The Response to Suffering

You might wonder at the title of the article being "The Response to Suffering" as opposed to "A Response to Suffering," but I assure you that the title was carefully chosen. I am confident that there is only one proper response to suffering, and that is the response that we will examine here.

On one occasion Jesus received word that Lazarus, a dear friend, was sick and near death. His response is quite puzzling to us and to some seems even insensitive. Rather than rising immediately and hasting to the house of Lazarus and curing him of his illness as Jesus had the power to do, He waited two days. Christ intentionally allowed Lazarus to die. Why? Jesus answers that question: "that the Son of God might be glorified" (John 11:4). Jesus even says to His disciples, "I am glad...that I was not there" (11:15). WHY? Again, Jesus answers that question: "to the intent that ye may believe." Finally, after two days of waiting, Jesus says, "Let us go unto him." When Jesus arrives Martha receives word, and the Bible says, "as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, [she] went and met Him" (11:20). She wasted no time in taking up her case with God. She says unto the Christ, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died" (11:21).

Doesn't she sound like so many today? "If God had been there," or, "If God existed... He would not have allowed my husband to die." "If God were with me then I wouldn't have lost my job." If God this, or, if God that. On and on people will question God and even their own belief in God. But now notice Jesus' response, and Martha's response as well.

Martha continues, "I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee" (11:22). She expresses faith in Jesus. He then answers, "Thy brother shall rise again" (11:23). Now notice, the idea of a resurrection at that very moment was not something that Martha could really wrap her head around. She does not say, "That sounds good Lord, raise him." No, she looks forward to the final resurrection. "Martha said unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (11:24). She had the idea that some time, somewhere, some day, Lazarus would be raised, but she had not a thought in her head about her brother coming out of the ground that very moment. "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (11:25, 26). I find Martha's answer very interesting. She does not answer His question directly. Christ says, "Do you believe this?" And she responds, "Yea, Lord: I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world" (11:27), in essence, "I believe in YOU Lord."

We find that a strange response to suffering, but I suggest that it is the only proper response to suffering. When bad things happen, the only recourse we have is to say to God, "I believe in You Lord. I trust You God. I hope in You."

Consider the account of Job: after Satan strips Job of all of his possessions and family (save his nagging wife), Job turned to the Lord, worshipped, "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (1:21). In the midst of his suffering, Job expressed his faith in God by saying, "Blessed be the name of the LORD." This hardship did not shake Job's faith in the character of God; he still considered the Lord to be "blessed," and the Bible says that "in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly" (1:22). Well, I suppose that wasn't enough for the Old Serpent. He wants more, and God allows it. Satan is now allowed to touch Job's body, and he does so. Job, having been struck with boils, is besought by his wife to "curse God, and die" (2:9). There is not a more beautiful expression of faith in all of the Bible than is found in the following verse: "But he said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (2:10).

O, how easy it is to express trust in God when things are going well. When we are happy, when the economy is good, when we get promoted, when our family is healthy, we can so easily say, "Praise God! He is a faithful and trustworthy God. Things are as they should be." But do we trust God when things are not as we think that they "should be"? Has God changed? The same God that we trusted was doing things properly when things were "as they should be," do we now think that He can no longer be trusted to govern the universe properly? Do we now charge God with wrong doing? Or even injustice? Do we say to God, "This ought not to be happening?" We should all strive to have the same faith in God that Job did when he said, "We trusted God when things were going good, shall we not also trust Him when things are going badly? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" What faith! And it doesn't stop there. As bad as things got, Job still clung to the God of heaven, saying, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (13:15).

This is not to say that Job made no mistakes. There were times when he behaved just as many of us, I'm sure, would behave. He wanted to argue with God and do his best to prove that these things "ought not" be happening to him. Job says, "Oh that I knew where I might find Him! That I might come even to His seat! I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me" (23:3-5). But even in this, even though Job did not necessarily agree with God concerning the way things "ought to be," even then, he was able to say, "He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (23:10). He trusted that God had a plan and a purpose, and that God was ultimately in control.

The ending of the book again illustrates what our answer to suffering ought to be. God eventually appears to Job. One might expect that now, finally, God will explain to Job why he has been suffering, but such is not the case. God, throughout four chapters of the Bible, presents Job with questions that he could not possibly answer. Why? Because God is impressing upon Job how little he knows and how much greater God's wisdom is than his own. We might summarize God's message this way: "Hush little child. You could not possibly understand. Just. Trust. Me." We see it again. The same message. God is wise, He is loving, He is powerful, and He is in control. Job listens, and responds. "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee...I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (42:2, 5, 6). "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job...So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning" (42:10, 12). The message of Job, from beginning to end, is a simple one: even when we don't understand, God is worthy of our trust. Trust Him.

It would do us well to consider also the apostle Paul. Paul was afflicted with a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). Now, I don't know what his thorn in the flesh was, but I know this: it was unpleasant enough for him to beseech the Lord three times to remove it (cf. 12:8). What is God's response? "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (12:9). We should not be surprised by this. Over and over God's answer is the same, and friends, I'm convinced that God's answer is just the same today as it was then.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people, that's just the way things are. The fastest man does not always win the race. The strongest man doesn't always win the battle. The wisest man doesn't always get rewarded. The most talented person does not always get the recognition. "Time and chance" happen to us all (cf. Ecclesiastes 9:11). And when these bad things happen, when things do not go the way we think things "ought" to go, what should we do? God is the answer. When we say to ourselves, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me?" What is the answer we receive? "Hope thou in God" (Psalm 42:5).

Trust God, and all is well.

Prayers of the Early Church

On one occasion the disciples observed Christ in prayer and after its conclusion one of them said, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1). We teach men to preach, we teach men to sing, but very seldom do we give any instruction concerning how to pray. If the disciples of our Lord made the request, "teach us to pray," should not we offer up a similar request? Christ proceeded then to give to His disciples what we often call The Model Prayer: "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil" (Luke 11:2-5). Christ did not intend for this prayer to be repeated verbatum (although it can be), but rather as a model (hence, The Model Prayer), a starting place, a pattern to be followed. Christ gave us a model to teach us to pray, to give expression to the petitions of our hearts, can we not then also use the words of pious men who have gone before us to express those same desires? I should not be understood to be exalting the words of men to that of our Lord Christ, for I am not, but even though the second and third counsellors are inferior to the first, are not two instructors better than one, and three better than two? "Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established" (Proverbs 15:22).

Having established the validity of examining other prayers as a means of learning how to pray, let's notice some prayers of the early church.

A PRAYER AT MEAL

God, as a Father, provides food for His children. "He hath given food unto them that fear Him" (Psalm 111:5). "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25). In light of this fact, perhaps the most common prayers heard today are prayers of thanksgiving for the nourishment with which we have been provided. It is of course right to thank the Creator for such provisions, but sadly, it may be the ONLY time of day that many of us pray. Regardless, notice here an early example of such a prayer.

"Blessed be you, O Lord, who has nourished me from my youth and who gives food to all flesh. Fill our hearts with joy and gladness, that always having all we need, we may abound in every good work, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom glory, honor, and power be to you for ever. Amen (Apostolic Constitutions 7.5.49.68).

A PRAYER FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY

Though the following prayer by Clement of Rome is more general, I have here recorded the portion in which he prayed for the government and officials of his day:

"You made manifest the eternal constitution of the world through the things you performed. You, Lord, created the inhabited earth, you who are faithful in all generations, righteous in judgments, marvellous in strength and majesty, wise in creating and understanding in establishing the things made, good in the things seen, and kind to those who trust you, merciful and compassionate. Forgive us our lawlessness and unrighteousness, our transgressions and faults. Do not reckon every sin of your servants and handmaidens, but purify us with the cleansing of your truth and direct our steps to walk in holiness of heart and to do the things which are good and pleasing before you and our rulers. Yes, Lord, make your face to shine upon us for good in peace in order that we may be sheltered by your mighty hand and may be delivered from every sin by your uplifted arm, and deliver us from those who hate us unjustly. Give concord and peace to us and to all who dwell on the earth, even as you gave to our ancestors when they called upon you devoutly in faith and truth. May we be obedient to your almighty and glorious name and to our rulers and governors on the earth. You, O Master, by your majestic and ineffable might gave to them imperial authority in order that we who know the glory and honor you gave to them might be submissive to them, not opposing your will in anything. Give to them, Lord, health, peace, concord, and stability in order that they may administer blamelessly the dominion which you have given them. For you, Master, heavenly King of the ages, do give to human beings glory and honor and authority over what dwells on the earth. May you, Lord, direct their counsel according to what is good and pleasing to you so that by piously administering the authority you gave them with peace and gentleness they may find mercy from you. You alone are able to do these things and better things with us. To you we offer our praise through the high priest and guardian of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be to you the glory and the majesty both now and for all generations for ever and ever. Amen."

Never have I heard such a fervent prayer for the government of our time, and yet, what prayer could be more relevant to our age and circumstance? Paul, a holy apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote to his beloved son in the faith, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Timothy 2:1, 2). I have no fear of saying that this command is all too often over looked, and yet, is it not just as much a part of our sacred vocation as is the singing of psalms or the fellowship of the Lord's Supper? We must heed this exhortation, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). For He that said, Do this in remembrance of Me, saith also, Offer prayers for those in authority. Now if thou remembrest our Lord's death, yet if thou fail to offer prayers for those in authority, thou art become a transgressor of the law. "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty" (James 2:12). We should learn from this prayer of Clement, and make his words our own. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).

A PRAYER FOR UNBELIEVERS

During Jesus longest and most precious recorded sermon, The Sermon on the Mount, He gave the following admonition: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). Though one may say, "I have no enemies," what greater "enemy" have we than those that are "enemies of the cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18)? Not only should we pray for those who are our enemies personally, but also for all of those that are enemies of our Lord Christ. The prayer of Irenaeus for the conversion of heretics should be our teacher in this matter.

"We indeed pray that they may not remain in that pit which they themselves have dug...and that being converted to the church of God they may be lawfully begotten, that Christ may be formed in them, and that they may know the Framer and Maker of this universe, the only true God and Lord of all. We pray these things for them, loving them to a better purpose than they imagine they love themselves. For our love, since it is true, is for their salvation, if they will accept it...Wherefore it does not weary us to extend our hand to them to cease from their error and to stop their blasphemies against their Maker, who is both the only God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Against Heresies 4.25.7).

The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle, praying for those who oppose themselves that God will give them "repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will" (2 Timothy 2:25, 26).

Hopefully this study has been as beneficial for all of its readers as it has been for me. I leave you with this final admonition: "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

*All quotations are taken from "Early Christians Speak: Faith and Life in the First Three Centuries" by Everett Ferguson, 3rd edition.

The Answer to "Do I Have to?" Is Always "No"

The title of this article may seem confusing to some. Certainly one may ask, “Are there not things that we HAVE to do?” and of course the answer is yes. What I mean to highlight in this article is the attitude that produces the question, “Do I have to?”

Often one may ask the question, “Do I have to come to worship?” I would say, “No.” What do I mean by that? First of all, there is a sense in which no one HAS to do anything for we are all free moral agents and can decide whether or not to do a thing. However, I think most of us understand that when a person asks, “Do I have to come to worship?” the fuller, and intended, question is, “In order to be pleasing to God, do I have to come to worship?” And again I would say, no, and yes. Allow me to explain further.

A necessary part of our faith is attending worship services: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:23-25). So, in that spirit, one HAS to attend worship. It must be kept in mind however, that God wants our willing, sincere, and whole hearted service; anything less is unacceptable, detestable to God, and He would rather that we not offer it at all. On more than one occasion God told His people to stop worshipping. Is that because God does not require worship? No. It is because their worship was Do-I-Have-To-Worship. Notice: “When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting” (Isaiah 1:12, 13). The Psalmist writes, “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering” (Psalm 51:16). How is it that God can call their worship “iniquity?” How is it that God “desirest not sacrifice?” Perhaps this illustration will be helpful: a young man drives 3 hours one weekend to visit his sweetheart. They enjoy a wonderful day together and he prepares to leave to return to his home. Just before his departure she asks with a smile, “Are you going to come see me next weekend?” And he responds, “Do I have to?” What do you think that young lady’s answer would be? If you are like me, we imagine her answer would be something like, “NO! Don’t even BOTHER!” Is that because she does not want a visit from her beau? Of course not! It is because no one wants Do-I-Have-To-Love, including God.

It doesn’t matter what the subject in question is. Do I have to come to worship? Do I have to evangelize? Do I have to give? Do I have to love my neighbor? Do I have to love my enemy? Do I have to read my Bible? The answer is always “No.” God does not want that kind of service. Rather, listen to the Psalmist’s conclusion: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise…THEN shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: THEN shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar” (Psalm 51:17, 19, emphasis mine). It is only when, “Do I have to?” becomes “Do I GET to?” that the answer is “Yes.” Yes, God wants our service, but only from hearts that draw near to Him (cf. Matthew 15:8, 9; James 4:8).

The American Church

Our hearts are filled with envy and our feet are filled with lead,
while the poor are filled with nothing and their stomaches go unfed.

Our hearts seek fame and riches; our imaginations seek repose,
while the poor seek food and shelter, a soft warm bed, and clothes.

Our pockets are lined with money while their heads are lined with lice;
our hearts are void of love and we settle for just "being nice."

"Love your neighbor as yourself" is not a polite suggestion, it is a commandment to be kept,
but today millions woke to starvation while the "righteous" merely slept.

The poor and lost are everywhere, but where are Christians now?
When darkness needs light most, a candle cannot be found.

The hearts of the lost are filled with sin and the feet of truth are filled with lead.
So while the kingdom still lives elsewhere, the American church is dead.

_________________________________________________________________

"Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."

A Forgotten Virtue

Why is it that we admire men like Achilles, Odysseus, and Leonidus? Why do we wish to be like Robin-Hood or King Arthur? What is it about Joshua, King David, and the apostle Paul that so endears them to us? I cannot speak for all but one thing that I find attractive about all of these characters is this: courage.

Courage is such an admirable trait and yet it is not something that we talk about anymore; it seems to be a kind of forgotten virtue.

Who among us does not know that our duty is to spread the gospel of Christ (cf. Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, 16)? What Christian does not admit the duty of living a holy lifestyle (cf. 1 Peter 1:14-16)? Why is it then that we fail to do these things? Is it perhaps that our lifestyle has bred a generation of spiritual cowards?

The church NEEDS courageous men and women.

It was courage that conquered Canaan. It was courage that withstood King Nebuchadnezzar, and it was courage that answered Festus. It was courage that brought the gospel to Antioch, Philippi, Corinth, and Rome. Courage brought true Christianity out of the darkness of the Middle Ages and into the light of the Reformation. But where is courage now? Where are the brave men whose voices fought for truth and opposed error? Where are the men whose hearts were greater than their stature? Where are the men who possess the fortitude to do what is right, come what may? Where are the men whose soldierly actions advanced the cause of Christ so many years ago? Where are those who will answer the battle cry today? "Once more into the breech dear friends, once more!" "Rouse, then soldiers! Rally 'round the banner! Ready, steady, pass the word along; Onward, forward, shout aloud 'Hosanna!' Christ is Captain of the mighty throng!" "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong!" (1 Corinthians 15:13).

We have much land yet to be conquered, dear friends. Will we heed the exhortation of Almighty God, the LORD of Hosts?

"I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee...Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law...turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1:5b-7).

Could Things Get Any Worse?

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul: therefore will I hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

The book of Lamentations, sometimes called The Lamentations of Jeremiah, is a kind of funeral dirge for the city of Jerusalem. Because of her sins the city had been sacked by the Babylonians and the majority of its inhabitants led into captivity (cf. 1:3, 8). The Babylonians destroyed the temple and the walls of the city (cf. 1:10; 2:1-9). Only the poorest of its citizens remained. They were left to lie in the streets and groan with hunger (cf. 2:11, 12). Some may have even been led to eat their own offspring (cf. 2:20). Amidst all of this one might wonder, “Could things get any worse?”

Jeremiah later writes, “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not” (3:22). Surrounded by the destruction brought on by the Lord Himself, Jeremiah was able to see God’s mercy and compassion. Although the city and its inhabitants had been severely punished they had not all been killed. God kept His promise to Abraham (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; 22:18) and secured his seed so that the promised Messiah might one day bless the earth and save fallen man from his sins. In response to our God’s faithfulness he wrote, “The LORD is my portion, saith my soul: therefore will I hope in Him” (3:24). When it seemed all had been lost, Jeremiah found hope in God. He realized that there was good to be found amidst all the bad.

I can say with a fair amount of certainty that none of us have ever experienced the kind of circumstances that surrounded the Israelites during this time. However, I can say with equal certainty that most of us have wondered at some point in our lives whether or not things could get any worse. Life changes. Things happen. Sometimes we lose our jobs. We lose precious members of our family; some pass away as a part of the natural course of life and others, it seems, are gone before we ever appreciate the fact that they are here. Our marriages struggle because of finances, in-laws, children, and other things. School becomes increasingly difficult. Work becomes monotonous and grueling. At the end of the day we are left to ask, “Could things get any worse?” Hopefully we can learn the lesson that Jeremiah learned. Though the world sometimes comes crashing down around us, God is still merciful, He is still compassionate, and we can always find hope in Him.

When We Do Not Understand

When the frosts are in the valley,
And the mountain tops are gray,
And the choicest buds are blighted,
And the blossoms die away,
A loving Father whispers,
“This cometh from My hand,
Blessed are ye if ye trust,
Where ye cannot understand!”

If, after years of toiling,
Your wealth should fly away,
And leave your hands all empty,
And your locks are turning gray,
Remember then your Father,
Owns all the sea and land,
Blessed are ye if ye trust,
Where ye cannot understand!
(Author Unknown)

One of the most puzzling questions mankind has ever raised is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” This question continues to plague the hearts of men and women worldwide. To the atheist, this question is a “proof” of the impossibility of God’s existence. To the saint, it is a test. Even Job was perplexed by the prosperity of the wicked and the misfortune of the righteous. He said, “It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: If it be not He, who then is it?” (9:22-24, ASV). When one witnesses these things one may ask, “Why God? I don’t understand.”

Moved by that same question, Job desired a debate with God that he might prove to God that he “ought not” to be persecuted in such a way (cf. 23:3-5). Anytime someone looks at the world and says “Things ought not to be so” the implication is that God, who rules the world, is not running it the way it “ought” to be run. Making such a claim places one in the position of God’s Counselor. God’s response to Job, beginning in chapter 38, was a series of rapid fire questions about the great wonders and mysteries of the universe. The result was just as Job knew it would be, he could not answer God “one of a thousand” (cf. 9:3). God was proved to be infinitely wiser than Job and therefore it is God, not Job, who is qualified to decide how the universe “ought” to be run. Job gave a fitting reply, “Then Job answered Jehovah, and said, I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be restrained. Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not…Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (42:1-6 ASV).

The lesson that Job learned, and one that we also must learn, is that though we may not understand the ways of God, He is good and He is wise, and He is still worthy of our trust. When the unexpected happens, He is our Rock. When the tide comes crashing in, He is our fortress. When sorrow weighs heavily on our souls, He is our hiding place. When the world does not make sense, He is the one we trust. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past tracing out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and unto Him, are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33-36 ASV).