Emmanuel and The Patience of Job???

I am not sure why I was thinking about Job this morning. Perhaps it’s because my new "hobby" is learning the intricacies about all things horological. Say what? Horology is the study of watches or time keeping to be more general. So I have already spent untold hours watching youtube lessons, all manner of videos, blogs, chat rooms, and hands on trial and error for the most part dismantling these intricate pieces of mechanical engineering with a success rate--thus far--of around, uh ZERO. 

People who know me pretty well are stupefied to learn of my new past-time since it requires inordinate amounts of patience. Apparently that’s not the first quality that comes to mind with people who know me. Still it is not uncommon for me to spend 1-2 hours simply trying to replace one, that’s 1eensy beensy screw the size of a grain of salt (if that) and as much time trying to figure out where a particular part goes back. But I guess I would say this is not evidence of patience as much as it is a bull-headed perseverance to master something that is intriguing and rather esoteric.

So my mind wondered to Job and the phrase in my head I have heard many times in many contexts is, “That person has “The patience of Job.” But I thought, "Ya know for as much as I like the book of Job and know it pretty well, I don't believe I ever conferred "patience" to Job as a prominent quality.  I mean, Job repeatedly would "lose it" with his unhelpful friends and their less than sensitive counsel. And then Job really pops a cork when he has about all he can take with the crappy counsel of his pat-answer-peeps and runs his head endlessly into the wall of silence as the Almighty remains mute.

I can sympathize with Job's frustration and I admire his fortitude in persevering even in the absence of answers especially from His heavenly Father. But I wouldn’t call it patience. Endurance probably, stamina no doubt, and resolute passion for sure. But patience?  I'll tell you where we see patience.  We see it in the Creator of the universe as He quietly bides his time listening to every ignorant utterance blurted heavenward. Four chapters records Job's tirade as he gives the God of heaven and Earth a piece of his mind. Finally, God clears His throat, and I see Job's eyes bulging with his mouth agape.  "Uhhhhm what was that?" And he tries to swallow a hard lump forming in his throat.  Then the Lord speaks; not with answers but with questions!  A never ending-list which spans the depths of the oceans, the mysteries of the world, and the miracles of creation. And Job is shaken to his core.  "There is one Creator, and billions of particles of creation of which I am one. What was I thinking raising my voice to Him?" 

So the patience of Job?  Nah. Rather the patience of the Holy One who lets us snit and fume and rant, and rail yet He permits it, and even, in His time, gives us a peek.  A peek which may not be the clue we were hoping for explaining hard things, but the sobering realization that His ways are NOT our ways, nor are our ways His ways. And while the whole earth may shake and tremble under our feet, He is the Rock that never moves, never tilts, never collapses not even under the weight of our hubris and pride. Oh the glory of God come in the flesh. To God be the glory!

Christianity Today's Assault on Trump (3 min read)

Yesterday the outgoing editor of CT wrote a hatchet piece concerning President Donald Trump that was scurrilous on two counts. 1.  Since he had resigned as the editor this was one of those, "Now I get to write what I really think..." This reminds me of the pastor giving his resignation to his church and on his last Sunday using the sermon to blast everyone and everything he had been holding in for all his years.  2.  He presumed to speak for the late Billy Graham and what he would've thought about Trump. (A tad arrogant assuming the gift of omniscience...)  

That Trump has certain qualities that are annoying is beyond dispute.  But annoying qualities are not grounds for impeachment or I dare say, every president from Adams forward (Washington was perfect of course) could have been impeached. So the salient point for debate is not whether Trump is this, that, or the other, but has he broken any laws that permit impeachment and he has not which the Democrats know full well. This will become more evident in the days to come. 

But how can the Christian defend him much less support him? If one keeps their eye on the ball and not on the MSM, I would say it is the Christian obligation to support him.  Make a list of 5-10 moral, social issues that are important to and reflective of the character of God Almighty.  Off the top of my head in no certain order: murder of pre-born (and now post-born) humans, greed, homosexuality, sexual perversion and LGBTQ, transgender, strong military, fairness that goes both ways with allied countries, enforcement of all duly enacted laws, responsible freedom, a biblical work ethic, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of thought, and freedom of religion. Now make a list of the moral, social issues being highlighted by the Democrats. (I could end here.)

No one in my lifetime has even come close to what Donald Trump has accomplished most if not all of which in fact reflect the heart and mind of God.

Now--the Lord in His unquestionable omniscience and sovereignty is ultimately the One orchestrating the affairs of man. No we are not automatons, we have free will, but the Lord is never hampered by our sin natures or recalcitrance even as believers. That is, He is quite able to “get what He wants” without violating our “free will.” Example—A command is given for whatever reason, “Everyone must evacuate this room immediately.” A few have determined they are not going to leave. Behind the scenes however, the Lord of the universe desires everyone to leave so He sends a swarm of bees to fill the room. Voila—suddenly everyone now chooses to leave of their own accord. Silly perhaps but God really is in control. 

In the book of Daniel, we find a recalcitrant leader—King Nebuchadnezzar with whom the Lord has to deal in a strange way to bring him to the place where God Almighty wants him. I trust you know the story. What is resoundingly clear and the Lord wants to make clear to us, is that HE is the One in charge: Regarding the orchestration of the King’s heart the Word is written-- ""This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers, And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes, And sets over it the lowliest of men."" (Daniel 4:17)

It is instructive that this is repeated 4 times in this short book. Meaning what in the context of this current president? Throughout biblical history the Lord uses many unsavory rulers, leaders, Kings, princes, etc. to do His bidding. Sometimes because of their character but more often than not, in spite of their character. Sometimes they are faithful people, Abraham for eg. and David (talk about flawed…) and sometimes complete pagans—Darius, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Pilate, etc. 

So we need to endeavor to keep our eyes on the ball—the real ball, not the sleight of hand, illusory whiffle ball to get us distracted. What is the singular issue for America today (besides the obvious of everyone coming to Jesus) is demanding that the duly enacted laws of the land are enforced across the board. This is NOT the case today and not only in Washington. Solomon writes-- "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil." (Ecclesiastes 8:11) Meaning—The more evil is allowed to be practiced with impunity, the more wicked man will become. 

The REAL Christmas

Christmas—not the popular Christmas devoid of Christ but the “real” Christmas, you know, A Charlie Brown type Christmas. Where Linus, the smallest of the littles who, after the fashion of Isaiah 11:6, leads them to the “real” meaning of it all. What’s the hub bub all about?  The writer of Hebrews nails it.

"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."  (Hebrews 1:1-4)

In a little over 100 words, the open minded can see clearly just who the little babe in the manger is.  The One spoken of is not a phantasm, a spirit being, apparition, or an angel. He is profoundly, “God Incarnate” literally, God with flesh--fully God while being fully Man. He is not an iteration of God, a version of God, an inspired individual reflecting God, but in the words of Isaiah, He is Immanuel—God with us and there are no others like Him. The whole point of Hebrews 1 is to make it clear that Jesus is superior to any and all, above the created order being the Creator Himself. He is the FINAL Word to mankind.  In the words of singer song writer Michael Card:

“He spoke the Incarnation and then so was born the Son
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed and make a way Divine,
And so was born the baby who would die to make it mine.”

Which is why Chapter 2 begins “Therefore” meaning, consequently, in light of who Jesus is from chapter 1, "…we must pay much closer attention to what we have HEARD, lest we drift away from it."  (Hebrews 2:1)

This is the challenge of modern day Christmas—to stay fixed upon the Inspired, Infallible, Inerrant, Authoritative WORD of God who became flesh and dwelt among us.  

The Mythical Spiritual Realm...

One of the tenets of life for the follower of Christ pertains to one's involvement in this "life." It is too easy, too common place for the Christ follower to relegate personal convictions to a "conscience closet" where it is contained at a personal level but never sees the light of day the rest of the time. Let's face it, that is precisely where the enemy of our souls and the enemies of Christ want us to keep our faith. Thank God there have been a few faithful "Lights" willing to be shown for the darkness to see--and at great cost. "A major theme for Dietrich Bonhoeffer was that every Christian must be fully human by bringing God into his whole life not merely into some "spiritual" realm. To be an ethereal figure who merely talked about God, but somehow refused to get his hands dirty in the real world in which God had placed him was bad theology." Bonhoeffer by E. Metaxas p. 361 The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity (Tate Publishing)explains.