Is Indifference on the Rise?

No doubt, some will roll their eyes if I suggest 2014 might be the year of Christ's return. But, Paul said those who love Jesus will long for His arrival (1 Tim 4:8). And John said the Spirit and the Bride cry, “Jesus come quickly” (Rev. 22:7). (Note: In the Jewish wedding custom, the bride didn't know when her bridegroom was coming, so she was perpetually prepared.)  Yet, in our day, it seems that passion for His return is on the wane, or worse, a matter of indifference. That said, since every generation thought Jesus would return in its lifetime, it is not surprising that such words  sound like fanatics “crying wolf”!

Still, His delay does not mitigate admonitions to be eagerly waiting and watching. In fact, Peter warned of those who would say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same” (2 Pet. 3:4). Do you know that indifference will be on the rise just before He returns (Matt. 24:12)? Hmmm, maybe He is returning soon!

Going in Circles and/or Going South

For a year and a half before Altha and I moved to Arizona, I prayed and listened for the Lord's assurances. What followed were many confirmations. And when I was invited to mentor students at Phoenix Seminary, with the possibility to teach, I saw God at work.  Over the next months, one obstacle after another was removed and the path ahead became clear and straight.

But within days after moving to Arizona, my diagnosis of pancreatic cancer turned those plans on their head—‘everything started going south’ (an idiom I’ve spoken of before in this blog). After my ‘Whipple’ surgery, the Lord led us back to California where family (our daughter) and friends could support us thru the chemo/radiation therapies that lie ahead.

Honestly, I can tell you it seemed regressive to me—I was going in circles. But nothing in God’s methods is regressive. But progressive. And though it seemed my life was headed ‘south,’ God assured me it was not. Then this morning the Spirit led me to Deuteronomy, where God speaks to Moses, “You have circled this mountain long enough; now turn North” (2:2-3).

Are you presently feeling like your life is going in circles? Even worse, are you feeling like your life is “going south?” It may look that way by the natural eye. But by faith, you can be sure it is going in a straight line—straight into God’s blessed purposes for you. Before long, I know you will hear Him say, “Things have been going south long enough. But soon they will be turning north!”

Return to Me

Have you been on an unfamiliar freeway, missed your turn-off, and had to go 3 miles before exiting and returning? It might have made your trip easier if it were like Disneyland’s Autopia where cars travel on a guide track that doesn’t allow any wrong turns!  After writing yesterday’s post on the divine prohibition against making “right or left turns,” I wanted to make sure you know about God's 'return policy.'

God is not about prohibitions and heartless commandments. His path is meant for our good, immediately and ultimately. It gives Him pleasure when we choose His straight path. But the highway to holiness doesn’t have guide rails. We have choices. In the Bible, ‘turning to the right or to the left’ always implies man’s unfaithfulness (Deut. 2:27; 5:32; Josh. 1:7; 1 Kings 22:2). But don’t worry; God waits for us to ‘straighten up’ before He graciously steps in to ‘straighten us out!’

“The Lord waits for you to come to Him so He can show you His love and compassion. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries. So whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the [straight] way, walk in it. Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved’” (Is. 30:18, 21, 15, edited). Like the prodigal’s loving father, He patiently waits for us to come back.  He has a very generous return policy!

Driving Without Blinkers

Do you know what kind of car the first century Christians drove? The Bible says they were all in “one Accord” (Acts 1:14). While that may be an especially corny joke, I will take it one corny step further and say it probably didn’t have any blinkers (turn signals).

There are many Scriptures where God commands “Do not turn to the left or to the right” (Deut. 5:32; 17:20; Josh 1:7; Prov. 4). Jesus' followers are warned to stay on the straight and narrow path (Matt. 7:14).

You don’t have to drive for long with the Lord to know it is not easy going straight in this crooked world (Phil 2:15); there are so many temptations to make a wrong turn.  And our enemy is only too ready to confuse us with false signs that will lead us in the wrong direction.  But not to worry! God promises to ‘drive’ them away just as He ‘drove’ out the enemies of Israel (Joshua 3:10). And I am convinced whatever He is ‘driving’ has no blinkers.  "Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6).

“Return to Me”

Today's post is not about a movie starring Minnie Driver or  a love song by Dean Martin...
“Return to Me” is a recurring theme in the Old Testament (Jer. 4:1; Joel 2:12; Zech 1:3). When a person's world is turned upside down, he either turns to God or turns away—more commonly the latter. Do you remember when, right after God turned the tables on the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea, the people turned on Moses angrily for turning them into victims of a waterless desert.  Then when God turned the desert rocks into springs of water, their hearts were turned around. You'd think it would have been a turning point for them, but that’s not exactly how it turned out.

Whenever trouble turned up, they were all too quick to turn and run. Centuries later, threatened by war with Assyria, they turned to Egypt. Did they really think God would turn a blind eye to their offense?  He graciously warned them that before things took a turn for the worse, they'd better turn back: “In returning to Me, you will be saved” (Is. 30:15).

Where do you turn when God turns up the heat?  Do you turn down God's opportunities for growth?  Well, as it turns out, you have a God who is too full of love to turn the page on you.  He is waiting for you to "return to Me with all your heart” (Is. 30:18; Joel 2:12). And when you do, He will turn your enemies on their head, and turn your trials inside out (Ro. 8:28; 37).