Quarantine – Words from Paradise

Grace in Hard Times – Hebrews 4:16

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16 NIV

In the Bible and in Christian teaching, God’s grace is defined as His mercy, kindness, and favor toward we who are undeserving. We usually think of grace in relationship to sin–disobedience of God’s will and human failing in general. God extends His grace to us when we realize our shortcomings and ask His forgiveness.

In the middle of the COVID-19 Pandemic and all its fallout, we are all struggling in many ways. Couples and families cooped up in Quarantine. Employers struggling to understand government requirements and getting needed supplies. Employees asked to do additional work, or let go indefinitely. Children being educated on Zoom or video chat, frustrated by the new ways. And so much more.

Personal and societal stress results in much need of God’s forgiving grace. In this short blog, I want to describe the two kinds of grace God offers us and how they can help us.

Two Kinds of Grace

1) Justifying, Saving Grace

God’s first gift of grace is amazing, almost unbelievable; but it is the foundation of every other dispensing of grace He gives us. It is the grace that saves us.

God offers me this grace when I realize how broken I am as a human being and how sinful attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions keep bubbling out of me, no matter how hard I try. When I realize there might be help from God and turn to Him, admitting my need for His forgiveness and help, He forgives me, justifies me, and changes my heart. Paul describes this in his letter to Titus.

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:3-7 NIV

What allows God to do this for us is this: Jesus came in human form, lived our life without sin and died for our sins on the cross. In His life, he did what we had failed to do. By depending deeply on God (it was a daily battle fought by prayer and self-surrender), He resisted every from of temptation and lived a sinless life. Then on the cross, He willingly accepted the guilt and punishment of every human being (1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5-10). Our sins broke His heart and crushed out His life.

“He bore our sins in His own body on the cross.” 1 Peter 2:24 NIV

When I understand this, and put my trust in Jesus to help me, He does several things.

He forgives all my past sins because Jesus liquidated my moral debt on the cross. He justifies me, a legal action, which means He pardons me and erases my guilt because Christ took it on the cross. At the same time, He credits Jesus’ perfect life to me, covering my past life with His perfect life, so I stand before Him faultless.

He also changes my heart in a supernatural “new birth” experience, so now, from my heart, I desire to love and follow Him and His path instead of my former selfish ways. Now, I am a child of God by spiritual rebirth, and He sends His Spirit to live in me to help me live a new and different life. The Spirit helps me become more and more like Him and grows the fruit of true goodness and holiness in me, more and more, as I learn how to walk with God.

Many people look at Christians and think they are living through self-effort, that they have accepted certain behaviors and practices and do this hard work to earn God’s favor. Probably many do. But real Christianity is a supernatural experience. God changes our hearts, and we live differently because He loves us and lives in us.

We have peace because we have been forgiven and justified. We have been accepted by God and are His loved children. We are pictured as “standing in grace,” in God’s favor and mercy, no longer under guilt and condemnation.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
Romans 5:1-2 NIV

How would you like to have God take all your failures and forgive them? How would you like Him to take your life history with all the dark places, and cover it all with Jesus’ perfect life? How would you like Him to change you from the inside out. If you will admit your need and confess you sins to Him, surrendering your heart and life to Him, He will. The Bible describes this as being covered with a white robe of righteousness, Jesus’ life.

“He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.” Isaiah 61:10 NIV

2) Helping, Growing Grace

God not only justifies us and takes us into His family, but He gives us daily grace to help us live a different, new life.

This grace is a different expression of God’s kindness than justifying grace, but it comes from the same place–God’s kind mercy. It is also based on Jesus’ death for us. But the first kind of grace is forgiveness, the second is God’s help to lives a different life. The second is based on the first.

This is the grace we need for patience with our spouse and children. We can ask for this grace when we have not been treated fairly. This grace is needed when we face inward brokenness and sin of any kind. God gives us this grace to grow and become more like we were intended to be.

Because we have been forgiven, justified (#1 above), God can now help us whenever we ask. We can request for this grace whenever we need it as our opening scripture said, Hebrews 4:16.

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Romans 8:32 NIV

This second gift of grace is known by different terms: inward grace, assisting grace, strengthening grace, sustaining grace, sanctifying grace, grace to help us in our times of need, grace that matures us, grace for obedience. This shows that God has grace for us for every situation in life. All we need to do is humbly ask in faith, depending on God for His help. His grace is sufficient for every need.

Here are a few scriptures that describe this helping grace God is so willing to give us:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
“It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace.” Hebrews 13:9
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Philemon 1:25
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. . .” 1 Corinthians 15:10
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
All Scriptures from The Holy Bible, New International Version® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

So, as you face the challenges of these times, I invite you to take God up on His two amazing offers of grace. He is so ready and willing to hear your prayer.

Lonely? – Psalm 25:16

One sad effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Quarantine is the loneliness so many are feeling. Many kinds of loneliness.

Probably the worst kind is the loneliness thousands of sick people are feeling as they are quarantined in hospitals or nursing homes, unable to received the love and support of family and friends. The the Pandemic first began, our pastors went to visit our members in their retirement homes, but for safety, visitation from outside people had been curtailed. Loneliness.

We have seen the pictures of elderly spouses waving to their loved ones through hospital windows, unable to speak to them and give the gift of loving touch. We are grateful for healthcare workers who are doing their best in such circumstances, but being very ill and dying without family around you must be so very hard.

And there are other kinds of loneliness. Not being able to gather as families. Grandparents who can’t be with their grandchildren. Being suddenly isolated from our social and work networks, the people we love to be around. Missing up-close, personal human interaction. Social media, Skype, and Zoom, help; but they are not the same.

Sometimes we are lonely even with others, if we feel unloved or unappreciated. That is a difficult kind of loneliness. The Quarantine may bring out the brokenness in our close relationships.

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Then, someone pointed out the other day how dehumanizing it is to relate to people through masks. We communicate so much below the level of our eyes–affirming smiles, expressions of agreement, acknowledgment, and more. Wearing masks is important, but we lose so much of human warmth in doing so.

In the middle of all this, God can help us with our loneliness. That is what I want to share with you today.

“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.”
Psalm 25:16 NIV

King David wrote this at a time when he was facing attacks by political enemies and people who wanted to do him harm. He felt alone. Who could he trust? Who could he turn to in such circumstances? Only to God.

The truth is, God promises to be with us in our troubles, our isolation, our loneliness. Whatever circumstances are causing us to feel alone, He is there for us.

When Jesus was preparing to go back to heaven after His resurrection, he acknowledged that His followers would feel alone; so He made a wonderful promise we can take to heart now.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. . .Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
John 14:18, 23 NIV

This promise was not just for those disciples. It applies to everyone who accepts it. God offers to make His home in us.

This is not a replacement for human love and presence, but it is a deep help with the problem of loneliness. Having a God who loves us so much, a Jesus who lived, died, rose, and always lives for us be willing to be with us at all times an in all circumstances is a wonderful blessing.

Jesus experienced His Father’s presence with him in this way. He said, “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me” (John 16:32).

Friend, if you accept Jesus as you Friend and Savior, and God as your Father, you can have the comfort of their presence with you all the time. You don’t need to ever be lonely in the sense of being completely alone.

Since I accepted Jesus, I want to tell you I have never been lonely, because He has always been with me. Yes, I have missed family when I couldn’t be with them. In some situations, there was a sense of being alone. But I have never felt truly alone because God has been with me. This is a gift He offers to everyone.

What about those who are dying alone? This is so tragic. My heart goes out to families who long to be with their loved one and cannot, and the sick person who so much would like to have their family with them.

I believe that in ways known only to God, He has been there for them. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. . .” “the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down” (Psalm 34:18; 146:8).

When my wife’s late husband died of cancer, they were alone at home together. My wife had prayed that her trust in God would not fail when the moment came.

After her husband took his last breath, and she realized he had died, she prayed, thanking God for His help and faithfulness during their difficult journey. She thanked God she still trusted Him. Suddenly she felt a physical touch like someone pressing on her back, hugging her. She knew instantly that God was truly with her and would be with her always. This reminds me of Jesus’ promise when He left:

“Surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20

You can take hold of these promises from Jesus that I have shared today. We may not feel we deserve this, but He loves us more than we can imagine. In His eyes, we were worth enough to give His life for. He wants to be with us, to be a Friend and Companion. You can invite Him if you choose.

Discouraged or Depressed? – Psalms 40, 42

Years ago I attended a large pastor’s conference. One speaker was the well known counselor and author, John Townsend. His topic very much spoke to where I was in life at the time, and I wanted to have more conversation with him.

I found him later on campus, and as we talked about his presentation, he asked, out of the blue it seemed to me, if I was depressed. His question caught me off guard. But after reflecting a moment, I said, “No, I don’t think so.” He replied kindly, “You might want to give it some thought.”

Who me? Depressed? I was a pastor with answers for others. I was a source of wisdom and help to many under my care. I was a healer. I didn’t need to be healed.

But his question stuck with me, and I thought about my life. A pastor in a challenging position in a large church with an attached school. ministering to youth, college students, and young adults. Three young children. Married and each of us working long hours in leadership. Who me; depressed? In retrospect, I think I was.

Discouragement and depression develop in situations that are overwhelming, where we are taxed beyond what our conscious coping mechanisms can handle. When life challenges are unrelenting, with no solution in sight, hope begins to fade and discouragement and depression sneak up, settling like a fog on our mind.

In this time of the COVID-19 Quarantine, with all its personal and national fallout, discouragement and depression are real for many.

King David struggled with depression and wrote about it several times in the Psalms. As monarch of Israel, he often faced overwhelming challenges–administrative, political, and military. He also grappled with his personal failings.

In Psalm 40, he describes some of what he faced:

“For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. . .May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. May those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’ be appalled at their own shame.”
Psalm 40:12, 14, 15

So, how did David cope? I believe his psalms hold solutions for us. In Psalm 42 he writes:

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42:5

I once heard the pastor of a very large church describe his struggle with depression. He had a young family, a child with mental health challenges, and a large, growing congregation with multiple staff. He slipped into depression and couldn’t find a way out.

One day, the idea came to him to write down encouraging things from Scripture and memorize them. He wrote these out on cards and read through them each morning and evening. Promises of God’s care. Passages about His goodness and love.

He shared with us that after three weeks, his depression lifted and joy returned.

What was it that helped him? Reading his cards shifted his focus from His problems to God’s goodness and promises of help. His faith strengthened. No doubt, God was at work in him too.

King David had learned that when he felt down, He could remember God’s goodness and guidance in the past. He could recall stories of His care, His promises to assist. And this became like a strong hand that lifted him out of quicksand and set his feet on solid ground again.

There are times when when we may need to see a counselor, or take medication for a while. Some depression has a physiologic or brain chemistry source. But God is a personal, caring God. His word is full of more than 3,000 promises which describe how He is willing to help us in a variety of life situations. This may, indeed, be the best medicine. While it may be hard to see a counselor or doctor during the quarantine, this remedy is as near as your Bible and your sincere prayer for help.

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In Psalm 40, David describes how this prescription helped him with his discouragement and depression. “Waiting” for David meant trusting God, putting his hope in God’s character and promises while He waited for God to help.

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 mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
Psalm 40:1-3

God be with you today. He is.

Pour Out Your Heart – Psalm 62:8

In this time of the COVID-19 Pandemic and quarantine, I have heard so many describe the stress and concern they are feeling. For some, it has been almost overwhelming: worry about their health, family, finances, a job or business, employees or students under their care; worry about the nation, the economy. So many concerns.

In Psalm 62, David invites us to pour this all out to God. Everything that burdens our heart or worries our mind–to just pour it out to God.

“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:8

There are two reasons why the psalmist knew he could safely open his heart and release all his worries and concerns to God.

First, God can be trusted. He has proved Himself to be faithful in history and in the lives and experiences of so many people. He has always been faithful. In the middle of war, famine, trouble, He has cared for His children. Evidence and stories of this abound. Prayers answered, miracles done, hearts sustained. I know, not always the way we ask, but enough to trust Him.

He can be trusted because He loves us. His love is as strong as His sacrifice on a cross, as enduring as a Savior, Who never stops serving us, helping us, down to the present.

So we can always trust Him with our “stuff.” Everything that annoys us, perplexes us, or makes us afraid. Every problem we can’t solve, every burden that seems to heavy to carry.

Second, God is our refuge. People who have known God have said that He was a refuge to them. He was a safe place for their hearts and minds. He protected them, comforted them, welcomed their weary souls, their worn out selves.

An old hymn says, “The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, a Shelter in the time of storm; secure whatever ill betide, a Shelter in the time of storm.”

God has been a refuge to me in times of loss, fear, and worry. And I am so grateful. I could tell you so many stories.

Why do we bottle it up, hold it all inside, try to figure it out on our own? We don’t have to. We can pour it all out to God.

We can do this. And when we pour our hearts out to Him, we will find such release, such support, such a sense of comfort and being heard and loved. Open the floodgates and pour it all out. He invites us to do it.

Soaring with Eagles – Isaiah 40

Would you like to know how to rise above what is getting you down during this crazy time caused by COVID-19 and the quarentine? Whatever it is: fear, stress, worry, boredom, malaise, not knowing. . .There are some wonderful, encouraging promises from God in Isaiah 40.

A little background:

Judah (part of ancient Israel) has just experienced devastation. Because of their moral and spiritual decline, God allowed Sennacherib, King of Assyria (today’s northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey), to attack and capture Judah’s fortified cities. . .His depredations continued almost to the capital.

Then King Hezekiah came down with a deadly disease. A prophet said to get his house in order.

But then Hezekiah turned to God; and God spared the city. . .and Hezekiah’s life.

It is at this time the prophet Isaiah penned his beautiful words of comfort and hope to the devastated and discouraged people of Judah.

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
Tell her that her sad days are gone, and her sins are pardoned.” Isaiah 40:1-2

What follows in Isaiah 40 is advice about how to get back on track; how to receive inner strength; how to rise above weakness, depression and the disordering of life caused by the recent troubles. We can take these promises to heart for ourselves now, too.

Verse 11: God Himself will, “feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arm, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” Jesus has the heart of a shepherd. We can choose to come under His tender care and guidance.

Verse 28: “Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.” God is strong. He never gets tired. He sees and knows everything. He can give you wisdom.

Verse 29: “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.” Do you feel overwhelmed, disorganized, weak in face of the challenges? God can give you strength and inner fortitude.

Verses 30, 31: “Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

I have been encouraged many times by these last two verses. When I thought I didn’t have strength for the tasks at hand, or didn’t know what to do, I prayed these verses to God and asked His help. He never failed.

In fact, the longer I live, the more I am aware how He constantly does what He promised. He lifts us up and helps us soar on eagles wings.

Take a minutes to listen to this beautiful old song and put your trust in the eternal God to do what He has promised, for you.