Endings and Beginnings

The book of Malachi wraps up the Old Testament. It’s also the conclusion of our UPWORD together readings (for now!). Dr. Henrietta Mears wrote: “Martin Luther called John 3:16 ‘the little gospel.’ In the same way, we might speak of Malachi as the ‘little Old Testament’.”

As the ‘little Old Testament’ we see in Malachi the reality of ongoing sin and the tragedy of fallen humanity.  Even though the people had been loved by God and protected by his goodness, they still doubted his love and turned toward themselves and away from him. “‘I have loved you deeply,’ says the LORD. But you retort, ‘Really? How have you loved us?'” (Malachi 1:1) The people had been set free from exile, returned to their homeland, and rebuilt their Temple and walls of their city, yet again fell into a faithless condition.  The people were involved in thoughtless and cold religion (Mal. 1:6-8), preoccupation with money and robbing God of the tithe (Mal 3:7-12), rampant divorce (Mal.2:14-16), evil associations (Mal.2:10-12), and doubting God’s character and justice (Mal 2:17-3:6). As the culmination of the Old Testament, Malachi ends with the word “curse.”  And this is the result of life lived apart from God.

However, “curse” is not the final word of the Bible, just the Old Testament. Malachi promised that God would send a messenger in the future who would be a forerunner to God’s arrival. “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple,” (Mal 3:1).  The New Testament identifies John the Baptist as that messenger (see John 1:23 and Luke 3:3-4) and it identifies Jesus as God himself who has come to his temple (John 20:30-31).  And while the Old Testament ends with the word “curse,” the New Testament closes with a blessing: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all God’s people.” (Revelation 22:21).

God continues to send his messengers ahead of Him into people’s lives.  When we allow God to use us to speak his love into lives that have been broken by the curse of sin and selfishness, we help to prepare the way for Jesus to enter in and bring his blessing of grace and life.  We live in a time not unlike that of the time of Malachi — people are still the same, living careless lives with spiritless religion. We, like Malachi and  John the Baptist, can be God’s messengers of the good news that God loves broken people.  Choosing to yield and live Christ-full lives will usher in his deep, profound, and healing love through us to others.  As we receive him daily, we can be used by God just as we are to bless others he puts in our lives.  We can live out the truth that Jesus has come to remove the curse of sin and death with the blessing of new life through grace.  We can offer hope where hope has been lost, restore forgiveness where offense has shut down hearts, and be the presence of Christ to those who are seeking him.  God’s story doesn’t end with Malachi or the Old Testament.  He’s just getting started.

The Promised Hope

The struggles we go through in life may seem never-ending. The fear of our enemies may threaten to overwhelm us. The difficulties we face may cause us to wonder if change will ever really come.  In such times of personal crisis, where do you find your hope?

The prophet Zechariah spoke to a people who were surrounded by enemies with few natural defenses and even fewer man-made securities to protect them. In the midst of this uncertainty, he assured them of God’ presence and protection. “I will guard my Temple and protect it from invading armies. I am closely watching their movements,” (Zechariah 9:8).  Zechariah then spoke of a time in the future when a righteous King would come.  About 500 years later, that King arrived.  Zechariah prophesied: “Rejoiced greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey – even on a donkey’s colt,” (Zechariah 9:9).  [This prophecy was fulfilled by the coming of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 21:4-11.]  He continued, “I will remove the battle chariots from Israel and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and I will destroy all the weapons used in battle. Your King will bring peace to the nations. His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. Because of the covenant I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from death in a waterless dungeon. Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners for there is yet hope! I promise this very day that I will repay you two mercies for each of your woes!” (Zechariah 9:10-12).

Jesus Christ fulfilled part of this prophecy when he came to earth the first time. He delivered us from death by shedding his blood on the cross as a ransom for our sins. As a righteous and humble King, he purchased our pardon and sealed a covenant in his own blood in order to rescue us from hell (“death in a waterless dungeon”).  When he comes back again, just as he promised, he will bring peace to the earth. As such, we can now find our safety in Christ. He is our refuge and peace in the midst of our difficulties in this life. When he is ultimately crowned the King of kings, he promises to repay those who belong to him with, “two mercies for every woe suffered.” In other words, he offers an exceeding abundance of restoration for the sorrows we endure in this life. No matter how difficult our struggles are, we can give Christ our lives and be assured that we have a secure and lasting hope for the future.

Profitable Living

What does your daily life look like? Is it simply a matter of existing to get what you want by carrying out your plans? Do you acknowledge that God is real and personal and yet live like he is far away?  Do you subtly view Sunday worship as a means to an end — your part in receiving God’s blessing – a kind of religious blue chip stock? Is your faith a lived-out kind of faith or are you just going through the religious motions?

This was the reminder that Zechariah gave to the people of Judah.  Having returned to their homeland following the long exile in Assyria and Babylon, the people were in the process of putting life back together.  They were rebuilding the Temple and reestablishing their religious lives.  But God wanted them to be more than religious, he wanted an internalized faith that was expressed in daily life.  “In your holy festivals, you don’t think about me but only of pleasing yourselves,” (Zech. 7:6). As things were returning to normalcy, God warned them not to become hardened to his word and his Spirit as their forebears had become.  “Your ancestors would not listen… they stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing.  They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the law or the messages that the LORD Almighty had sent them by his Spirit though the earlier prophets,”  (Zechariah 7: 11-12).

To really live profitably, that is, in a way that would please God and honor him as their Lord, their faith would have to be a lived-out faith that affected all areas of their lives.  It couldn’t just be a one day a week thing. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And do not make evil plans to harm each other, ” (Zech. 7:8-10). “Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. Do not make evil plots to harm each other. And stop this habit of swearing to things that are false,” (Zech 8:16-17).  The test of their faith was simple: love for others and especially those who were helpless.  And a commitment to a truth-filled, honest, just life.  God wanted them to do the right thing according to what He determined was right, no matter what it cost them.

God’s desire for our lives is no less today than it was when this was written.  This is still what God looks for from those who follow him. Jesus said, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.”  Because of his cross and the forgiveness he has given us, he calls us to forgive others and be merciful to those who don’t deserve it.  Jesus asks us to know the truth so that the truth can make us free — and he himself is Truth.  Our lives are to be centered around Him.  Therefore his call to us is more than just Sunday-faith.  It’s a lived-out faith.  It’s an all of life faith. It’s an every day commitment and reliance upon him.  Are you making a profitable living?

Putting the Pieces Together

Life is difficult. It’s especially tough for those who have faced trauma or been victimized.  Though an immediate hardship may end, though abuse or dysfunction may be left behind, inner freedom is not automatic. It’s typical to remain emotionally bound by the past. It’s hard to put the pieces of life back together and move forward with hope and enthusiasm.

This was likely the case for God’s people in Judah to whom the prophet Zechariah spoke. Because of their ancestors’ sins and dysfunctions, their families had been displaced from their homeland to Assyria and Babylon. However, by God’s sovereign grace, a remnant of Jews returned to Jerusalem following a 70 year exile. These Jews returned to their homeland under the leadership of a man named Zerubbabel.  Their first goal was to rebuild God’s Temple, but their initial zeal was quickly squashed by resistance from the local residents. The rebuilding of God’s House halted. The people had been used and abused by others for so long, that they had very little strength to accomplish the task of rebuilding their lives. Though they had obtained freedom, they struggled to live in the reality of their true identity as God’s uniquely chosen and treasured people.

Zechariah spoke into this condition so as to help the people recover from the immobilizing pain of the past and to reestablish their true identity. He spoke of hope for the future to enable them to recover in the present. He encouraged them through vivid visions that God was at work and healing was at hand.  Above all, in the midst of the difficulty of putting the pieces of life back together, he assured them that the power for rebuilding was ultimately not their own.  “‘It’s not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6).

We are driven in today’s competitive culture to be independent of God and man.  We expect ourselves to out perform others and push ourselves harder when we don’t.  When we reach our limit, we become depressed, turn to addictions or fall to pieces.  God wants us to turn completely to him and to accomplish his purposes in his strength.  God tells the apostle Paul  in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  It is God’s Spirit in us accomplishing the things of God that pleases God.  And the whole of our existence is to glorify him.  When you think about it, it’s quite a contrast, isn’t it?

God has the power to accomplish healing and freedom in your life with regard to anything you might face.   Though your own power is limited, his is not.   “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” Matthew 19:26.  Trust him, he loves you and he’s got this.

Have you asked God, “Why?”

Questions are a normal part of life; especially in the midst of situations we don’t understand. During hardship, it can be difficult to reconcile our belief in a good and righteous God with the facts of life as we see them.  At such times, it’s not unusual to wrestle with doubts and to ask God, “Why?”  We wonder, “Why does a good God allow evil things to occur?” “If God is all powerful, why doesn’t he stop people in their lawlessness and their mad rush for power?” “Why does God seem silent in the midst of trouble?” “Why do the bad guys seem to win and the wicked people seem to prosper?”

The prophet Habakkuk asked such questions of God and he received answers.  Habakkuk was bewildered by the evil he saw running rampant in Judah.  When he brought his honest questions to God, God responded. However, Habakkuk was neither ready for, nor did he completely comprehend,  the answers he was given. Habakkuk complained to God about the sinfulness of the people of Judah and God’s lack of action in correcting it. He  asked God, “Must I forever see this sin and misery all around me and why do you idly look at wrong?” (Habakkuk 1:3). God responded that He was doing something Habakkuk would be astounded by. He was bringing the cruel Babylonians to power and they would overrun his people, thus bringing God’s justice and correction upon them (Hab 1:5-11).  This really bewildered Habakkuk. How could God use evil to bring about a good purpose? Would God really allow the wicked to destroy people more righteous than them? (Hab 1:13).

What’s so beautiful about Habakkuk is that he didn’t run away from God or doubt God’s character in the midst of things he did not understand.  Instead, he trusted that God would clarify things for him.  Having asked God his questions, Habakkuk said, “I will climb into my watchtower and wait to see what the LORD will say to me and how he will answer my complaint,” (Hab 2:1).  G. Campbell Morgan once said that when Habakkuk looked at his circumstances he was perplexed (1:3), but when he waited for God and listened to Him, he sang (3:18-19).  God responded by admitting the wickedness of the Babylonians, but declared that they would eventually destroy themselves through their own evil. Pride and cruelty always lead to destruction. (Hab 2:2-20).

What becomes clear in the book of Habakkuk is that people sometimes have to wait to know what the final outcome of things will be.  While God may seem slow to act by our standards, time is not an issue for him. God sometimes takes ages to show his plans. As the apostle Peter said, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day,” (2 Peter 3:8). Though it may seem that the wicked are winning, in the end they are doomed. During such times of trial, God is testing and refining his people.  Hardship always brings out who we really are and reveals what we really believe.  God’s direction to us whether in the good times or bad is to live out an everyday trust in him.  “The righteous will live by his faith,” (Hab 2:4).

Habakkuk believed God and rejoiced that God answered Him. He trusted that God knew what He was doing by bringing the Babylonians against his people and that in the end things would work for the good.  Habakkuk looked past the hardship to the restoration that would occur. “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as sure footed as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.” (Hab. 3:17-19).

When you experience trials, remember that God is in control of the universe and he is working out his own plan in his own time. I encourage you, like Habakkuk, to trust God in the midst of your hardship. Live by faith! It’s okay to bring your honest questions to the Lord but be sure to wait for his answers and know that it often takes time for God’s program to be revealed. When mystified by it all, remember that God’s thoughts are above our thoughts and God’s ways are above our ways (Isaiah 55:9).  And trust that, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” (Romans 8:28).

What God Requires

One of the terrible things about this fallen life is how easy it is for us to be consumed with ourselves and to become confused about God. The people of Israel during the time of Micah had become very confused about God and themselves.  They were supposed to know him, but their vision and understanding of who he is and what he wants became clouded by their own deceit and selfishness.  Instead of relying upon God, the people relied upon all kinds of useless things to bring their lives meaning and to attempt to bring them security. They looked to their military strength and their city fortifications to provide their safety (Micah 5:11). They looked to false spiritualities such as the occult, witchcraft, fortune tellers, astrology, and idol worship to bring them guidance (Micah 5:12-14).  Their lives had become bloated by wealth and self-importance and they forgot that it was God who was their Creator and real source of power. “O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery… I the LORD did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness,” (Micah 6:3-5).

As the realities of their practical atheism and the consequences of their sinful lives began to catch up with them, the people scrambled to appease God. It wasn’t that they honestly feared him or that they reverently worshipped him.  They weren’t interested in holiness or being acceptable to him.  Instead, they were panicked that were losing the temporal and earthly things (health, money, status, power) that they most valued. They thought that if they just got the religious formula right, God would relent and once more become their “blessing” machine. So they postulated a confused religious response to try to buy him off: “What can we bring to the LORD to make up for what we’ve done? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and tens of thousands of rivers of olive oil? Would that please the LORD? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for the sins of our souls? Would that make him glad?” (Micah 6:6-8).

Ultimately there is nothing we can do to impress God or win his favor.  What God is looking for is faith — a living, believing, everyday trust in Him that affects our lifestyle and the way we treat other people. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God,” (Hebrews 11:6).  Or as Micah puts it: “God has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God,” (Micah 6:8).  God is not telling us there is a way to earn our salvation through our efforts, but instead is describing what a life lived with him looks like.  He’s not showing the seed that creates faith, but the fruit that’s produced by faith.  He’s describing a life of faith that treats others responsibly, that is merciful to everyone (both those who deserve it and especially those who don’t), and that fully relies upon God for all things.  God has not changed.  He still requires the same thing he has always required.  What he wants from you, what he requires, is living faith.

Going through the motions

There’s a story about a man who dreamed one night. In the dream an angel escorted him to church on a Sunday morning. There he saw both the choir and the praise band and all the people gathered for worship.

As the man looked first at the choir, he saw the robed singers intoning their various parts while the organist played magisterially.  But there was no sound.

Next he looked at the praise band. He saw the guitarist jamming away, the drummer banging vigorously, and the vocalists singing energetically. But there was no sound.

He looked at the congregation and they were singing also; some solemnly and others exuberantly. But there was no sound.

When the minister rose to speak, his lips moved. But there was no sound.

In confusion the man turned to his angel escort for an explanation of what he was witnessing. The angel said: “This is the way it sounds to us in heaven. You hear nothing because there is nothing to hear. These people are going through the motions of worship but their thoughts are on other things, their hearts are far away, and their lives are focused elsewhere.”

It’s possible to fool ourselves into thinking we are spiritually right with God. We can perform rituals and participate in religious activities without actually engaging with the Lord. But God will only look favorably upon us if we entrust our lives to him and seek to follow his ways.  God cannot bless our sinful lifestyles and therefore no amount of religious posturing makes up for our wayward actions.

This was what the prophet Amos chided the people of Israel for.  They went through the motions of worship and made a big show of their religiousness.  But they neglected justice, harmed the poor, and lived selfishly. Through Amos, the Lord said: “I hate all your show and pretense – the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your hymns of praise! They are only noise to my ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is. Instead I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry,” (Amos 5:21-24).

Be aware of the danger of going through the motions of worship while not conforming your life to God’s ways.  Be careful not to carry on the outward appearances of religion while neglecting a life of faith.  God is concerned that our hearts know him and our lives reflect his glory to the world around us. If you find yourself going through the motions of faith, ask the Lord to show you where things began to go wrong.  Allow the Holy Spirit to surface those attitudes and behaviors that are out of sync with his heart and ways.  Confess these things to him and determine to change your behavior with the help and power of the God who loves you.   Then receive Him into your Spirit and allow him to strengthen and empower you to walk completely dependent on him.  With your cooperation, he will draw you into his rhythm of life and and his righteous ways through his grace and mercy.

Victim or Victor?

I’m home from vacation.  Sorry for so little posting over the past two weeks… our old computer crashed while we were on vacation.  Sigh…

Anyway, we have moved into the book of Daniel and will proceed over the next month to finish out our UPWORD together readings for this year. Let’s finish strong as we head into the minor prophets!

Daniel is one of my favorite bible heroes because of his strong faith and the way he lived in the midst of the unfairness of life.  Daniel and his friends were exiled to Babylon in 605 BC along with many others from Judah.  They were young men with character and integrity who had done nothing to deserve the hardship they faced. Nevertheless, the disastrous downfall of their nation due its prolonged disobedience to God affected their lives dramatically. They suffered innocently because of others’ choices. They lost big time.  And yet, they did not live life as victims.  They did not allow discouragement and disappointment to overwhelm them. They stayed focused on God.  I think a bumper sticker for Daniel’s life could read: “Life is not fair, but I am not a victim.” This is what makes his life a truly great life. Instead of wallowing in self pity over his losses or capitulating to the Babylonian culture in an effort to get by, Daniel lived a God-honoring life.

Having been taking from their homes, these young men were selected to take part in a three year training program that would indoctrinate them into the ways of Babylon (sounds a bit like college to me). Upon completing the program, they would become advisers to the king.  Their names were changed to strip them of their past and to symbolize their new identities in a new culture.  Daniel’s name was changed to Belteshazzar which means “Bel, protect his life”. Bel was a Babylonian god and Daniel’s name change was intended to turn Daniel away from his allegiance to his own God and homeland.  Daniel’s choices and faith kept that from happening.

Despite the challenges he faced, Daniel knew that ultimately God is in control and he determined to live in light of this reality.  “But Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself…” (Daniel 1:8). He knew that no matter what happened to him, honoring God was the most important thing he could do. God’s will would not change with the circumstances and opposition Daniel faced and therefore, Daniel lived accordingly.  He remained faithful in the midst of a dangerous and power hungry political world.  And it was this faithfulness to God that caused even the pagan kings he served to recognize the existence of the true and living God.  King Nebuchadnezzar would say, “Truly, your God is the God of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries…” (Daniel 2:47). Later King Darius would say, “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed and his rule will never end….” (Daniel 6:26-27).

From Daniel’s life we can see how crucial it is to stay faithful to God despite what life brings us.  We will all face injustices of varying degrees, but we do not have to become victims of our circumstances. Like Daniel, we can choose to serve God with all our strength even though it may bring opposition from the people around us — especially those who are in authority over us and also those who are threatened by our lives. Yet even when it costs us, we must do things God’s way.  If we turn to Him in the midst of the hardships we face, we’ll find his strength to sustain us and the loving assurance of his powerful, protecting hands.  We’ll find we are not victims, but victors.

 

 

Haven’t I had enough pain already?

“Haven’t I had enough pain already?” (Jeremiah 45: 3 NLT). This is the woeful lament that came from the lips of Baruch, Jeremiah’s aide and scribe.  Just as Jeremiah faced ridicule, derision and persecution from the people of Judah, Baruch did also.  It was unpopular work being a prophet (or in this case a prophet’s assistant). But God promised to watch over and protect Baruch no matter what else happened around him or where his service to God took him. God said– “Baruch…I will destroy this nation that I built. I will uproot what I planted. Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! But don’t be discouraged. I will bring great disaster upon all these people, but I will protect you wherever you go. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 45:4-5).

This word to Baruch was given to him earlier in life but is placed in the book of Jeremiah at the end of their time in Egypt.  Following the destruction of Jerusalem, both Baruch and Jeremiah were kidnapped by their own people (who again were faithless toward God) and taken down to Egypt. These faithless and apostate Judeans who took up residence in Egypt  as a feeble attempt to avoid God’s judgment through the Babylonians would suffer destruction for their disobedience to God.  But God promised to watch over Baruch. The reason the message is placed out of historical context is to provide a reminder that God does take care of his own, despite the way things sometimes look.

Ultimately, Baruch’s cry is a result of the difficulty of serving God in a world that is hostile to Him. Let’s face it, history shows that those who serve Christ in this world suffer at the hands of the world. But our suffering, pain and difficulties in this life are not the last word.  The promises of God are. God will have the last word on our lives, our work and our fate.

If you are feeling isolated or depressed by your circumstances, remember God’s word to Baruch. While Baruch didn’t understand his pain and he didn’t “deserve” the treatment he received at the hands of others, he was not outside of God’s will.  God was still paying attention to him. God was still at work shaping and molding him.  God was still using his service. God was still on the throne of the universe and on the throne of Baruch’s life.  And God promised that he would watch over him and protect him.   He will do that for you too, if you’ll simply trust him in the midst of wherever you find yourself.  Reach out to God today.  Tell him your troubles. Invite Jesus into your circumstances.  And listen for his word of comfort and reassurance in your life.

The Greatest Day of His Life

The greatest day of the prophet Jeremiah’s life is recounted in Chapter 40 of his book. It came immediately on the heals of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem of which Jeremiah had prophesied for many years. The people were in the midst of being exiled to Babylon just as Jeremiah had predicted. Finally, the lies of all the false prophets who continuously declared, “Peace, peace,” were exposed. The truth and integrity of Jeremiah’s ministry was clearly displayed.

Jeremiah was in chains with the rest of the people as they began the long trip into Babylonian captivity.  Only the weakest and poorest people — the truly worthless people — had been left behind in the destroyed Jerusalem. Suddenly, Jeremiah was singled out of the crowd and given a message by the conquering King Nebuchadnezzar.  Jeremiah’s chains were removed and he was given the option of going to Babylon where he would be given special treatment — a posh retirement of sorts under the protection of the King, or he could return to Jerusalem and live among the ruins with the misfits of the remnant community. “The captain of the guard called for Jeremiah and said, ‘…Now I am going to take off your chains and let you go. If you want to come with me to Babylon, you are welcome. I will see that you are well cared for. But if you don’t want to come, you may stay here…Its’ up to you; go wherever you like,” (Jeremiah 40:2-5).

In Babylon, Jeremiah would have ease and comfort as promised by Nebuchadnezzar himself. He would have respect and dignity (he had been despised and ridiculed by his own people). He would have provision and ease. Essentially, he would have the “good life” and could finish out his days as he well deserved. In Jerusalem, however, he would be starting over. There would be few resources of any kind. The city was in ruins. The temple was a heap. The people were so broken and despicable that they weren’t worth taking as slaves. Jerusalem would mean continued and increased hardship for the rest of his days.

Jeremiah chose Jerusalem. It was the greatest day of his life. He chose a life of faith in the midst of the brokenness. He chose to trust God despite what he could see. He chose to believe that God would rebuild from the ruins. He believed God’s provision and grace would reestablish a people called by God’s own name. Ultimately, Jeremiah chose God.  He chose to live a life with God walking the faith walk –  a life that is not particularly pretty or popular; and certainly is not easy or simplistic.

Everyone of us will face choices throughout our lives as to whether or not we will live by faith. Those choices will always be costly. That is ultimately what this life is about.  Faith or no faith. Belief in God or no belief in God. Trust in his word or trust in the world. Will you choose to trust God and follow him no matter where it might lead?  Will you hold on to him in the midst of confusion and disappointment? Will you remain faithful to him even amidst destruction and calamity? Will you cling to him no matter what the cost?  His promise is the same for everyone who chooses Him, “I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will be with you to the very end of the age.”