Christian life has become stale and musty, it’s time to remember what Christ has done for you and to ask that He restore your excitement.

In addition, Andrew longed to know the Savior and spend time with Him (vv. 38-39). The disciple’s example is a good reminder that sweet fellowship with the Lord isn’t supposed to end with devotional times. It should also stimulate a desire to share with others the joy we find in our relationship with Christ.

Finally, Andrew was motivated by his conviction that Jesus was the Messiah (v. 41). He’d found the answer for a lost and hurting world and wanted others to know.

When Andrew answered the call to discipleship, Jesus told him he’d be “catching men” instead of fish (Luke 5:10). Since we, too, are followers of Christ, we have this same assignment. Our styles and opportunities vary, but we’re each responsible to develop a lifelong habit of bringing others to Jesus.

Every culture or era has its own way of defining issues that invoke shame and guilt. These are connected, but different. Guilt is a feeling associated with things done or not done. Shame has a much deeper and wider impact. It is, in a sense, a deep embarrassment about who we are. It is an almost visceral contempt for some act or behavior that leaves you feeling disgust, contempt, or humiliation…at yourself.

 In 2 Timothy 1:8, the Apostle Paul tells the young Timothy, not to be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus. The apostle understood the pressure against telling others about Jesus, the cultural dynamics that militate against boldness, and the real dangers and threats from militant traditional Jewish audiences or hostile Roman Imperial authorities. The dangers were many, and as we know from the history of the early church, they were real.

 One danger, however, that I’m fairly sure they did not face was the pressure to be “nice.” What do I mean? In our time, we have lived through the expansion of the market, the explosion of media influence, and what Philip Rieff of Chicago University calls “the triumph of the therapeutic.” We are immersed in values and visions of the good life, which we inculcate with almost every breath that we breathe. It is a cultural moment where looking good and feeling good are paramount, and anything that threatens, disturbs, or challenges the cultural value-setters is ruled out of court.

 I am not suggesting that following these values is a conscious choice for many, but I would propose it is the default setting of most lives in our comfort-driven, convenience-laden moment. Our internal radar system is fixed on the maximization of pleasure and the minimization of pain. We simply “know” that certain things, difficult things, and yes, even some good things, are just too much to ask in our context.

 For instance, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel…” Well, maybe for some people. “Be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in you…”  But they may think I’m a fanatic, or worse, some kind of religious nut. Anyway, the doors of the church are open and we have a special speaker on Sunday. They can come if they want to (or not). I can’t jeopardize my status, my peace, my equilibrium, and thereby risk becoming not “nice.”

 I must confess it is hard for me to envision the apostle Paul worrying excessively about not being “nice.” It is equally difficult if I consider others who risked reputation or safety to speak of the God they found. They were not rude, belligerent, ugly, or unnecessarily aggressive. They were clear, confident, compassionate, and courageous. At stake were some key issues for all of the above, the importance of truth, and the necessity of obedience. The Christian story is not advice, a set of ideas, or a moral exhortation for those who happen to like such things.

 Perhaps you’ve never reflected on whether your sincere desire to be “nice” undermines any expression of belief or disbelief. If you are effectively stopped by an internal dialogue that insists the need to be nice trumps all other goods or needs, perhaps it is time to seek afresh, resist that voice, break the hold of bad ideas, and step out in faith and obedience and do or say what is needed.

 There are worse things in life, after all, than not being nice! Perhaps being without Jesus is one of them?

Stuart McAllister is vice president of training and special projects at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Morning “Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord!”
/ Deuteronomy 33:29

He who affirms that Christianity makes men miserable, is himself an utter
stranger to it. It were strange indeed, if it made us wretched, for see to
what a position it exalts us! It makes us sons of God. Suppose you that God
will give all the happiness to his enemies, and reserve all the mourning for
his own family? Shall his foes have mirth and joy, and shall his home-born
children inherit sorrow and wretchedness? Shall the sinner, who has no part in
Christ, call himself rich in happiness, and shall we go mourning as if we were
penniless beggars? No, we will rejoice in the Lord always, and glory in our
inheritance, for we “have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
The rod of chastisement must rest upon us in our measure, but it worketh for
us the comfortable fruits of righteousness; and therefore by the aid of the
divine Comforter, we, the “people saved of the Lord,” will joy in the God of
our salvation. We are married unto Christ; and shall our great Bridegroom
permit his spouse to linger in constant grief? Our hearts are knit unto him:
we are his members, and though for awhile we may suffer as our Head once
suffered, yet we are even now blessed with heavenly blessings in him. We have
the earnest of our inheritance in the comforts of the Spirit, which are
neither few nor small. Inheritors of joy forever, we have foretastes of our
portion. There are streaks of the light of joy to herald our eternal
sunrising. Our riches are beyond the sea; our city with firm foundations lies
on the other side the river; gleams of glory from the spirit-world cheer our
hearts, and urge us onward. Truly is it said of us, “Happy art thou, O Israel;
who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord?”

Evening  “My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.” / Song of Solomon 5:4

Knocking was not enough, for my heart was too full of sleep, too cold and
ungrateful to arise and open the door, but the touch of his effectual grace
has made my soul bestir itself. Oh, the longsuffering of my Beloved, to tarry
when he found himself shut out, and me asleep upon the bed of sloth! Oh, the
greatness of his patience, to knock and knock again, and to add his voice to
his knockings, beseeching me to open to him! How could I have refused him!
Base heart, blush and be confounded! But what greatest kindness of all is
this, that he becomes his own porter and unbars the door himself. Thrice
blessed is the hand which condescends to lift the latch and turn the key. Now
I see that nothing but my Lord’s own power can save such a naughty mass of
wickedness as I am; ordinances fail, even the gospel has no effect upon me,
till his hand is stretched out. Now, also, I perceive that his hand is good
where all else is unsuccessful, he can open when nothing else will. Blessed be
his name, I feel his gracious presence even now. Well may my bowels move for
him, when I think of all that he has suffered for me, and of my ungenerous
return. I have allowed my affections to wander. I have set up rivals. I have
grieved him. Sweetest and dearest of all beloveds, I have treated thee as an
unfaithful wife treats her husband. Oh, my cruel sins, my cruel self. What can
I do? Tears are a poor show of my repentance, my whole heart boils with
indignation at myself. Wretch that I am, to treat my Lord, my All in All, my
exceeding great joy, as though he were a stranger. Jesus, thou forgivest
freely, but this is not enough, prevent my unfaithfulness in the future. Kiss
away these tears, and then purge my heart and bind it with sevenfold cords to
thyself, never to wander more.

My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.    Song of Songs 5:4

 Knocking was not enough, for my heart was too full of sleep, too cold and ungrateful to rise and open the door; but the touch of His effectual grace has caused my soul to stir. How patient of my Beloved to wait when He found Himself shut out, and me asleep upon the bed of indolence! How great His patience to knock and knock again, and to add His voice to His knockings, beseeching me to open to Him! How could I have refused Him! My heart is base; I blush and without excuse!

But the greatest kindness of all is this, that He becomes His own porter and unlocks the door Himself. Blessed is the hand that condescends to lift the latch and turn the key. Now I see that nothing but my Lord’s own power can save such a naughty mass of wickedness as I am; ordinances fail, and even the Gospel has no effect upon me, until His hand is stretched out. I also see that His hand is good where everything else is unsuccessful; He can open when nothing else will. Blessed be His name, I feel His gracious presence even now. Well may my heart be thrilled within me when I think of all that He has suffered for me and of my ungenerous response.

I have allowed my affections to wander. I have tolerated rivals. I have grieved Him. Sweetest and dearest of all lovers, I have treated You as an unfaithful wife treats her husband. Oh, my cruel sins, my cruel self. What can I do? Tears are a poor evidence of my repentance; my whole heart palpitates with indignation at myself. I am wretched to treat my Lord, my All in All, my exceeding great joy, as though He were a stranger. Jesus, You freely forgive, but this is not enough; prevent my unfaithfulness in the future. Kiss away these tears, and then purge my heart and bind it with sevenfold cords to Yourself, so that I may never wander from You again.

Family Reading Plan   Ezekiel 30   Psalm 78

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Many people think about the last years of life as an opportunity to just relax. But this does not align with God’s purpose for us; He wants us to serve Him all the days of our lives.

Let’s look at the apostle Paul’s journey and explore what it means to finish well. He spent time pouring into others until the very end of his life. Consider the letters he wrote to Timothy from a prison cell prior to being executed. In every season of life, God calls us to serve others.

And notice how, when writing about his life, the apostle chose words descriptive of a battle. He understood the human struggle against sin as well as the challenges of pain and persecution in the trials we all face–even in doing kingdom work like preaching Christ to a fiercely resistant society.

This godly servant’s life was also marked by surrender. His mindset is obvious in these words: “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Rom. 12:1). He was not afraid of Nero, nor was he struggling to stay alive. Paul trusted God to determine everything about his life, including where he would go, what he would do, and when he would die. Death did not scare him, because he knew he would dwell with Jesus forever.

God doesn’t require our lives to be perfect in order to finish strong. We can live life fully and be ready to meet our Maker by surrendering, walking victoriously with Christ, and serving others. If Jesus called you home today, would you–like Paul–be confident that you lived well until the end?

 Ballet lost some of its wonder when it was explained. It was a class that was supposed to lift my mind, lighten my spirit, and boost my grade point average. Instead it became a one-credit nightmare: a class dedicated to dissecting moves I could not duplicate, within a semester that seemed to slowly dismember my romantic fascination with dance.

 Explanations sometimes have a way of leaving their questioners with a sense of loss. Students note this phenomenon regularly. Expounded principles of light refraction and water particles seem to explain away the rainbow, or at least some of its mystique. Air pressure, gravity, and the laws of physics deconstruct the optical mystery of the curve ball. Knowledge and experience can ironically leave us with a sense of disappointment or disenchantment. 

 I recently read an article that scientifically explained the glow of a firefly. The author noted the nerves and chemical compounds that make the “fire” possible, pointing out that it is merely a signal used for mating and is in fact far from the many romantic myths that have long surrounded it. As one who delights in the stories of science but simultaneously a fanciful story before a sky ignited with bugs, I put the article down with a sigh. And then a thought occurred to me in a manner not unlike the description itself: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it.(1) Where nerves and photocytes seem to explain away the glow of the firefly, have we any more erased the miracle of light? 

 However accurate or inaccurate our explanations might be, they sometimes have a way of leading us to short-sighted conclusions. They have also led us to outright incongruity. Brilliant minds try with great effort to define humanity as an impersonal collocation of matter, an adult germ in a vast cosmic machine. We have brusquely described life as a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing, only to claim that this should not lead us to despair. We have declared our appetites and our reason the gods of a better religion, while insisting both God and religion to be an invention of the human psyche. We scoff at the notion of a savior who frees the captive or restores the fallen, while maintaining we live with every qualification for human dignity, distinction, and freedom. Are these even realistic applications of our own philosophies? Do the explanations warrant the conclusions? 

 On the contrary, we seem to undermine our own mines. Why should a tale told by an idiot have players of any intrinsic value? Why would an impersonal, cosmic accident see herself as a personal, relational being worthy of dignity? What we are attempting to explain away in one sentence, we are arguing for in the next. 

 Explanations need not always lead us to the conclusion that all is lost. But neither should our explanations lead us to conclusions that contradict our own accounts. Thankfully, in both cases, there are times in life where we find, like Job, that we have spoken out of turn and discover there may be more to the story. Sitting through the whirlwind of God’s own 63 questions, Job exclaims: “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

Ever thankfully, I believe there is invitation that both invites great disclosures and discloses in great mystery. “Call to me,” the God of wisdom tells the prophet and the people. “And I will answer you and tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” The presence of light can be overlooked, but it cannot be explained away. Can we any more explain away the presence of God?

 Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

 (1) John 1:5.

Morning  “The myrtle trees that were in the bottom.” / Zechariah 1:8

The vision in this chapter describes the condition of Israel in Zechariah’s
day; but being interpreted in its aspect towards us, it describes the Church
of God as we find it now in the world. The Church is compared to a myrtle
grove flourishing in a valley. It is hidden, unobserved, secreted; courting no
honour and attracting no observation from the careless gazer. The Church, like
her head, has a glory, but it is concealed from carnal eyes, for the time of
her breaking forth in all her splendour is not yet come. The idea of tranquil
security is also suggested to us: for the myrtle grove in the valley is still
and calm, while the storm sweeps over the mountain summits. Tempests spend
their force upon the craggy peaks of the Alps, but down yonder where flows the
stream which maketh glad the city of our God, the myrtles flourish by the
still waters, all unshaken by the impetuous wind. How great is the inward
tranquility of God’s Church! Even when opposed and persecuted, she has a peace
which the world gives not, and which, therefore, it cannot take away: the
peace of God which passeth all understanding keeps the hearts and minds of
God’s people. Does not the metaphor forcibly picture the peaceful, perpetual
growth of the saints? The myrtle sheds not her leaves, she is always green;
and the Church in her worst time still hath a blessed verdure of grace about
her; nay, she has sometimes exhibited most verdure when her winter has been
sharpest. She has prospered most when her adversities have been most severe.
Hence the text hints at victory. The myrtle is the emblem of peace, and a
significant token of triumph. The brows of conquerors were bound with myrtle
and with laurel; and is not the Church ever victorious? Is not every Christian
more than a conqueror through him that loved him? Living in peace, do not the
saints fall asleep in the arms of victory?

Evening   “Howl, fir tree, for the cedar is fallen.” / Zechariah 11:2

When in the forest there is heard the crash of a falling oak, it is a sign
that the woodman is abroad, and every tree in the whole company may tremble
lest to-morrow the sharp edge of the axe should find it out. We are all like
trees marked for the axe, and the fall of one should remind us that for every
one, whether great as the cedar, or humble as the fir, the appointed hour is
stealing on apace. I trust we do not, by often hearing of death, become
callous to it. May we never be like the birds in the steeple, which build
their nests when the bells are tolling, and sleep quietly when the solemn
funeral peals are startling the air. May we regard death as the most weighty
of all events, and be sobered by its approach. It ill behoves us to sport
while our eternal destiny hangs on a thread. The sword is out of its
scabbard–let us not trifle; it is furbished, and the edge is sharp–let us
not play with it. He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary
fool, he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the
garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound
thereof.

Be ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly
world least expects him. See to it that thou be faithful in his work, for the
grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children
are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready,
men of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve
God with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon
be ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the
body, whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the
tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the
gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant”

Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen.   Zechariah 11:2

 When in the forest there is heard the crash of a falling oak, it is a sign that the woodman is around, and every tree in the whole company may tremble lest tomorrow the sharp edge of the axe should find it out. We are all like trees marked for the axe, and the fall of one should remind us that for every one, whether as great as the cedar or as humble as the cypress, the appointed hour is fast approaching.

I trust we do not, by often hearing of death, become callous to it. May we never be like the birds in the steeple, which build their nests when the bells are tolling and sleep quietly when the solemn funeral peals are startling the air. May we regard death as the most serious of all events and be sobered by its approach. It ill behooves us to play while our eternal destiny hangs on a thread. The sword is out of its sheath—let us not trifle; it is ready, and the edge is sharp—let us not play with it. He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool—he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore and elm and cedar all hear the sound.

Be ready, servant of Christ, for your Master comes suddenly, when an ungodly world least expects Him. See to it that you are faithful in His work, for the grave shall soon be prepared for you. Be ready, parents, see to it that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they will soon be orphans. Be ready, businessmen, make sure that your affairs are in order and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your earthly service will soon be over, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body, whether they are good or bad. May we all prepare for the tribunal of the great King with a care that will be rewarded with the gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”1

1Matthew 25:21

Family Reading Plan     Ezekiel 29   Psalm 78

Luke 12:15-21

Death is inevitable, but at times it surprises us. Perhaps you know someone who died unexpectedly.

Today’s parable is a warning about such situations. It tells of a man who acquired comfort and wealth but thought only of his time on earth. Death came without warning, and he could take nothing with him. God called him a fool for living focused on “self.”

Though rich in the world’s eyes, the man had no relationship with God and hadn’t invested anything in Christ’s kingdom. All the treasures he stored here were worthless once he died. What’s worse, without Jesus, he would be separated from God forever. What a tragic waste of life.

As I think about this person’s choices, two questions come to mind that are important for all of us to contemplate. First, if you were to die today, would you go to heaven? Salvation is a free gift for those who trust in Jesus as the acceptable sacrifice for our sin. He is the only way–no excuses or even sincere beliefs in other “ways” will work. And Jesus promises that when believers die, they immediately find themselves in His presence (2 Cor. 5:6).

Second, what is your life accomplishing? Are you driven by selfish purposes, storing security and wealth for yourself? Or is your motivation to further God’s kingdom?

Like the man in this parable, we don’t know when we will die. We do know, however, that death is inescapable. Though dying is an unpleasant topic, eternity is a long time and worthy of our attention. It’s definitely a wise investment to make sure of your salvation and to invest in God’s kingdom.

 As a Christian writer and speaker, I am often asked what the most frequent questions are regarding the Christian faith. Of course, I am frequently asked questions of an intellectual or historic nature: Did Jesus of Nazareth really exist? Is his resurrection from the dead a historical event? How is one to understand the Bible as the Word of God? For some, the questions never go beyond intellectual curiosity or pursuit. For others, these questions need to be answered for constructing a sound apologetic.  

 For others, however, the questions come from the deepest places of the heart. They come because of personal experience with suffering of one form or another. Is there a God?  f so, does that God care about me, know me? If so, why does God seemingly allow so much suffering? When the fervent prayers of righteous men and women do not prevent the cancer from spreading, or the child from dying, or the plane from crashing, or the marriage from failing, these more existential questions come like water bursting through the dam. 

 Unfortunately, these questions are not unique to my ministry or this generation. They have been asked for millennia. The technical term for the theist’s problem with suffering is called theodicy. Theodicy is the word given in the seventeenth century by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, one of the great intellectual thinkers of the Enlightenment period.(1) Theodicy attempts to explain how and why there can be suffering in the world if God is all-powerful and loving. In trying to solve this problem, some thinkers have denied the omnipotence of God; God is all-loving, but not able to do anything about suffering. Others dispense of the notion that God is all-loving, at least in any conventional understanding. But, neither of these alternatives provides a satisfactory answer ultimately.    

 Intellectual wrangling over this problem, aside, the experience of suffering in light of both the goodness and power of God has caused many to doubt God, and others to walk away from faith altogether. If God does not prevent suffering, and if God does not care about the sufferer, then for some, the only alternative appears to be that God cannot exist in any meaningful way.

 The writers of Scripture wrestled with these questions too. Often, they provided different ways of answering these questions. Some believed that suffering resulted from sin.  Others believed that God causes suffering as a form of punishment. Still others asserted that suffering brings redemption.(2)

 In Mark’s gospel, a simple story about a boat caught in a terrible storm provides an altogether different answer framed around three profound questions. When evening had come, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat, most likely to cross the Sea of Galilee, in order to “go over to the other side” (Mark 4:35-41). In the course of their travel, a fierce storm arose suddenly and violently. It was so intense that the waves were not only breaking over the boat, but the boat was filling with water and on the verge of sinking. The gospel writer tells us that Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat and resting soundly when the disciples roused him with their fearful, first question: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”  Jesus seems to ignore their question their question, and instead answers the wind and the waves, “Peace, be still.” His exhortation to the natural elements of wind and water was nevertheless intended for the disciples as well, for he returns their question with a second question: “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” To which the disciples reply to one another with the ultimate question, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

 It is not entirely unreasonable for those who want to be followers of Jesus to think that because he is in the boat suffering will not arise. But suffering does come, and the wind roars around and the sky turns black, and the storm of all storms appears to envelop all in darkness and terror. Jesus, don’t you care that we are perishing becomes an incredulous for all who would wish for immunity from the troubles of life. But Jesus’s answer reminds us that faith does not insulate us from life’s storms. Indeed, as noted author Craig Barnes has written “Faith…has little to do with our doctrines or even with our belief that Jesus could come up with a miracle if he would only pay attention. Faith has everything to do with seeing that…the Savior [is] on board“(3) 

 In the midst of difficult and often unending questions about suffering, Jesus is there in the midst of the storm of doubt, in the tumultuous waves of despair, in the gale-force winds of defeat. He rests in the assurance of God’s care in the storm. His presence with the disciples in the storm tells us more about who he is–neither removed from suffering, nor always preventing suffering–then why we suffer.  “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” 

 Margaret Manning is a member of the writing and speaking team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.

 (1) Bart Ehrman, God’s Problem (New York: HarperOne, 2008), 8.
(2) See for examples Proverbs 3:33, “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the abode of the righteous”; Amos 4:1-3, “[Y]ou cows of Bashan who oppress the poor, who crush the needy…the Lord God has sworn in his holiness: the time is surely coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks”; and Isaiah 53, the redemption by the suffering Servant.
(3) M. Craig Barnes, When God Interrupts (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 138.

 Morning   “Just, and the justifier of him which believeth.” / Romans 3:26

 Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Conscience accuses no

longer. Judgment now decides for the sinner instead of against him. Memory

looks back upon past sins, with deep sorrow for the sin, but yet with no dread

of any penalty to come; for Christ has paid the debt of his people to the last

jot and tittle, and received the divine receipt; and unless God can be so

unjust as to demand double payment for one debt, no soul for whom Jesus died

as a substitute can ever be cast into hell. It seems to be one of the very

principles of our enlightened nature to believe that God is just; we feel that

it must be so, and this gives us our terror at first; but is it not marvellous

that this very same belief that God is just, becomes afterwards the pillar of

our confidence and peace! If God be just, I, a sinner, alone and without a

substitute, must be punished; but Jesus stands in my stead and is punished for

me; and now, if God be just, I, a sinner, standing in Christ, can never be

punished. God must change his nature before one soul, for whom Jesus was a

substitute, can ever by any possibility suffer the lash of the law. Therefore,

Jesus having taken the place of the believer–having rendered a full

equivalent to divine wrath for all that his people ought to have suffered as

the result of sin, the believer can shout with glorious triumph, “Who shall

lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” Not God, for he hath justified;

not Christ, for he hath died, “yea rather hath risen again.” My hope lives not

because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my

trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, he is my righteousness. My

faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what

Christ is, in what he has done, and in what he is now doing for me. On the

lion of justice the fair maid of hope rides like a queen.

Evening  “Who of God is made unto us wisdom.” / 1 Corinthians 1:30

 Man’s intellect seeks after rest, and by nature seeks it apart from the Lord

Jesus Christ. Men of education are apt, even when converted, to look upon the

simplicities of the cross of Christ with an eye too little reverent and

loving. They are snared in the old net in which the Grecians were taken, and

have a hankering to mix philosophy with revelation. The temptation with a man

of refined thought and high education is to depart from the simple truth of

Christ crucified, and to invent, as the term is, a more intellectual doctrine.

This led the early Christian churches into Gnosticism, and bewitched them with

all sorts of heresies. This is the root of Neology, and the other fine things

which in days gone by were so fashionable in Germany, and are now so ensnaring

to certain classes of divines. Whoever you are, good reader, and whatever your

education may be, if you be the Lord’s, be assured you will find no rest in

philosophizing divinity. You may receive this dogma of one great thinker, or

that dream of another profound reasoner, but what the chaff is to the wheat,

that will these be to the pure word of God. All that reason, when best guided,

can find out is but the A B C of truth, and even that lacks certainty, while

in Christ Jesus there is treasured up all the fulness of wisdom and knowledge.

All attempts on the part of Christians to be content with systems such as

Unitarian and Broad-church thinkers would approve of, must fail; true heirs of

heaven must come back to the grandly simple reality which makes the

ploughboy’s eye flash with joy, and gladens the pious pauper’s heart–“Jesus

Christ came into the world to save sinners.” Jesus satisfies the most elevated

intellect when he is believingly received, but apart from him the mind of the

regenerate discovers no rest. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of

knowledge.” “A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.”

Whom God made our wisdom.  1 Corinhians 1:30

Man’s intellect seeks for peace and by nature seeks it apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Men of education are apt, even when converted, to look upon the simplicities of the cross of Christ with too little reverence and love. They are trapped in the old net in which the Greeks were taken and have a hankering to mix philosophy with revelation.

The temptation with a man of refined thought and high education is to depart from the simple truth of Christ crucified and to invent, as the term is, a more intellectual doctrine. This led the early Christian churches into Gnosticism and bewitched them with all sorts of heresies. This is the root of unorthodoxy and the other high-sounding notions that in the past were so fashionable in Germany and are now so enthralling to certain classes of divines. Whoever you are, good reader, and whatever your education may be, if you are the Lord’s, rest assured that you will find no peace in philosophizing divinity.

You may receive the dogma of one great thinker or the dream of another profound reasoner, but what the chaff is to the wheat is what these notions are to the pure Word of God. Reason at its best can only discover the ABCs of truth, and even that lacks certainty, while in Christ Jesus there is treasured up all the fullness of wisdom and knowledge. All attempts on the part of Christians to be content with the systems that Unitarian and liberal-church thinkers approve of must fail; true heirs of heaven must come back to the grandly simple reality that makes the plowboy’s eye flash with joy and rejoices the pious pauper’s heart—”Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”1 Jesus satisfies the most elevated intellect when He is believingly received, but apart from Him the mind of the regenerate discovers no rest. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.”2 “All those who practice it have a good understanding.”3

11 Timothy 1:15 2Proverbs 1:7 3Psalm 111:10

Family Reading Plan   Ezekiel 28  Psalm 77