What is Your Joy?

With two older parents facing grim medical problems simultaneously, I catch myself having a stray thought: what if I lose them both at the same time? Could I weather that storm? 

Yes.  The answer is yes.  I would put one foot in front of the other and move forward.  But then I think about another question:

How long will it take me to be happy again?  How long will it take to find joy again?  Because without joy, life is terrible.  No—it really is.  There is too much suffering not to live your life surrounded by joy and hope and beauty every day.  And I do: I find joy in a great meal, great laughs, great family and friends, great work, great challenges, great accomplishments.  I find hope in children, young people, innocence, and good news.  And I am moved by the beauty of nature, whether the humble beauty around my tiny house, or the grandeur of mountains, beaches, deserts, the Mississippi, or a brilliant purple and gold sunset after a day of hard rain.

But where can you turn when you lose everything? 

“I will come to the altar of God, to God, MY GREATEST JOY…. Why am I depressed?  Why this turmoil within me?  I will put my hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God” Psalm 43:4-5.

I have not been there.  At 55, I am blessed to have both my parents, to have never lost a child, sibling, or best friend.  I know I am blessed.  But I have had a lot of practice with a lifetime of smaller disappointments, tragedies, and griefs.  I know Jesus is all that we need.  And when those moments come and we lean into Him, He will show us that He truly is all we need.  He truly is our JOY, HOPE, BEAUTY, and PEACE. 

Encourage yourself to find your hope in God.  He is your “GREATEST JOY.”  He truly is.

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The Fool.

Do you know any atheists?  Some have made significant contributions: Sigmund Freud (father of psychology), Stephen Hawking (physicist who wrote A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME), Ayn Rand (a libertarian/conservative writer), Karl Marx (inventor of Communism).  There are also famous agnostics: Thomas Edison (inventor of light bulbs, record players, motion pictures, and more), and Albert Einstein (physicist whose work led to the development of the atomic bomb which helped the Allies win World War Two).

These are NOT stupid people. These are geniuses, minds that come along once in a century.

So what do you make of these words from King David:

“The fool hath said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” Psalm 14:1.

Consider other translations:

“Only fools think there is no God”; “That man is a fool who says to himself, ‘There is no God!’”; “Only a withering soul would say to himself, ‘There is no God’”; “A wicked and foolish man truly believes there is no God”; “The unwise man said in his heart, God is not.”

So was Stephen Hawking a fool?  Or Einstein?  Or Freud?  To persist in unbelief in spite of evidence is to be foolish. The writings of Freud, Rand, and Marx (three who would have agreed with each other on very little) seem animated by anger at authority, at rules, at structure.  Anger and pride will keep anyone from recognizing God.  A proud person could look right at God and fail to see Him.  And were God to reveal His existence in an undeniable way, some on this list would recognize His existence, yet refuse to bow to Him. 

Faith is NOT rooted in intelligence—not even genius. 

FAITH IS ROOTED IN THE HEART. 

If your heart is proud, you will always be a fool. 

Even if you accept God’s existence, you will spurn His love and be not only unwilling, but UNABLE to kneel to Him.

The fool does not need reasons or logic or proof of God’s existence.  Persuasive arguments, no matter how brilliant, will never be enough.  The fool needs a humble heart, knees that will bend and a head that will bow. 

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Journaling for Faith.

In high school I kept a “visual journal” full of pictures (that I often drew during down time in class). The pics illustrated my emotions that day. When I got home, I would put them in a binder and write something to explain them. And the more I wrote—analyzing my troubles—the more I felt compelled to “get it together” and find a Biblical answer. Why? Because I was so spiritual? No, because I had put my complaints in writing, and if anyone ever read them, I wanted them to know I had found an answer. I did not want a written record of whining without a solution. So I always found a spiritual answer. This led to a lot of spiritual growth.

King David does the same thing: he begins many of his psalms with complaints and tears, but ends by reminding himself of his faith—of His amazing God Who is the answer. Look at Psalm 6:

“I am weak. Heal me Lord, for my bones are shaking, I shake with terror. Rescue me, before I die! Because I can’t praise you from the grave! I am weary from my groaning; with tears I soak my pillow and drench my bed every night, my eyes are swollen from crying, they grow old because of all my enemies.”

And then suddenly, David remembers God and his attitude changes:

“Depart from me, evildoers, for the Lord has heard my weeping! The Lord has heard my plea and accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed. THEY will shake with terror! They will turn back and suddenly be disgraced.” Psalm 6 (edited).

“SELF-TALK” refers to the things you tell yourself, advice you give yourself. Make it positive! Tell yourself to cheer up, to have courage, and to TRUST GOD. Consider WRITING your self-talk in a journal, because the act of writing will make you more hopeful, more full of faith. And no matter how severe your problems, do like David and CHOOSE FAITH. Choose to believe and trust God. IT IS A CHOICE.

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Read the Bible Creatively.

You cannot appreciate something thousands of years old without guidance.  An art teacher can help you appreciate the challenge of carving statues from marble.  A musician might point out advances in the way instruments were designed.  An architect might talk about the way ancient roofs were sloped to ensure snow did not accumulate.    

The same is true when you read literature.  When you open a Bible, you are digging into a text that is thousands of years old.  If you can find someone to guide you, listen to them. But when you are reading the Bible alone: USE YOUR IMAGINATION.  Ask yourself questions.  Why did he write this?  What would the first readers have thought he was trying to say? What emotions are hidden beneath the surface? And most important of all—every teenager’s favorite question: SO WHAT?  Why would God put this in His book?  Why would He want me to read this? What is He trying to teach me?

Another way to use your imagination is to put yourself in the passage.  For example, preachers sometimes read John 3:16 as “For God so loved me that He gave His only Son so that when I believe on Him, I will have everlasting life.”

Psalm 21 is a great song by King David in which he counts his many blessings.  But I think it is more meaningful to read it once as though you ARE the king, speaking about yourself (as David was).  So where David refers to himself with the third person phrase, “the king,” I am going to change this to first person, using “I” and “me”—

“Lord, I find joy in Your strength, How greatly I rejoice in Your victory!  You have given me my heart’s desire and have not denied the request of my lips.  For You meet me with rich blessings; You place a crown of pure gold on my head. I asked You for life, and You gave it to me—length of days forever and ever. My glory is great through Your victory. You confer majesty and glory on me. You give me blessings forever. You cheer me with joy in Your presence….” Psalm 21:1-6.

Never hesitate to ask hard questions and use some imagination when you read the Word.

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Not Just Any Songwriter.

Everyone should learn to write songs.  Teachers make children write poetry, stories, and essays.  But songs?  Perhaps songs are too difficult.  It’s not just the music—it’s the HEART.  A good song touches the heart of not only the writer but the singer and the audience.  David Allen Coe has the ghost of Hank Williams sing about it:

“Drifter, can you make folks cry when you play and sing?

Have you paid your dues?

Can you moan the blues?

Can you bend them guitar strings?

Said, ‘Boy, can you make folks feel what you feel inside?

‘Cause if you’re big-star bound,

Let me warn ya’ it’s a long hard ride.”

Coe sums up songwriting: “Can you make folks cry when you play and sing… Can you make folks feel what you feel inside?” 

King David could.  He wrote songs that have touched people for thousands of years. 

It’s as if David were the Shakespeare of songwriting.  No one in history will ever write as many songs loved for as many years as David.

And here’s the thing: he even wrote passionate songs praising KING SAUL.  That’s right. David was so humble before God’s anointed king, and so comfortable in his place as a servant to Saul (though David KNEW God had chosen him to be king after Saul), that David praised Saul in song after his death:

“How the mighty have fallen!…

Saul and Jonathan, loved and delightful,

They were not parted in life or in death.

They were swifter than eagles,

Stronger than lions.” 2 Samuel 1:19-23.

Could you write a song praising the man who had hunted you across the wilderness for years and years?  If not, perhaps you have a heart issue.  Are you humble? Are you a forgiver?

God, help us love people the way you love them, forgive the way David forgave. Make us humble, yet confident, and patient enough to wait on your perfect timing—just as David waited on you.

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Hands Off.

Saul knew God had chosen David to replace him, and he became obsessed with jealousy. David spent at least eight years a fugitive, running from a man who wanted to kill him.

How would you feel? What if one day while you and your men were hiding in a cave, Saul came in alone to relieve himself? Then one of your men encouraged you: “Now’s your chance. God sent Saul here so you could kill him.” What would you do?

David cut a corner from Saul’s robe—and felt bad about it. After Saul left the cave, David went outside and confessed, handing over the fabric. Saul admitted “God really has chosen you, for you are a better man than I, because you did not take my life.”

God allowed David a second opportunity while Saul was sleeping—and David stole the king’s sword and shield. Again, Saul recognized David’s good heart.

Finally, a man reported to David that Saul was wounded in battle and begged the man to kill him, so he did, and he brought Saul’s crown to David.

David said:

“How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed? … Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’” 2 Samuel 1:14-16.

David had the man EXECUTED.

Why? Because David respected the anointing. He would never touch the Lord’s anointed, not even when Saul was trying to kill David. He left the power of life and death in God’s hand. David never hesitated to kill. But David would NEVER touch God’s anointed.

The rule?

“Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.” Psalm 105:15.

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D.I.Y.–Do It Yourself.

I love DIY projects: build your own porch, re-pipe your house, remodel your bathroom.  But a man must know his limits.  Some things are NOT DIY projects.  For me that means, no, I cannot remove the .bb from the palm of my son’s hand.  No, I cannot remove 10,000 honeybees from the walls of my garage—even if they do sting me every time I mow.  No, I cannot set my own broken bones after watching a YouTube video.

The Do-It-Yourself approach can save a little money.  But most of us probably should not DIY our medical care.  The same is true for veterinary medicine: I’ve seen men trim hooves, claws, horns, even teeth.  And you can administer all kinds of drugs.  But there are limits.  When our horse Secret had a bad tooth, I never considered pulling it by myself.

The question is: when do you call in a professional—and when do you do it yourself?

One thing you can do yourself is HANDLE YOUR OWN EMOTIONS.  You can take responsibility for your feelings, your anger, depression, or discouragement. We don’t think of that as our responsibility.  More often, we blame circumstances for our feelings.  When we are angry, we blame the thing we are angry about, rather than admitting that we are responsible for our own anger.  David understood:

Emotion is a DIY project: it is no one else’s responsibility. 

Look at the way he talks to his own soul:

“Why are you in despair, o my soul? Why have you become depressed within me? Hope in God for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God” Psalm 42:11.

“the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea for help. The Lord accepts my prayer” Psalm 6:9.

“You will not abandon me to Sheol. You will not allow Your faithful one to see decay” Psalm 16:10.

Lord, remind us that we can usually fix our own emotions, first, by taking responsibility for them, and then by replacing wrong thoughts with right thoughts.

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Who Will Help You?

How desperate have you been?  Have you faced a terminal illness? Feared for your life? Did you think you would lose the house or your job or your marriage? Have you lost a dream or had to choose a new one? Been rejected by a close friend?  Stood on the edge of a cliff, one sudden gust from disaster?  Been followed on a dark night, terrified of what might happen? Faced a dangerous dog or snake or violent man, road-raging in traffic?

We all face different risks, different perils. Everyone will—and you will again.

The question is not whether you will face danger or death, but who will meet you there. Who will rescue you? Who can you count on in the worst moments of your life?

David experienced many, many dangers, more risks and perils, more enemies and wars than any hundred Americans.  And he knew where to turn when everything was on the line:

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains,

Where will my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

The Maker of heaven and earth….

The Protector of Israel

Does not slumber or sleep….

The sun will not strike you by day

Or the moon by night.

The Lord will protect your coming and going

Both now and forever”

Psalm 121:1-2,4,6-8.

Of course, God will protect you.  Of course, you turn to him when there is no one else.  So why don’t you turn to him in the smaller, more everyday moments?

“Just as you have trusted Christ to save you, trust Him too for each day’s problems. Live in vital union with Him” Colossians 2:6-8.

God, remind us to come to you when we face both the dragons and the nits.

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Mountains.

“I lift my eyes to the mountains.

Where will my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

The Maker of Heaven and Earth.”

Psalm 121:1-2.

These lines are well-known. You may recognize them from various songs. They convey the idea that when you are hurting and broken, you look to the horizon, to a place far from your current struggle, like snow-capped peaks that you know are several days’ journey away. You look to the mountains and pray and ask yourself who will help you.

And the answer comes: “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.” He is so much bigger than the mountains, the oceans, the rivers and forests. God is the One who created it all. He is your help.

And when you lean on Him, YOU will become as solid as those mountains.

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,

It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.” Ps. 125:1-2.

Do you trust God? Are you trusting Him with your problems right now? When you trust God, He can make you as solid as a mountain—and as sure-footed as the deer that scale the mountains. You will not stumble.

“The Lord is my strength,

He has made my feet like the feet of a deer,

And makes me to walk on mountain heights.” Habakkuk 3:19.

Pray. Dear God, remind us to ALWAYS bring our problems to You. You are our only answer, our only hope. Our help comes from You. You give us strength and faith and You will make us confident and steady as a mountain. In You, we cannot be shaken. Thank you that when everything around us falls apart, when everything else fails, You will never fail. You give us steady feet like a deer and You will bring us to the mountain heights where there is plenty of green grass. Thank You for being our Protector and Provider. We love You! Help us love Your word and study it daily.

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Pascal’s Wager: a Dollar Against a Million.

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, philosopher, physicist, and theologian.  Pascal made famous an interesting argument for the existence of God: PASCAL’S WAGER.  Imagine life as a bet.  Pascal says it may be difficult to prove the existence of God with reason, but because life is a wager, we should wager that God DOES exist.  Why?  Because if you and I make a bet, and I bet God exists and you bet that He does not, then when we die, if I am wrong, I have lost nothing.  But if you are wrong, you have lost everything. 

Think of it this way—if I follow the Bible and do my best to live a life pleasing to God, but at death discover there is no God, what have I lost?  I have lived a fulfilling, successful life.  But if you are betting there is no God, you will probably to live a life that is sometimes quite selfish and principled only as long as the principles continue to appeal to you.  If you then die and discover that the claims of the Bible are true, then you have lost everything. This is like betting with odds, and the odds are a dollar against a million—if I lose, I lose a dollar, but if I win, I win a million.

Psalm 128 reminds me of Pascal’s message to the believer—that even if there were no heaven, following God’s word will cause us to enjoy a good life HERE ON EARTH:

“How happy is the man who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways!  You will eat what your hands have worked for, you will be happy, and it will go well for you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in your house, your sons like young olive trees around your table. In this way the man who fears the Lord will be blessed.  May the Lord bless you from Zion, so that you … will see your children’s children!” Psalm 128:1-6.

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