Chaplain’s Corner – God’s Covenant with Noah (and You)

Jan25

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter1:3-4).

This year we are focusing on God’s Promises. As stated in the Chaplain’s Corner last week, there are two types of promises, or covenants: Conditional and Unconditional. Another way of stating these two types is Works-Based and Grace-Based. A conditional–or works-based covenant–requires both parties (God and Man) to perform. An unconditional–or grace-based covenant–requires only one party (God) to perform). All of the covenants that come after the works-based conditional covenant with Adam are grace-based. In today’s Chaplain’s Corner we will focus on the first of several grace-based covenants – the covenant with Noah.

In last week’s devotional we learned that because of Adam’s disobedience, the works-based covenant that God had made with him in the Garden of Eden was broken, and Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden.  By Genesis 6, just nine generations after Adam, we find that outside the Garden, the earth filled with corruption “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence” (Genesis 6:11). So, God determined to “…put an end to all the people for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth” (Genesis 6:13).

However,God had observed in Genesis 6:9 that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” God gave Noah instructions for building an ark, and then said to him, “But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you” (Genesis 6:18). God also instructed him to take representative animals along with food for all. “And Noah did everything just as God commanded him” Genesis 6:22). Note that even here, God is establishing the covenant by his grace, not on the condition that Noah had been and would be obedient, even though Noah did obey.

The rain came, and it was a catastrophic flood. “And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds…. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in. For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. (Genesis 7:12-17).

It was truly a global catastrophe: “Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.” (Genesis 7:22-24).

One year after Noah and his family entered the ark, they were finally able to come out of the ark onto dry land. “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: ‘Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even thoughevery inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease’” (Genesis 8:20-21).

“Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: ‘I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.’” (Genesis 9:8-13).

I know this is a lot of Scripture, but the words of God are so significant. Noah was a righteous man and he obeyed God in the building of the ark. However, never did God say, “if you will be righteous, then I will make this covenant with you.” Rather, God said “I will now establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you” to never destroy the earth with a flood.

He also promised the stability of day and night and the regularity of the seasons. Think about it, we can count on the fact that the sun will come up in every morning, and spring/seedtime will always follow winter just as autumn/harvest will follow summer, without fail, because God has promised this. God will preserve the world as he works toward keeping his promise to rescue humanity and creation.

Furthermore, every time you see a rainbow, it represents this “covenant between me and the earth.” This covenant is between God and each of us, because we are all descendants of Noah, and it is based on the righteousness of God Himself. The rainbow is the sign of this Noahic covenant with us.

Bottom Line: As we said before, all of God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. According to Got Questions, the lesson to us is that when we see a rainbow we should always be reminded of God’s faithfulness and His amazing grace. We should also be reminded that our God is a holy and righteous God who has a holy hatred for sin and who will not allow sin to go unpunished forever. Also, just as God provided a way for Noah and his family to be saved in the ark, He also has provided a way for us to be saved through Jesus Christ. Noah and his family were saved from the wrath of God that came in the flood, just as those who are in Christ are saved from the “wrath to come.”

This is one in a series on the Promises of God which started on January 4, 2023. In subsequent Chaplain’s Corners, we will continue to look at these promises and with them, the nature of our awesome God.

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – God’s Covenant with Adam (and You)

Jan18

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter1:3-4).

Look closely at the last part of the passage above: “the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” Do you ever wonder why people in the world must endure such devastating hardship: wars and disease; in fact from genocide to weeds in the garden and everything in between?

Last week, we started a series on God’s Promises. As stated last week, there are basically two types of promises, or covenants: Conditional and Unconditional. Another way of stating these two types is Works-Based and Grace-Based. A conditional, or works-based covenant, requires both parties (God and Man) to perform. An unconditional, or grace-based covenant, requires only one party (God) to perform).

Today’s devotional will focus on a works-based covenant between God and Man. In the beginning, God created the world, planted the Garden of Eden, and placed man in it. (Genesis 1:26-31). Then, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’” (Genesis1:15-17). In other words, God created man and put him in the Garden of Eden and told him he could have anything he wanted, except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If he ate of that tree, then he would die. This covenant was works-based because it required Adam’s obedience for his eternal life. And we know what happened. Eve, then Adam, ate fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and as a result, God banished them from the Garden of Eden and invoked several curses:

  • (v.14) So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life….
  • (v.16) To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
  • (vv.17-19) To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:14,16-19).

So how is this also a covenant with us today? The thing is, Adam was the representative of all mankind. So, when he sinned by disobeying God and breaking his part of the covenant, sin entered the world and corrupted all subsequent generations as well as the earth itself. Left to ourselves, our only end is death. That is why we say we are born with a sin nature. We suffer all kinds of problems with disease, weather, disasters, wars, crime, etc., and it all happened because Adam, in his disobedience, broke this conditional, works-based covenant. Adam did not keep his part of the covenant, but God kept his part.

And now for the good part. Remember from last week that God made an ultimate redemptive covenant. It is expressed in Genesis 3:15 (the missing verse from the Genesis passage above) – “I (God) am declaring war between you (Serpent/Satan) and the Woman (Eve), between your offspring and hers (Jesus). He (Jesus) will wound your head, you (Satan)will wound his heel (Jesus).” This is the first prophecy we read about in the Bible of a Savior, of God’s ultimate redemptive plan. And we know that Jesus fulfilled the terms of this works-based covenant, on our behalf, with when he consented to come to earth in human form, live a perfect sinless life, give his life as a sacrifice for our sin. As the last Adam, Jesus renders the perfect obedience God demanded of the first Adam (and each of us), and He atones for the sin of His people (you and me), removing God’s wrath. Even though Satan will get his darts in (“wound his heel”), ultimately, Jesus, because of His obedience to God’s will, defeated Satan (“wound your head”) and brought about God’s perfect plan.

That’s right—past tense. Jesus’ work is done, and we (you and me) are now living in the fulfilled promise. As the opening passage begins: “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature.” We will see that all of God’s promises and covenants, conditional and unconditional, works-based and grace-based, have been fulfilled in Jesus’ work on the cross. Praise Jesus!!!

This is one in a series on the Promises of God which started on January 4, 2023. In subsequent Chaplain’s Corners, we will continue to look at these promises and with them, the nature of our awesome God.

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:18-19).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – God’s Ultimate Plan

Jan5

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

The word “promise” is used 225 times in the Bible. Another word for promise is “covenant” which is used 332 times in the Bible. These promises or covenants imply a relationship between God and His Creation; however, before we take this up in subsequent Chaplain’s Corners, we should realize that our Creator God–God the Father–first covenanted with the other Persons of the Trinity (His Son and the Holy Spirit) about His Creation. God has always had an eternal plan for humanity that involves saving sinners. For example, even when the people of Israel were so idolatrous that God allowed the Assyrians to defeat them and the Babylonians to take them into exile, God promised them through the Prophet Jeremiah that he would rescue them and that He still had plans for them for a future filled with hope.

According to the terms of God’s redemptive covenant within the persons of the Trinity, God the Father chose a people to save. God the Son agreed to redeem this people through His life, death, and resurrection. God the Holy Spirit consented to apply the redeeming work of the Son to those whom the Father had chosen.

The Apostle John recorded Jesus’ words: “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

And as Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.…In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:3-4, 7-10).

When I ponder this act of God, I wonder why. Why did God create us? What was His plan? The Bible answers this question for us.

First, He created us to be image bearers. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

Secondly, he created us for His glory. “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” (Isaiah 43:6b-7).

I can hardly get my head around this. God created me to bear His image, for His glory! I do not feel very competent or successful in this endeavor. “But God saw all that he had made, and it was very good “(Genesis 1:31). God, in his infinite wisdom, declares his creation, including you and me, as very good!! And He has plans for us, good plans. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Our Creator God, our Eternal Father, is a Loving God who not only desires the best for each of us, but our Creator God has the power to bring it all about. “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:8).

In subsequent Chaplain’s Corners, we will study the promises of God, and with them, the nature of our awesome God.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Strongholds

Dec28

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” (Psalm 9:9).

The word “stronghold” occurs more than fifty times in the Bible. The Oxford dictionary definition of stronghold is “a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack.” That was certainly what David found when he first saw the city of Jerusalem. And then, David proceeded to further strengthen the city. “David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terracesinward” (2 Samuel 5:9).

Nehemiah also was called to fortify the city of Jerusalem after the temple was destroyed along with the city walls when the people of Israel were exiled to Babylon. It happened like this: “They (the Babylonians) set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there” (2 Chronicles 36:19). The temple was finally rebuilt when Cyrus of Persia came to power ((2 Chronicles 36:22-23). Nehemiah later led the rebuilding of the walls and gates surrounding Jerusalem. “So, the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God” (Nehemiah 6:15-16).

And something to look forward to when Jesus returns to lead us into the New Jerusalem: This city will have gates, but they will never be closed, for we will have no need of strongholds because:

  • There will be no night there (Revelation 21:25, 22:5.
  • Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27).
  • No longer will there be any curse (Revelation 22:3).

However, as we are awaiting that Glorious Day, we live in a time when strongholds can also have a negative connotation. While they may offer protection, strongholds can also represent a prevailing problem in your life, perhaps a sin you cannot seem to overcome. Paul speaks to these types of strongholds as mindsets or attitudes, “arguments and pretensions that set themselves up against the knowledge of God,” that can only be overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just like physical strongholds, these mindsets or attitudes can be influenced by the enemy, and they can be overcome and rebuilt with the help of the Holy Spirit to protect us against those same enemies.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

We see from reading the story of David that he was physically protected by God against his enemies through the provision of fortified places to stay—strongholds. But David also acknowledged that God himself was a stronghold, a place of protection for David from not only physical threats, but mental and emotional threats, temptations, and “the weapons of the world.” When you are under attack, call on God who will protect you, just as He protected David.

“He (David) said: ‘The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn[ (strength) of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—    from violent people you save me.’” (2 Samuel 22:2-3).

Many of us look forward to a new year with resolutions to do more, do better, kick bad habits, etc. And most, if not of us, fail despite our best intentions. As we, ever optimistic, make our 2023 resolutions, I pray that you will envelop all your plans with prayer and the power of God, that you will align yourself with His will and walk with Him in grace, peace, and mercy. I pray that you will, through the power of God and the counsel of the Holy Spirit, overcome the strongholds of negative mindsets and attitudes, and replace them with the stronghold of God, which we do by abiding in Him through Prayer, the Word, and Worship. I pray that 2023 will be known as “the year of the LORD’s favor” and that you will be successful in the eyes of God.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards,

and you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. (Isaiah 61:1-6)

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Advent: Love

Dec21

“… God is love” (1 John 4:8).

As we are celebrating Advent–the coming of Jesus—we have already pondered three themes of the season: peace, hope, and joy. During this fourth week, we ponder God’s attribute of love. Indeed, no other attribute describes the Trinity better than love. John writes that “God is Love.” It is his very nature. It is the nature of each person of the Trinity, and it is the very nature of the relationship between the persons of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

And for us, love also speaks to the relationship God has with us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Just think of it: God loves you!! Even when you think that no one else sees you, knows you, loves you. God does. God sees you; He knows you; He loves you. And he loves us with a purpose, which is to redeem us back to relationship with him. He is always inviting us to come to him.

  • When Sarai’s Egyptian slave Hagar got pregnant by Abraham, Sarai banished her to the wilderness. An angel spoke to her and advised her to return and submit to Sarai. “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” (Genesis 16:13).
  • To the children of Israel who were threatened all around by wickedness both within their borders and by hostile neighbors, God spoke through Isaiah to assure them that he knew them and their troubles: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine….Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you,… (Isaiah 43:1b, 4).
  • “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’” (Jeremiah 31:3).

And this beautiful quality of love is what identifies us as believers, as those who belong to the family of God. Love is more than feeling, it is an action. It is who we are and what we do.

  • “’Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (Matthew 22:36-40).
  • “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35).
  • “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

In this season of Advent, remember that out of His love for us, Jesus came the first time as a baby to become the sacrificial lamb, the sacrifice for our sins so that we could come before God with the righteousness of His Son. And let us look forward to Jesus’ second coming when he will return as King of Kings and LORD of Lords to lead all believers to our eternal life with God in Heaven.

Paul writes to the Corinthians in the famous “love chapter” about faith, love, and hope. He declares love to be the greatest of all. Faith and hope are equally great, and they sustain us while we are yet residents on earth. Love is greater because it not only sustains us in the here and now, but it will continue on to define eternal life. It is greater because it is everlasting.

The Bible uses earthly metaphors to describe our relationship with God and Jesus. For example, God is the Father, we are His children; Jesus is the groom, and the church is His bride. These are the epitome of a love relationship. We see this in Ephesians 5:25 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her….”

And then in the book of Revelation, these metaphors are continued: “Then the angel said to me, write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9). “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.’” (Revelation 21:1-6.)

We may not read the word “love” in these passages from Revelation, but we know that is what this is. May you experience the love of God here on earth and for all eternity.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Advent: Peace

Dec14

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).

What a fantastic prophecy, uttered seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah ministered in Jerusalem, the capital of Judea, otherwise known as the southern kingdom. The times were anything but peaceful then, or even when Jesus finally did make his earthly appearance as described by Luke.

In fact, you could say that peace had not been the ongoing state of Israel from the time that Adam and Eve had been evicted from the garden. Separated by sin, they were sentenced to a life of arduous work and danger. Evil ramped up throughout the world until God was so sorry that He destroyed all but Noah and his family in a flood. “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:5-8).

You would think that Noah’s family would learn, but after surviving the flood through God’s grace, his three sons went their separate ways. The family that God chose to bless as His People struggled to survive a famine by moving to Egypt (Genesis), then escaped Pharoah under the leadership of Moses (Exodus), grumbled their way through the wilderness until finally they crossed the Jordan and fought their way to conquer the Promised Land of Israel (Joshua). “Even then, they failed to fully obey God and were beset from enemies from all sides. After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, ‘Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?’” (Judges 1:1).

We read about the anointing of David to succeed Saul as king and how Saul had David on the run for many years until Saul himself died rather than surrender to the Philistines. David was a great king, but God did not allow him to build his temple because “You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight”  (1 Chronicles 22:8). God wanted a man of peace to construct the temple, not a man of war, because His house was to be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7).

From then on in the Bible we read about the division of Israel into the southern and northern kingdoms, how the northern kingdom was absorbed into Assyria and how the southern kingdom was overtaken by Babylonia. And then the Persians came, then the Greeks, and finally the Romans conquered the land. There was nothing but war, strife, military rule, and unrest. This prophecy from Isaiah was a welcomed promise; he could not come soon enough.

And then when Jesus did come, so many did not receive Him; and many outright rejected Him. Jesus has prophesied himself about coming strife. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:6-7).

However, Jesus also tells us “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” John 16:33).

The Apostle Paul, who experienced much suffering as he brought the gospel to the Gentiles, encouraged us by saying “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37). Even when we see the visions of wrath and destruction in Revelation, we are reassured that as believers, we are under the protection of God. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

Jesus represents peace because it is only through him that we can be reconciled back to God and experience the love, security, and abundant life that has been promised to us In Christ Jesus. We may enjoy peace from time to time, which is certainly a gift. However, one does not have to spend much time listening to or reading the news to know that peace is not the state of the world; and it is certainly not the state of being for those whose names are not written in the Book of Life. But, it is the state of mind we as believers are able to have as we trust in Jesus.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Advent: Joy

Dec7

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King” (Psalm 98:4-6).

Today, as I am making the final edits to this edition of Chaplain’s Corner, it is overcast and drizzling, and it feels like we are in a fog. Everyone outside is hunched under hoods and umbrellas trying to stay dry. And inside, many seem to be in a funk. So, as I read the scripture above, I just cannot get excited; I struggle to feel the joy. I cannot think of joy in anything but a positive context. The word means “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness,” but today just does not feel like one of those days.

Biblical joy is this same feeling of great pleasure and happiness, but biblical joy is not dependent on our circumstances; it is dependent on Jesus. Rick Warren defines spiritual joy as follows: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” If that is the case, then I can have joy regardless of the weather, regardless of my health, regardless of all the problems surrounding me. But how?

  • When it is raining and gloomy outside, it is easy to get down and depressed, while a sunny day lifts our spirits. So how do we overcome this dark feeling we have when the weather is bad? We remind ourselves that it is God who controls the weather, and that one of his promises is anchored by a rainbow which can only be seen when the sun is shining through the rain. In fact, as my dad used to say, “The sun is always shining, even when we can’t see it right now for the clouds.” So, let us remind ourselves that the Son is always shining on us, and we can trade our gloomy thoughts for thankfulness and lead joyful lives that reflect the light of the Son.
  • When we are dealing with sickness (ourselves or others), the pain and distress can easily overwhelm us. A poor prognosis can send us spiraling. On the other hand, excellent health and physical strength seem to buoy our spirits and make us feel invincible. But let us remember, this earthly life is fleeting whether it is 10 or 100 years long, and our eternal beings will one day be glorified to a perfected state that puts even the most stunning physical specimen to shame. Even when we are suffering in our current state, let us seek God for answers for how we can glorify him through our pain and sickness; let us not waste these opportunities to demonstrate God’s presence by joyfully thanking him for his eternal mercies and grace.
  • When financial, family, work-related, or other problems come our way, as they most assuredly will, it is easy to feel defeated. But let us remember the promise of Jesus in the gospel of John, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Feelings can often be fickle. our feelings cannot be trusted by themselves. In fact, Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” However, biblical joy is more than a feeling. It is a commitment to trusting God in all circumstances. As Rick Warren says, “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

Many times in the Bible, “joy” is used like a noun, as in “my joy,” and it is describing the deep happiness associated with the fulfilling of a covenant promise. For example:

  • “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder” (Isaiah 9:3).
  • “The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete” (John 3:29).

The secret to spiritual joy is dependency on Jesus, who is the fulfillment of all covenant promises.

My favorite Christmas carol is Joy to the World. It is one that we all know, so it is easy to sing it mindlessly. It is written by one of the greatest hymn-writers, Isaac Watts. When played in its full glory, my heart just wants to explode with joy as it expresses so well what the gospel message means.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Advent: Hope

Nov30

“See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him” (Isaiah 40:10).

I am not one to start Christmas too early because I want to fully enjoy Thanksgiving. But when the leftovers are distributed and the dishes are done, it is time to haul down the Christmas tree and boxes of decorations from the attic. It’s time to decorate. If for no other reason, it’s a lot of work and I want to be able to enjoy the Christmas trimmings as long as possible. So yes, my house and tree are decorated, I have designed my Christmas card, started my shopping, and planned my cooking. And it’s still November!!! Every year I say I’m going to scale back on the hubbub and focus on the “meaning of the season,” but every year I seem to succumb to the delights (pressures) of the holiday.

That said, I am committed to making Christ my priority during this season. Yes, I have decorated, and yes, I will buy gifts and cook; but I have also begun an Advent devotional (I’m using one in the YouVersion app called Making Space – An Advent Devotional.). The readings are convicting me to prepare my heart as well as my house; and to make honoring Christ the centerpiece of all my focus.

The word Advent simply means coming. During the Season of Advent, we look back at the miraculous event when Jesus as born. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). And we look forward to Jesus’ Second Coming. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3).

Traditionally, there are four themes for the four weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas Day: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Today we will talk about Hope, which is especially meaningful to us here at Nashville Rescue Mission because of our Vision to “give life transformational hope to everyone who walks through our doors. It’s why we say, ‘Hope Lives Here!” In other words, Hope is why the Mission exists.

What is this Hope?

  • Hope is that part of faith that focuses on the future. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). And it’s a better future. Whatever we go through in this earthly life, we know that God will protect and provide and lead us to a better future. As the writer of Hebrews relates about the Old Testament heroes, “Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16). This is not wishful thinking; it is the confident expectation that God will protect and provide.
  • Hope is a promise. How can we have this confident expectation? Because God makes—and keeps—his promises. Over and over again the Scriptures promised a Messiah. And He delivered. “He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms’” (Luke 24:44).
  • Hope is a person. It is the person of Christ. We do not put our faith in inanimate objects; we trust the all-powerful God of Creation: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

I know what it is like to feel hopeless. It is absolutely the worst feeling because there is no purpose to life. Praise God! He has delivered me from that hopelessness. Now I know who holds my future, and I am full of hope. I pray that everyone reading this devotional will also know the life-transforming hope of Jesus and accept the gift of his salvation.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13). “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). Amen.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – The Table: Protection, Provision, Inclusion, Service

Nov23

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5).

A table is an essential piece of furniture, along with a bed, lamp, and chair. In 2 Kings 4:10, the woman from Shunem provided Elijah with just such a furnished room for times when he was in the area. The table also serves as the center and even symbol of family gatherings. If you watch the television series, “Blue Bloods,” you know they always have a scene from their family gathering around the table.

When I was growing up, we always ate our meals at the kitchen table, and mostly together as a family. It is a precious memory. My family then had “assigned seats” at this table, and we never challenged this seating arrangement. We are not so restrictive at our table now, except that I usually have the seat closest to the kitchen because as the “mother” of the home, I am usually the one who is up and down as the need to replenish presents itself.

The table, a common and utilitarian piece of furniture, represents so much more. The table was an essential feature in the design of the tabernacle, both the portable one for the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land and the permanent temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem (Exodus 25:23-30; 1 Kings 7:48; Hebrews 9:2). It was in place to hold the bread of the presence, or consecrated showbread which served as a memorial food offering to God, in gratitude for their deliverance from Egypt. Many churches have a similar table in the sanctuary from which the elements of Communion are served. This table is often inscribed, “This do in remembrance of me” to honor the sacrifice Jesus made for us.

David also wrote of the table in the context of protection and provision. Reflect on Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” When David wrote this, he was on the run from Saul. And then we see David himself extending this same protection and provision to Saul’s grandson Mephibosheth after David became king (2 Samuel 9:11). Another application of this passage demonstrate inclusions. We say “give them a seat at the table,” which was what David literally did when he brought Mephibosheth into his household. “’Don’t be afraid,’ David said to him, ‘for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’” (2 Samuel 9:7).

Jesus was often invited to dinner gatherings where he fellowshipped around a table with a variety of people. For example:

  • Family – Although a table is not explicitly mentioned, I can imagine that there were many tables at the wedding in Cana where his mother told Jesus they had run out of wine (John 2:1-3).
  • Sinners – “While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him” (Mark 2:15).
  • Pharisees – “When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table” (Luke 7:36).
  • Disciples – “When the hour (for Passover) came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God’” (Luke 22:14-16).

As we ponder the meaning of the Table during this Thanksgiving week, whether it be the table in your home or the table in the Mission dining room, let us reflect on the provision and protection that it represents, as well as the inclusion and opportunity to serve that it presents. For example, at the very Passover meal that we now celebrate as the Lord’s Supper, a dispute arose between the disciples as to which of them was the greatest (doesn’t that sound familiar?). “Jesus said to them… For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:24-27).

One of the last settings in which Jesus appeared before being taken to heaven was a meal. “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them” (Luke 24:30).

I am thankful for Nashville Rescue Mission which offers protection and provision for all who come here, 24/7/365. And I am so thankful for each of you who so lovingly and selflessly serve the least of these every day of the year in the name of Jesus. May God bless you.

In Christ,

Judy

P.S.: If you would like to talk more about any of these devotions or matters that concern you, please stop by my office, or call or text me at 615-804-3453 to arrange a time, and I will be happy to speak with you.

Chaplain’s Corner – Showers of Blessing

Nov16

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)

Back in 2012, less than a month after coming to work for Nashville Rescue Mission, we celebrated our Great Thanksgiving Meal. At that time, the women and children were bussed over to the chapel to join the men, and we followed our familiar format—Life Recovery Program Celebration, remarks from Glenn, remarks from the Mayor of Nashville, a blessing, then lunch. I was taking it all in, including visiting the dining room to witness the seemingly endless scores of volunteers lining up to serve the even greater numbers of guests and program participants. Each diner received a heaping tray of turkey, dressing, all the traditional fixings, and desserts (yes, plural). Each person without exception was loaded up with food that a volunteer would lovingly carry to their table. As I watched the children dig into this mountain of food, eating mostly the desserts, of course, I had a “brilliant” idea. With my four weeks of experience at the Mission, plus being a parent myself, I went to our Director of Operations who oversaw our kitchens and suggested that we not give the kids so much food because they were wasting it. You would have thought I spoke blasphemy! Not on his watch. These children experiencing homelessness were going to have a Thanksgiving to remember, with more good food than they could imagine, for at least this one special day.

I felt properly chastised, and I learned something in the process about our good God. This bounty of food at Thanksgiving was a symbol of the abundant life we have in Jesus. We know that God is the giver of all good things (James 1:17). We know that he is a God of unmerited favor (Psalm 84:11) and abundance (John 10:10), giving us so much more than we deserve.

May we, during this season of hospitality, likewise show radical love and hospitality to all we meet without regard to their ability to return the favor. Perhaps it’s a kind and thoughtful word to someone who has been rude to us. Perhaps is a generous and even anonymous gift to someone who cannot or will not return the favor (After all, is giving a gift only to get one in return really a gift?). Perhaps it’s spending time with someone who cannot get out, especially during bad weather. Note that the use of the term “spending” with regard to time is not an accident. Spending time, money, talents, or doing any of the other kind and thoughtful things we might do—in the name of Jesus—is really an investment in our eternal future. Of course, we don’t do any of these things in order to earn God’s favor, but because of His favor (Ephesians 2:8-10).

“I am the Lord All-Powerful, and I challenge you to put me to the test. Bring the entire ten percent into the storehouse, so there will be food in my house. Then I will open the windows of heaven and flood you with blessing after blessing. (Malachi 3:10-CEV)

In Christ,

Judy