Spinning in Circles

Four years ago in London, a 22-year old man who was attempting to set the Guinness world record for spinning in circles suddenly collapsed and died.  The idiom “spinning in circles” or “going around in circles” means to keep going over the same ground without getting anywhere.  In other words, no progress, no life.

Of course there is a personal parallel here.  When life events seem beyond our control, and we are not getting anywhere, we have two choices.  We can surrender to God’s sovereignty: “my life and times are in your hands”—(Ps. 31:5).  Or we can attempt in our own effort to make things happen the way we want.  But when we try to take control, we may find, in the end, we are getting nowhere. 

So what do we do when we get this feeling that we are spinning in circles?  Stop moving!  Slow down!  Wait!  Waiting on God is the remedy for that awful feeling.  He promises to lead us in a straight path (Prov. 3:6, Jer. 31:9). Or, in other words, whenever you get that feeling you are spinning in circles, you should get off your feet and get on your knees.

What in the World is Everyone Waiting For?

Did you know that most of the religions in the world are waiting for a messiah? Buddhists for the Fifth Buddha; New Agers for Maitrea; Muslims for the Mahdi; and of course, having rejected Jesus, the Jews are still waiting for Yahshua. Could it be that on some primal level all humanity knows the world is  evil, and is waiting to be rescued?

And it isn’t just religious people who are waiting to be rescued. Secular people have their own remedies for relief. They look for leaders who promise hope and change.  A fantasy?  Walt Disney made his millions on the “Prince Charming” genre—Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel. Who can know how the "Prince Charming" effect works on the collective American psyche. Perhaps this is why every politician tries to convince us he is the only one who can rescue us from peril and poverty.

But unlike the religions of this world, our Messiah has already come. He has already rescued us. And He promises to keep us safe until He comes again. “He will rescue us from every evil deed and bring us safely into his heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim 4:8). This is what we are waiting for.

Living on Purpose

The other day I was talking to one of my former students, a bright young man full of ambition. But he confesses to wasting a lot of time—video games, TV, Facebook—none of which contribute anything to his life goals. I assured him his situation is not uncommon.  Our culture offers us so many empty things with which to occupy ourselves!  I call it "loitering."

Did you know that several years after Joshua and Israel had moved into Canaan, there were still seven Tribes who had not yet taken possession of their portions of the Land ? (Josh. 18)  So Joshua asked them, "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord has given you?" They were still living like wanderers. Here they stood, on the edge of God’s gift to them, loitering instead of occupying.

Jesus said “Occupy ‘til I come” (Lk. 19:13).  But like the seven Tribes many Christians have never taken full possession of God's plan and purpose. They may tell you they are waiting on God, but they are really just 'waiting around.'  Genuine waiting on God means occupying yourself with God's purposes (Col 3:2). That's hard to do when you are predisposed and preoccupied.  That's what the the seven loitering Tribes picture for us.  So, what did I tell my former student? I said, "Put up a sign in your heart  that says 'No Loitering,' and start Living on Purpose."

Waiting for Christmas Day

The word “Christmas” is a compound word made up of the name “Christ” plus the word “mass”—which means celebration. "Christ" is not a name as much as a Greek word or title, meaning "anointed"—equivalent to the Hebrew word "Messiah." Based on the words of the prophets, the Jews of Palestine were waiting for the day they would celebrate the promised Messiah—they were waiting for Christmas.

Although Jesus came 2,000 years ago to deliver us from sin, we are yet waiting for His second coming when He will truly be celebrated by Israel (and the whole world) as the Messiah. It is then we will truly celebrate Christ—it will be the authentic Christmas! And that ‘day’ will go on forever.

But that Christmas day will only be celebrated by those who love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8), who have been eagerly waiting for His glory and to be revealed as His sons (Rom. 8:18-19). On that Christmas day death and sin will be no more (1 Cor. 15:54). On that Christmas day we will be changed forever (1 Cor. 15:51), and receive eternal rewards (1 Cor. 3:14; Rev. 22:12). On that Christmas day, we will be given to Jesus by the Father as His long-awaited present—His virgin Bride (2 Cor. 11:2). We are still waiting for that Christmas—when the curse will be lifted, the saints glorified, Christ worshiped, and the whole creation liberated.

What a sadly watered-down version of Christmas day most people (even Christians!) will be celebrating tomorrow—without fully appreciating the one yet to come: the Christmas day we are waiting for.

God is Never in a Hurry

Being in Belize where the pace of life is slower, I wondered if God is more like a Belizean than a North American—at least where “time” is concerned. In regard to our prayer lives, I wonder if most of us have a hard time lining up with God's sense of time. We seem to pray most earnestly when in a state of crisis: and if God doesn’t respond with comparable immediacy, we panic. It’s so hard for us to slow down and wait.

So we pray like David: “In the day when I call, answer me speedily” (Psalm 102:2); or “I am in trouble: hear me speedily” (Psalm 69:17). The Hebrew word could be translated “right now, hurry up!” David was saying, “Lord, I put my trust in you—but please hurry." (Of course we know that David grew to trust God's timing as he matured in his walk with God.)

But God is in no hurry. Habakkuk was perplexed when God didn’t immediately answer his prayer of crisis: the Chaldean's were coming, and they were about to destroy Jerusalem. God’s answer: wait, the answer will come at just the right time. And so, Habakkuk relented, “I will wait for your answer” (2:1-4). The people who wait on the Lord, without wavering, demonstrate mature faith. They know there is an appointed time for everything. God is never late, never falls behind in His work, and is never in a hurry.

Stimulus Package: Stimulate Now; Pay Later

By now the word ‘stimulus’ is etched into the American psyche, albeit with mixed reaction. How affective it will be in stimulating a sluggish economy remains to be seen! But the debt it has incurred is quite apparent. Of course the logic behind stimulus spending is that it will generate jobs, income and tax revenues to pay the debt. In short, stimulate now; pay later.

The temptation toward stimulation is as old as Adam and Eve. One of the most famous (infamous) examples of a self-made stimulus was David’s moral failure on an uneventful Saturday afternoon—resulting in death and despair. But the most celebrated example of stimulus is that of Abraham and Sarah who, growing tired of waiting for God’s promised child, conspired to speed things up, a stimulus that resulted in the birth of Ishmael, whose ancestors—the Arabs—are the bane of their existence to this day.

The current stimulation strategy has a lesson for us. Let’s face it; it is natural for us to look for stimulation during slow times. The temptation to make something happen increases the longer we wait. Nonetheless, our self-made stimulus packages incur a debt that will have to be reckoned with later. You may stimulate now, but there is always payback (Gal. 6:7).

But thank God, that even though our sinful impulses may carry natural consequences ('Ishmaels'), God will not leave us in debt: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all [the debt of] unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).

Waiters are Called Servers

From the moment of conception, we begin waiting (waiting 9 months to be born!). Then we have to wait until we're old enough to cross the street alone, dive a car, finish school, graduate from college, get a job, find a mate and marry, conceive and have a child. And when we are old, we wait for the end of life.

Though waiting is natural, it is still very difficult! If you have to wait for someone who's late, or if you're expecting something important in the mail, or if you're waiting for the phone to ring, it can almost drive you crazy! Why? Because waiting means you're not in control; someone else is.

Waiting on the Lord, however, is a different matter. He is in control. And when God delays, He has a reason. This is why waiting on God is one of the most spiritually rewarding things we do. Waiting causes you to be more dependent on God; it causes you to be more attentive to Him, more alert. It makes you more sensitive to your sin—knowing it may hinder you from hearing God. Waiting makes you a better 'servant': a 'server.'

Dont Get into a Power Struggle with God; You won't Win

As a marriage counselor, I know that the balance of power and control is an issue in every relationship. Typically partners experience ‘power struggles’ early in the marriage—one partner perceives the other has more power in making decisions. Underlying every power struggle is the fear of losing control. In a healthy relationship, loving trust and mutual submission replace fear.

Likewise, as God's children, we experience ‘power struggles’ with Him until we learn to be content with His leadership (Phil. 4:11; Heb. 5:8). Unfortunately, we are all too much like deprived two-year old's, characterized more by our tantrums and pouting than by quiet submission.

The prophet Isaiah describes Israel’s power struggle with God in these words: The Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says, Only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. You said, `No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle. (Is. 30:15-17).

Like a loving, patient parent who waits for the child’s tantrum to cease, so the LORD still waits for us to come to him so he can show us his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them (Is. 30:18). When will you stop trying to be in control? The power struggle exists only because you refuse to give up yours.

There Are No Shortcuts on the Freeway to Faith, but Lots of Wrong Exits

I was caravanning with my son-in-law last week, following behind him when he abruptly exited the crowded freeway and took a shortcut. His “shortcut” caused us to reach our destination ten minutes later than if we had stayed on the freeway. I understood his impatience: we were in a hurry! Besides, I have done the same thing myself many times! As a young man, I too was always looking for shortcuts. But that youthful enthusiasm was transferred to my spiritual jouney. And as a young believer, I thought I could shortcut the road to mature faith.

Mature faith is developed by patience. That's how it was with Abraham, wasn't it? Already an old man when God called him, God still made him wait another twenty-five years for the promised son. With the passage of time, God tests our faith and builds our character: faith matures.

I have become used to seeing impatience in the young men I mentor. Isn’t that how Satan tried to tempt the young Jesus? Promising Jesus all of the kingdoms of the earth if He would bow down and worship him, Satan was offering Jesus a quicker way to the things He had been promised. It is still Satan’s strategy: persuading us we can shortcut the process.

The Scriptures are full of exhortations to wait on God, but not one that tells us to hurry. People in a hurry risk taking a wrong exit off the freeway of faith, looking for a shortcut to success! “Patience…is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.” (Heb. 10:36 NLT)

Is Jesus SITTING or STANDING?

Throughout my travels in Africa and Asia, I was an invited guest in many homes. And whenever I arrived at the home of my host, he stood up to greet me. This seems to be a universal courtesy—the only exception being that an elderly or highly regarded individual might remain seated.

When Jesus ascended to heaven, the Scriptures declare that He was "seated on the right hand of the throne of God” (Mark 16:19; Heb 1:3). Today, Jesus is still seated. But wait! While being stoned to death, Stephan looked up and saw Jesus STANDING on the right hand of God (Acts 7:55). And to the church at Laodicea, Jesus spoke “I STAND at the door, and knock” (Rev 3:20).

So which is it? Is Jesus SITTING or STANDING? And why should it matter to us?

SITTING is a position of rest—and you don’t rest until you’ve finished your work. (God rested on the 7th day after finishing His work.) Jesus is sitting because His work is done. That is important to us.

STANDING is a waiting and working posture. While Jesus’ work of salvation is done, as long as you and I remain in this world, His work in us and through us continues: we are not finished. Think about it: though the King of the Universe is seated on His throne, He chooses to stand with us, doing His work with you, for you, through you, and in you, so you can STAND firm in your faith (1 Cor. 16:13). It is very important for us to remember that we do not stand alone.

Are You Waiting for Something?

It seems everyone I know is waiting for some major change in their lives—waiting to sell a house; waiting to buy a house; waiting for retirement; waiting for a job; waiting to get married; waiting for a baby; waiting for the stock market to go up; or just waiting for an answer to some very important prayer.

Isn’t it good to know that, as the Psalmist says, “My times are in Your hands”? No one but God knows the proper timing of all things.

In pride and ignorance, Moses breached God’s timing. Knowing that he was called to be the deliverer of the Hebrews, he rushed ahead of divine timing. Killing an Egyptian soldier and incurring the wrath of the Pharaoh, his Hebrew brothers rejected his help; he had only made things worse. Exiled to the desert for the next 40 years, while God was working on Moses (humbling him), He was also working with the Jews. As the abuse and dominance of the Pharaoh increased (not giving them any straw to make bricks), they were compelled to cry out to God for help. Now they were ready to leave Egypt. And now they were ready for Moses.

While you and I are waiting for God to move on our behalf, we must never forget that it is not only about us—He is working in others as well. All things are moving in His time.

Remember: “God acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him” (Is. 64:4). And if you don't wait, He can't act!

In God's Gymnasium, the Strong become Weaker!

[In yesterday’s post, I spoke of the importance of spiritual exercise, using the metaphor of God’s gymnasium. As a pastor and counselor of 25 years, it grieves me that so many Christians think that this daily discipline is optional.]
In God’s Gymnasium, you will become weaker, not stronger.

The result of exercising yourself in GOD'S GYMNASIUM is the opposite of what will happen to you at 24-Hour Fitness!—where the purpose is to become stronger. In the spiritual realm, God’s training regimen is to make you weaker. Let me explain.

Our natural desire is to become stronger in our in self-esteem, self-confidence, and competence. In secular psychology, this is called EGO-STRENGTH. Ego-strength is considered a ‘good’ thing (by secular psychologists). In God’s Gymnasium our ego-strength is exposed. Conversely, the Holy Spirit shows us how weak and unable we are to live holy lives. The intent of God’s training, then, is to weaken (and ultimately destroy) our self-life, and make us stronger in spirit (God-reliant; God-dependent).

Before his conversion, Paul was a naturally gifted man, esteeming himself highly. But Paul learned that “[God’s] strength is perfected in [our] weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). To the self-congratulating Corinthians, Paul says God has “chosen the weak things of this world to shame the things that are strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

If you do not visit God’s Gymnasium regularly, you are in peril of thinking you are stronger than you really are. You are in danger of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Through daily exercising our spirit through Bible study and meditation, we are humbled and broken of self-strength. And we learn how to exchange our strength for His.

Isaiah says:
“He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD [in God’s Gymnasium] will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (40:29-31).

And finally, listen to the words of the prophet Joel (3:10):

“Let the weak say I am Strong."