2012-08-17
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Last week we learned from the Holy Spirit that when we enter into a covenant [two-way promise] with God (or before God with another person), we take on a new “covenant identity.” We are a changed person in our way of thinking and in responsibility we are willingly taking on. God is always in control, and this situation is no different in that respect. In my own experience in entering in the Covenant of Grace, I eventually became quite aware that the Lord is with me 24/7. This is a great comfort, because it means I need never feel abandoned as I had before. PS 9: 9-10, “The Lord is a Refuge for the oppressed, a Stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who see You.” RO 12: 1-2 has vital information for the believer. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is the spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer in the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—what His good, pleasing and perfect will.” This is a supernatural transformation brought upon us by God through the Holy Spirit, one which changes our purposes to conform with God’s goodness and to be motivated toward righteousness in His sight. We submit ourselves to His control, knowing that this is the path to eternal life.
1 CH 4: 9-10 is the now-famous passage about Jabez, a hitherto little-known figure of the OT, who name means “pain” in Hebrew. There are some very important and timely revelations of the transformation written about above in it. “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. And God granted his request.” The meaning of Jabez’s plea “Bless me and enlarge my territory” is important, because it’s a request all true believer’s have. It means to enlarge his territory for God, in other words, to let his work for God make a big difference for good. It isn’t a plea for more land to be given to him. “Let Your hand be with me” is asking God for the same thing that was given to David when he was a lad and was able to slay the giant Goliath with a simple sling-shot [1 SAM 17: 45-46, 48-49]. It was recognition of God’s great power and a request to have God’s presence and power in control of Jabez’s life. Jabez’s plea to “keep me from harm” is quite self-explanatory. As for avoiding pain, we all want to do this, but must understand that if we experience pain, it doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us. Instead, our times of pain are very likely to be our times of greatest growth in strength and spiritual maturity. All we need do is to look back on our lives to see this. Then, we never will choose to be the “eternal victim,” because we will look at the pain we have, be it emotional or spiritual or even physical, from an entirely different point of view. That’s how God transforms us by the renewal of our minds.
As most of you know, I belong to a denomination that doesn’t welcome women to the pastorate. It’s one of the few blocks to my service that could have soured me on God. But it didn’t, because of my new covenant identity. Over the years, God has given me a most satisfying ministry-ways to serve Him which use the talents He gave me and are a help to other people too. The reason I remain in this denomination is that it’s assets far outweigh its debits, in my opinion. God placed me exactly where He wanted to me to be—surrounded by people who, by their example, show me how to be a better person and a better servant for God at Woodbury Lutheran Church and within Via de Cristo. I’ve had some serious illnesses, one which left me partially disabled, and some bitter disappointments too. But God has never abandoned me or let me down. If my friend, Vicki Strong will forgive me for using a citation she used in her most recent blog entry, it applies beautifully to what is being written here. Trusting and committing to the Lord. PS 37: 3-6, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Let me give her a well-deserved plug. Vicki is writing a book that will come out of her blog entries at:
www.joggingtothefinishline.wordpress.com.
I encourage you to visit it and read her wonderful writing, which is so full of God-given wisdom and spiritual maturity. Vicki has been through so many challenges in her life, and she shows no evidence of bitterness or blaming God. That’s part of the new covenant identity that He has given her. I feel the same way despite my own failings and challenges. We need to ask ourselves these two questions: How has having a new covenant identity changed me from what I was? What has God done for us?
PRAYER: O Lord, in examining the questions above, if we are honest, we will see that You have made so many more sacrifices for us than we have for You. We have learned that we are poor in spirit and need Your influence on us-extending Your territory in us-to live righteously. MT 5: 3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Those who recognize their poverty of spirit are those who recognize their need for You. You do not break Your promises, so we know that if we endure in our faith in You, we will inherit Your eternal Kingdom. Today, You have led me to take a closer look at PS 37, to see how this applies to our new covenant identity. It asks the question: Who will inherit the land? “The land” here can apply to the Promised Land of Israel, or it can apply to Your Kingdom. PS 37: 17-19, “For the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.” Verses 23-25 conform to my own observations in my lifetime. “If the Lord delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm, although he stumbles, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken; or their children begging bread.” The rest of this magnificent psalm continues to give examples of Your love, compassion, and generosity for those who turn to You with genuine hearts. While You allow believers to have struggles, losses, and challenges, You grow them spiritually through these experiences. PS 40: 1-2, “I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the quicksand and mire; He set my feet on a Rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” That Rock You give us is our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank and praise You always, in His name. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit directs me to continue with this “New Covenant Identity” segment of the “Our Covenant” messages with what He does for us-His children who have taken on a new covenant identity. It will be helpful over this week if each of us will think about making a list of what Christ has done for us personally. These lists, if we are open and honest with ourselves, can get pretty long. However, they are well worth making, because we are taking time to make a sanctuary for the Holy Spirit. PS 63: 1-2, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You; in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory.” Seeking God is not only asking for our supplications, but it is acknowledging His superiority, loving compassion, and power, honest confession of sin, rehearsal of His history with us, and offer of thanks and praise. HB 3: 17-19 is an ancient acknowledgment which can be used metaphorically. “Even though the fig trees have no fruit, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no grain, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, I will still be joyful and glad, because the Lord God is my Savior. The Sovereign Lord gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer and keeps me safe on the mountains.” Our Lord deserves our forever thanks and praise, so I’ll end with PS 40: 3, “He taught me to sing a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many who see this will take a warning and will put their trust in the Lord.” Thanks and praise be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15