When our worlds are turned upside down - anything which remains certain, predictable, and secure is of paramount importance. For those in war, persecution and major life trauma this is all intensely distilled and acutely more in focus.
The Apostle John says this...
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[a]we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
Our view of God and comprehension of the reality of our relationship with him really matters. He is not merely a boss to work for, or a force to deal with, he is the one who has given us all the merits of Christs life and death, all the purity of his obedience, all the victory and qualifications of his resurrection victory. He has chosen to adopt us forever as his children, and this changes everything. Comprehension of this security in his love, and the direct growth with him in this relationship changes every moment of life as we learn how loved we are.
4 brief observations:
1) CHILDREN DEVELOP OVER TIME: The Christian life is a lifetime of growth with the one who loves us and gave himself for us. Spurts of effort in the Christian life are not the same thing as a lifetime of resting in his security and learning of what he has for us experientially. We grow in our adoption as we learn to receive more each day.
2) CHILDREN NEED TO BE KEPT SAFE AND PROTECTED: Christian maturity is in part growth in the knowledge of our helplessness without him, and our resources in him. Part of this growth is the knowledge that we can cause harm and be a danger to ourselves. When we are young believers we are in a sense young children in Christ. In our simple faith we are less aware of the multidimensional (complex as the cosmos) nature of our relationship with God. The Christian life is an adventure in the security of God, but childlike humility is always wise however long we have known the security of his grip of grace. A baby can utter "abba" and mature believers know how to cry to God in dependence for all things without exception. We never outgrow crying to God for help, but rather we grow to depend on him all the more. We learn to acknowledge him in ALL our ways" (Proverbs 3:6) The more we cling to him, the more we know the beauty of his presence, and provision in the adventure of life.
3) CHILDREN WILL GET THEMSELVES IN A MESS AND NEED CONSTANT HELP: Our father's expectations of us are not overbearing or unrealistic. Fathers know the capacity of their children in each season of life. As we wouldn't expect a baby to give us a thesis on whether they need their nappy changing, so our father will gauge the level of appropriate response of our Christian life in each season. He only gives us what we can bare (1 cor 10:13, 1 Sam 25) , he only disciplines us in love (Hebrews 12:7-14), he only allows us to go through things in the knowledge that he will provide us with everything to go through it (Romans 8:32, Heb 13:20). However old we are, and advanced our earthly children are, we are still concerned for our children, we never stop being a parent, our concern and care takes on other dimensions but never dissipates. How much more true this is with the ongoing care and help of our Heavenly Father.
4) CHILDREN ARE PERMITTED TO ASK DIFFICULT QUESTIONS IN TOUGH TIMES: This is healthy. So many Psalms follow the pattern of respectful complaint, discovering God afresh, and then praise Him for his presence in the difficulty.
Psalm 142:2 Is David's honest reflection gathered from the darkest cave moments of 1 Sam 22 (cf 1 Sam 24). His life is surrounded by danger, death wickedness and godlessness. Yet even at this point surrounded in darkness he discovered the certainty of God's promises in his presence (2 Peter 1:4) "by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."
Even in our darkest cave and surrounded by depravity, war, death and godlessness... his presence can meet us gloriously where we are... as we cry to him.
Psalms articulate such a variety of expressions:
- Knowing bleak despondency and desperate isolation (Psalm 22)
- Shame in repentance and anger at yourself. Sinful expressions in times of crisis (Psalm 51)
This should be our pattern of honesty before the father who loves us. We are articulating what the son of man, the son of God articulates (all experiences apart from Sin and repentance) in the ultimate cry of all our sorrows taken to the cross. Christ is the lens through which we complain and find all resolutions of complaint. It is good for our spiritual growth to complain to God not others. Transparency gives good conscience, it also massively helps us offload for good mental wellbeing during times of great trauma. In the words of the tea time telly program (Catchphrase) we have to "say what you see". Those who don't articulate, find that the issue grows and hurts more at a later stage. He knows that our thoughts and expressions can be juvenile and underdeveloped. But our Father feels our pain and wants us to talk to him. Come to God now and be yourself before him, cry to him today whatever you are going through.
Hebrews 13
"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
APPLICATION:
As we apply this to the present situation of Ukraine war, frontier mission and global persecution of believers there are some great encouragements. I pass on two.
1) GREATER KNOWLEDGE OF SECURITY FOR ETERNITY, the temporary nature of the MOMENTARY TRIAL (1 Peter 1:3-7)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Those going through deep trial who express faith and dependance also show and testify of a deeper knowledge in his security. From a distance some look as they are clinging to God with their fingertips. as the only certainty they have left in the context of having lost homes, families, church congregations, all belongings, access to funds, and all personal plans for their future. However... even in the most dire of situations people testify that they are not holding onto God, rather he is holding onto them. This is liberating, our security does not rest on our strength to cling but his strength to hold. This is the supernatural secure grip of God's grace. His providence humbles us to accept that he has ALL these things in his hands. (Rom 8:28)
It is possible even to lose everything in this world, and still be growing in the knowledge of the eternal security of God, the warmth of his closeness, provision, and protection in Christ. Losing what we love most in this world can make us appreciate the greater depth of his love for us, and his provision in the next. In our suffering we discover more of what Christ has given in suffering, and given up in wealth for our redemption. CHRIST is what eternal security looks like. This will never be taken away (v4) or destroyed. Our hope in him will never be disappointing. Gaining understanding of this makes life ineffably rich, whatever season on earth we are going through.
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Phil 4:19-20
2) GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GOD WE DEPEND ON:
When we pray prayers like "Lord keep them safe", we need to know what we are praying. There is a greater safety than the protection from bad weather, cold winters, moving military forces, being protected from the strategy of a illogical and merciless dictator, some random shelling or miscued missile (from drunken military who operate obsolete equipment which works unpredictably even to them).
Step back from the chaos and see the bigger picture. The greater battle is with all of God's enemies, and his complete protection is over all his children, in all battles. The pivotal central battle of the cross proved decisive. The resurrection proves irreversibility. Satan, sin, death and hell have lost and there is no way back. Control is his. There is only one ultimate outcome for those in CHRIST, and in this we are forever safe. Our prayer then is for greater knowledge of this safety and unchangeable reality, regardless of circumstances.
Along with this undetonated mountain of metal, are the many landmines which exist and remain active as the enemy retreats. In it he quotes “For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in his dwelling, He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon the rock” (Ps.27.5)
Pray for those about to face earthly physical death, that they will know the supernatural joy of and certainty of ultimate security in his resurrection life. In the grip of God our security is not taken away by circumstantial terror. Think of the friend on the cross (Luke 23:43). He was a new believer, a "newborn" in spiritual things, but he knew where his trust was placed. He saw Christ with clarity, and was gripped with his security in Christ as he assured him "today you will be with me...".
It is right for us to pray for food for God's children, for beds, emotional comfort, healing and medical help. These are the expressions of love God's people to display the fathers heart and love, he loves his children. There is however a greater expression of love, far beyond what we could ever humanly give or rationalise, the love of our Father in heaven which goes beyond in every sense. We therefore commit our friends and worldwide church family to His higher care. There are times when we know his ways are not our ways, but we also know we see all life from a limited perspective (Job 42:1-6).
This is how we pray (Matt 6:9). We know that he knows, we pray but greater is his prayer for us ( Luke 22:32, John 17, Romans 8:34, Heb 7:25) , and in this we are secure children. Whatever the day has held we can have this perspective and certainty. If we do we will sleep well in his house, his presence and his care.
"Father, we praise you that you have us in your eternal grip of grace. Teach us childlike humble trust and unrestricted dependance, that in it we might discover your presence and provision for all time in each circumstance. May our comprehension of the true nature and magnitude of what you have in provision for us as your children grow in our lives. Help us as your children to imitate you, display your character in the family likeness be more like Christ in all circumstances and all seasons. Help us to depend unconditionally on your care, living consciously in your presence, and so transparently commend you to others who are so helpless and hopeless. Thank you that our Shepherd lay down his life for helpless sheep like us, before taking it up again. Thank you that all things are under your control and for your good purposes. We trust you unreservedly, love you more and more, and in joy depend on you alone."
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