Category: God

Posted on

The Dangerously Necessary Journey through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Sheep are vulnerable. Without protection they’re easy prey for predators. Without guidance they’ll break from the flock and find themselves lost in the wilderness. Without green pastures and quiet waters starvation is imminent. Without oil poured on an open wound infections will set in. Sheep are defenseless.

Valleys are dangerous. Predators hide in the shadows. Narrow paths make for treacherous journeys. Food and water may be scarce. Finding the sheep pinned in offers no escape route if attacked. With the long journey, sometimes you wonder if you’ll ever make it. Valleys are perilous.

Still, shepherds lead their flocks of sheep through the valley of the shadow of death. They must in order to secure greener pastures and fresher water for their flocks.

The valley of the shadow of death is a real place. Faith is challenged. Fears are exposed. Loneliness prevails. Danger is heightened.

We’ve all walked through this valley. You’ve been there and so have I. It’s never our first choice, but it’s an inevitable place to journey. Sickness. Death. Abandonment. Joblessness. Poverty. Backstabbing. Finances. Such a journey tests every fiber of our faith because every fiber of our faith needs testing.

When we find ourselves walking through the valley of the shadow of death, we remember how God’s rod and staff bring comfort. The rod was used to fend off predators, while the staff was used to gently prod and guide the sheep. With its hook at the end of the staff, it could be a rescue device for the sheep. Thus, with the Shepherd’s protective rod and staff present, the sheep will not fear the lurking evil.

When we find ourselves walking through the valley of the shadow of death, we recall how Jesus endured this same valley. As he prayed in the garden, he prayed for the cup he started drinking from to be taken from him (Lk. 22:42). Like sweat drops of blood, the anxiety took hold of Jesus. Instead of removing the cup, God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus (Lk. 22:43-44). While hanging on the cross, Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk. 15:34) to express the status of his faith. Even the Hebrews writer commentary on Jesus is that his suffering helped make him perfect for our eternal salvation (Heb. 5:8-9). So while we’re called to the valley, we walk a road he himself has walked.

When we find ourselves walking through the valley of the shadow of death, we recount the presence, not only of the Shepherd who leads the sheep, but also our fellow sheep who walk with path with us. The Psalmist is clear that the Shepherd leads the sheep. Shepherds have flocks, not a single sheep. Safety thrives in numbers. So we walk this path with the shepherd and with the flock, knowing many other sheep have come this way. We walk paths others have trod. We face the same danger. We endure the same struggles. We are on this journey together.

We are vulnerable and defenseless. The road we walk is often dangerous and perilous. But we are not alone. We have each other. We have those who have gone before us. And we have a Shepherd. And we are going to make it to greener pastures with fresher water.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

Posted on

Not Like a Tame Lion: Amos before the God who Roars

Aslan was leaving. Not forever. But he was leaving. Since Narnia was free from the White Witch and firmly secure in the hands of the Pevensie children, his role was fulfilled. At least for now.

As Mr. Tumnus and Lucy watched him leave, Tumnus explained how Aslan could not be tied down, how he enjoyed coming and going, and that he had other lands to oversee. Then Mr. Tumnus concluded, “He’s wild, you know. Not like a tame lion.” Lucy readily agreed, then added, “. . . but he is good.”

That C.S. Lewis crafted Aslan the Lion to be a Christ-like figure is beyond dispute. That Lewis painted a picture of a God who cannot be controlled or manipulated, but is feared and loved at the same time is the tension we experience. God is anything but a plaything, making the Lion image perfect for a couple of reasons. One, who isn’t tempted to bury oneself into the soft fur of a lion, while terrified of what a mauling might be like? We’re drawn to God’s love, grace and goodness, but respectfully fearful of his holiness. Secondly, the prophet Amos describes God as a roaring voice from Zion (Amos 1:2).

As God’s roar is heard, his words are dissimilated through Amos. Indictments ring out against the nations for their hostile crimes committed to the people. His holiness has been violated in the people he created (i.e. imago dei from Genesis 1:27). In his protective goodness he’ll hold the nations accountable. Here are the listed defendants and the indictments charged against them:

● Syria, if Amos is taken literally, committed war crimes by threshing the bodies of helpless people like one threshes or combines the wheat (1:3).

● Philistia captured, not just the military men, but also women, children and elderly then sold them to Edom, presumably as slaves (1:6).

● Phoenicia not only committed the same crime as Philistia, but blatantly broke and disregarded a treaty in the process (1:9)

● Edom, as expected, is charged with disregarding the same treaty. On top of that count, they let their military go unchecked by murdering without mercy or compassion like an animal ripping apart its prey. Some scholars believe they cut open the bellies of pregnant women (1:11).

● Ammon extended their borders by claiming land they had no right to, and in doing so, explicitly committed the same transgression Edom did on pregnant women (1:13).

● Moab violated a (possible) sacred burial place of Edom’s king, then dishonoring him and its nation by burning his bones (2:2).

● Judah rejected God’s law, unashamedly failing to keep his decrees (2:4).

● Israel’s sins: they sold the righteous and poor into slavery for money; they denied justice to the oppressed; fathers and sons (sexually) shared the same woman; they prostituted themselves before idols; they refused to return a pledge; and they drank wine taken as fines (this may either be an idolatrous or social injustice sin [2:6-8]).

God’s concern for the people of this world reaches beyond his chosen people. He’s invested in the lives of those we often deem “outside his fold.”

Such flagrant disregard for the humanity of people while justifying these atrocities aroused God’s holy wrath. Such unconcealed suffering in the victims’ broken lives moved God’s goodness to protect his creation. So the predators standing in the place of power who is responsible for committing these crimes will be held accountable for their actions. He will bring justice and make all things right. The prey’s cry for help will be heard by God who will act on their behalf. For God is not one who can be tamed . . . but he is good.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorifie

Posted on

A God, A Towel & A Parable

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him (John 13:3-5). 

The Kingdom of God is like a college student whose frustration with the dorm’s housekeeping was reaching an apex; the dorm was quickly becoming an eyesore. The carpets were not being vacuumed. The stairwell had not been mopped since the infamous Coke spill; the area was still grabbing your shoes as you walked by. The blinds and curtains hanging in the lobby were torn and tattered from the roughhousing. The bathrooms and community showers were marked by so much mold and mildew that the biology majors were excited about the possibility of gathering daily active, cultures. 

The student had hopelessly complained to his Resident Assistant. Either the R.A. was not doing his job or the filed complaint got lost in the bureaucratic red tape of the university. With no relief in sight, he took matters into his own hands by setting a meeting with the university president. With respect in his demeanor and passion in his presentation, he filed the complaint: carpets, stairwell, curtains, bathrooms, etc. The president listened like the student was a wealthy donor, and having clearly understood the deteriorating conditions, promised that he would ensure the student’s living conditions would measure up to the university’s standard.

Sure enough, the president was good to his word, as a beautication project wasa underway with the dorm. No one actually saw the changes being made, but they saw the difference. The blinds and curtains were cleaned, repaired, and some were even replaced. The stairwell was mopped and the Coke spill vanished. The carpets were regularly vacuumed. And since the bathrooms were cleaned, residences no longer saw the wide-eyed biology students.

Yes, for the rest of the semester, the dorm was clean. The student was satisfied and the former dilemma was distant dream, until one early morning. With finals behind him, he woke long before dawn for his drive home. As he walked into the bathroom, he saw a mop, bucket, and cleaning supplies. More so, he saw the university president wearing jeans and rubber gloves, bending over the commode to clean it.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(only God is glorified!)