Repentance, rest, quietness, trust

A potpourri of reflections

In a time when most have much to say, I have had little to say.

I will share these reflections I shared with the women who participate in the weekly Bible study I lead, in the hopes they encourage someone. In our chronological study of the New Testament, that we’ve been engaged in for over 7 years now, we finished Philippians last week. That short book of four chapters that the apostle Paul wrote while imprisoned had many admonitions that very much convicted me:

• “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (2:14).

• “rejoice in the Lord….it is a safeguard for you” (3:1).

• “stand firm in the Lord” (4:1).

• “live in harmony in the Lord” (4:2).

• “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (4:4-9).

• “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity ;in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:11b-13).

I feel (ironic word choice) these admonitions are antidotes to mood. I’ve been struggling with melancholy, mourning much that has changed in our world. Country star John Rich released a song last week, “Revelation,” that has words I relate to, “I can feel it coming, like a dark train running.” He told the story of writing the song and creating the vido here. I really like the video because it acknowledges that our battle is not against flesh and blood, and it elevates the word of God. You can watch it here: 

That feeling “it coming, like a dark train running,” whatever “it” is that the Lord has for us in His sovereign timing, produces a certain melancholy in me. I was convicted in a new way in the last week by the verse, “This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). In God’s sovereignty, this is the day we are living in. Regardless of circumstance, let us rejoice in Him. All of Psalm 118, written by David when his kingdom was established in the hands of his son Solomon, is a worthy read.

Current events this week have made for lots of mood changes. We have to know our God is good regardless of circumstance. On that note, I have more media to share. This is longer to invest in, but I found it powerful. It’s a podcast of Preston and Jackie Hill Perry interviewing Brenna Blain, who has a history of childhood sexual trauma and has suffered with depression and suicidal ideation (and is newly releasing a book): 

She shares her disappointment in praying for healing that did not come, but then a specific episode where in desperation she asked the Lord to be with her, and He was, and His later convicting her, through the story of Lazarus and Mary and Martha, that He does, in fact, desire to be with us in our suffering. I’m likely not doing her story justice, which is why I recommend listening to it, but this is the truth we need to know: no matter the circumstance, He is with us. He longs to be with us. He draws near to us when we draw near to Him. He may not relieve our suffering, but He longs to be with us in our suffering. He invites us to invite Him to be with us in our suffering.

Circumstance is unpredictable. Those of us who read the word of the Lord know the long story of how the end of history plays out. We are at all times to be ready to meet the Lord. But we do not know the day-to-day and how long it will take to get from here to there. People can be so very sure in their predictions and I have to remind myself all the time that, barring divine revelation that is only proven when it comes true, they do not know, no matter how very sure they sound! So, I have to resist riding the roller coaster of emotion that comes with other people’s predictions. My antidote is always the word of God.

In my chronological Bible reading this week (Day 196), I read of Ahaz, king of Judah, who was evil and walked after every god that occurred to him, and even burned his own sons in the fire. He ruled for 16 years. When he died, his son Hezekiah came to power, and cleansed the temple of the Lord, re-establishing worship, in the very first month of his reign. In the second month of his reign, he called the whole nation, including those of the kingdom of Israel, who had been divided from Judah since the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, walking in idol worship established by their first king Jeroboam, to celebrate the Passover like they had not done since the reign of Solomon. I love this line: “Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly” (2 Chronicles 29:36). We serve a God who longs to be merciful and is gracious when we repent. And He can change circumstances suddenly!

I read Isaiah 24-27 in my chronological reading a few days later (Day 199). Like the book of Revelation, these chapters foretell what’s ultimately coming, but it is also full of encouragement. “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

There is a day when we will say, 

”Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. 
This is the LORD for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9).

I also came across Isaiah 30:15 (on Day 203), which has this reassuring admonition, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.”

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)