Do You Know God's Ways or Just His Acts?

I received a message from a friend on Facebook encouraging me to click on a link to find out who was visiting to my main page. It seemed a little unusual for my friend to send such a thing so I ignored it. It "smelled" like a scam. Within a few moments, I noticed that my friend posted that her account had been hacked and that everyone should not click on that link. I let her know I didn't respond and noticed that another person had written, "I ignored it because it didn't sound like something you would do."

That comment has been resonating in my mind since then. I can think of several applications.

First, we can know if God is "in" something by "is it like Him?" Is He initiating a certain move? Is He telling us to do something? If we know God's heart and His character, and how He has acted in the past (through the Bible), then we can know if it's "something He would do."

Now, I realize that's harder than we'd like to think. God can't be placed in a box. The Bible is a collection of God's "movements" and not all of them seem to reveal a consistent pattern. God works in marvelous and mysterious ways at times. I don't think He ever contradicts His nature--that's impossible. Everything He does springs from the same amazing characteristics of His nature. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8). He never contradicts Himself, yet we can too easily pick out something and say it's not like Him.

Some people really camp on this when they talk about God's love. They say, "If God is love then He would never allow pain or hurt or anything bad to happen." Their definition is that being loving means only good things happen. But God in His infinite love knows what's truly "good." And His definition of "good" may not be our definition of "good."

I wonder if the Israelites had that trouble. Psalm 103:6-7 tells us, "The LORD performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel."

Remember how the Israelites didn't want to go up the mountain to meet with God? They sent Moses. "Moses, you go. We don't want to meet with such a powerful God." Their attitude was, "We're not quite sure what He's about."

I've pondered the difference between "ways" and "acts" and come up with what I think the difference is:
"ways" represent a person's heart
"acts" represent only what is seen that they do.

Moses knew God's heart; but the Israelites only focused on what He had done. You'd think that His miracles would have impressed the Israelites but it only seems to have frightened them. They couldn't see God's heart behind His acts so they were not motivated to move toward Him in relationship. Maybe they couldn't trust God because He was powerful and seemed unpredictable. He couldn't be controlled or anticipated.

Do you know God's ways or only His acts? Not only can we say, "I knew, Lord, that was (or wasn't) You," but we can hopefully say, "I know your heart behind what you do." I think we can know that by studying and paying attention to God's attributes. For me, His sovereignty is most meaningful.

Which of God's attributes are most meaningful to you?

I'll give the second "application" next time.

God Sees and Hears and Knows YOU!

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Larry and I have two friends, both named Jim, who are fighting for their lives in their battles with cancer. Within days of each of their diagnosis, we talked to their wives and both women said, "The Lord knows." We were encouraged to hear of their faith and trust. Through those three words, these two wives were saying, "God knows what's going on and He will do whatever He knows is best."

As I heard their statements, I thought of Exodus 3:7-8a: "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters and oppressors; for I know their sorrows and sufferings and trials. And I have come down to deliver them..." (Amplified Bible)

The context is that the Israelites are being abused by the Egyptians and He has chosen Moses to be His vessel for delivering them. God's compassion has been aroused because He is involved in their lives and feels their pain with them. And out of that motivation, He will come down to deliver them.

I don't know God's plans for our two friends but I do know God has seen and heard their plight and as a result He knows and is with them. One way or another He is going to deliver them--either on this earth or into heaven. Just knowing God sees, hears, and knows can be encouraging for all of us.

I felt that powerfully in my life years ago when I had driven to a city where my son's band was performing. It also happened to be the city where my husband worked as a police officer. I parked my car in a parking lot near the stadium where the band competition was going on. Hours later after the competition was over in the late evening, I walked to the parking lot but couldn't find my car. At first I thought I'd forgotten where it was and I wandered around in the cold. But finally it dawned on me that the place where I'd parked it was empty--with only shattered glass to indicate that it had been stolen. I looked around in fear, not knowing what to do. This was in the days before cell phones and I felt helpless and alone. I'd never experienced any crime before and I was shocked at my reaction. I felt violated and confused. I couldn't think straight.

As I wandered around, I finally found a pay telephone and called 911, explaining to the dispatcher what had happened and asking whether my husband had left for home. She said he had but she then said, "You're at a pay phone at ...." and she named the intersection where I was. "Just stay there; I'm sending over a police officer immediately and I'll call Larry on his car radio."

I can't tell you the peace that flooded over me. It almost brings me to tears right now thinking of that peace. She knows where I am! She is sending help! I'm not alone. Someone knows and cares. I'm going to be protected and taken care of.

As I looked out at the darkness surrounding the telephone booth, I felt renewed courage.

That experience pales in the face of what our two friends are experiencing. But any of us at any time can lacking courage or feel frightened or uncertain. Let me assure you that God sees where you are. God hears your cry. God knows what you're going through. And God will deliver you. He is already with you and knows His plans for you--for welfare and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

Please pray for God's healing hand upon our friends, the two Jims. They love the Lord and we long to continue to experience life with them.

Would You Have Given Up On Jonah?

The biblical book of Jonah is a story of grace. God shows His graciousness in so many ways:
1. calling Jonah to be His prophet even though He knew Jonah would run from His assignment
2. saving the sailors in the boat where Jonah slept even though the sailors worshiped other gods
3. turning from His promise to destroy the Ninevites because they repented
4. giving Jonah the gift of some shade through a plant even though his attitude was horrible.

In Tullian Tchividjian's book, Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels, he talks about three specific ways God reveals His grace after Jonah runs away and proves himself an unfaithful prophet.
1. God doesn't hold grudges. Even though Jonah doesn't confess to any wrongdoing, "God doesn't remind Jonah of his past failings. His words carry no rebuke." (pg 86).
2. God "doesn't lighten the load for Jonah this second time around....God's grace isn't seen in the lessening of his demands toward us; he always has and always will demand perfect obedience. His grace is experienced when we come to realize that his perfect demands for each of us have already been met by Jesus." (pg. 88).
3. God doesn't give up. "God is more interested in the worker than he is in the work the worker does. He's more interested in you than in what you can accomplish. If accomplishing Project Ninevah was all God cared about, he could have discarded Jonah and found a more reliable prophet. He knew Jonah would run; so why did he ask Jonah to go in the first place? It was because Jonah was God's project." (pg. 89).

Have you read the book of Jonah lately? Try reading it again with the theme of grace. You'll find a lot to encourage you in knowing God's grace.

Flexibility Prevents Crashes

My sister, her grandson, and I are standing in front of the moat at the Imperial Castle in Tokyo, taken a few days before the earthquake. Our tourist guide pointed to the wall of rocks and said that it was 400 years old. She explained that the builders fashioned it to survive earthquakes by allowing for movement between the rocks. Little did we know that two days later, we would experience a huge earthquake--9.0.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, I talked with people whose relatives were looking out a high rise building in Tokyo when the earthquake hit. He said the buildings were swaying as if they couldn't possibly not fall over and crash. Yet no high rise buildings fell because they were built on ball bearings that allow the buildings to float and take the vibrations.

That speaks to me of flexibility. As Christians, we know that the Bible is filled with doctrines that we can't manipulate, change, or "be flexible about." There are basic tenants that can not be changed. But knowing that our hearts can easily be swayed by our own sinful desires, we should still hold loosely beliefs that might be wrong. Otherwise when there are "earthquakes" in our lives like illness, confusion, or rejection, we can be open to making sure our thinking really is the truth.

I just finished reading Tullian Tchividjian's fabulous book, Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels. He uses the book of Jonah as the basis for a wonderful examination of grace. And grace is more flexible than we think. What we sometimes are convinced God is like or how He will react, can surprise us.

For instance, Jonah couldn't understand why God would forgive the evil of the Assyrians in Ninevah. After receiving the call to preach repentance to the Ninevites, Jonah tried to flee to Tarshish because "I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life." (Jonah 4:2-3 NASB).

Jonah was so angry about God acting in such a way that went against his prejudices that he wanted God to strike him dead. His hatred of the Ninevites made him inflexible and hard so that he couldn't understand God's gracious love--even for ungodly people.

If we'd had a chance to talk to Jonah, he would have been convinced that his view of how God should act was completely right. But he was blinded by his own prejudice and hatred.

I must repeat that there are indeed some doctrines and principles that are clear in the Bible that do not allow for any flexibility. But shouldn't we also be careful about labeling something as dogmatic when our opinions, prejudices, or upbringing could be getting in the way?

If you haven't yet seen the video of the swaying buildings, check it out. May it remind us to be flexible at times.

Review of "Words: A Novel" by Ginny Yttrup

I didn't mind the long flight to Japan because I read Words by Ginny L. Yttrup. I was as happy as a clam and didn't even sleep because I was so eager to read this book. And once I started, I didn't want to stop! It's an incredible book and you'll never want to stop either once you start. It is a riveting novel about sexual child abuse.

But don't let that subject stop you in your tracks. Ginny handles the topic in a sensitive and yet powerful way. The story is centered on a young girl, Kaylee, who is being sexually abused by her mother's boyfriend. The mother abandoned her and Kaylee has gone mute because of the trauma. There are no explicit sexual scenes but by inference you know what's happening to this child.

The second main character is Sierra who happens upon Kaylee and in time their paths intertwine, bringing healing to both their wounded hearts.

After you read this novel, you'll be blown away that this is a first novel by writer Ginny Yttrup. This book is superbly written. The character development and scene descriptions draw you in. The plot twists and turns and your concern for both Kaylee and Sierra make you want to jump into the story to be a part of the story.

Now, I'll tell you a secret. I'm mentioned in Ginny's Acknowledgement's page. Why? Because I met Ginny at a writers conference many years ago and was privileged to be the first writer to read this very story as Ginny began writing it. Even then, I knew this story and her weaving of it was electric. At the time I encouraged her, I know that she thought I was just being nice but my wisdom :-) has been proven. I told her she was good and now everyone knows what I knew. Ginny Yttrup is an amazing writer and I know that her next books will bear this out even more.

So, yes, Ginny is a friend of mine but I bought this book to take it with me on my trip. I'm thrilled to tell you to get this book! I know you will be mesmerized and won't be able to put the book away. I even recommend you get it for those you know who were sexually abused. I think it can bring healing because of the steps that are taken in Kaylee's healing. This is not a self-help book for sexual abuse victims, but it will minister.

Read this book! You won't be sorry just like I'm don't regret encouraging Ginny to continue on in writing this novel. You can purchase this book here: Words

Keep Grinning about Your Humility

While in Japan, I got the biggest kick out of the times I complimented a Japanese on their English speaking abilities. They just loved hearing that they spoke English well. I was really surprised at their joy in the compliment.

At one point, my sister, niece, and baby Jack were in a bus depot waiting for our tourist bus to take us on a tour of Tokyo (this was before the earthquake). I was following 16-month-old Jack around the station and with his red hair he always received admiring glances and the Japanese, who love babies and children, loved coming up to him and talking to him.

One woman spoke to him in English and we struck up a little conversation. I said to her, "You speak very good English" and she did indeed!

You'd thought I just handed her a thousand yen bill. She began bowing and grinning from cheek to cheek. She thanked me profusely as she bowed and explained that she had lived in Northern California for two years while her husband worked there. She was very dismissive of her abilities saying, "Oh, but I don't speak well; I have so much to learn."

But I assured her she spoke very well and was very understandable. Again, she dismissed it and kept bowing and grinning. I think my offer turned into a million yen bill, from her reaction. I loved it. I had made her day. Her joy made me smile.

I found this same kind of dismissive humility wherever we went. I suppose I could delve into the cultural reasons for these reactions (if I knew enough), but it spoke to me regardless of the humility we are supposed to have. Romans 12:3: "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith" (NASB).

I've always appreciated that verse as having keys to true godly humility:
1. Everything we are good at, or have accomplished, or have exhibited in godly behavior, comes from God's grace. It's all about Him. It's His gift and not of ourselves. When we are weak, He is strong. So many biblical principles point to us having nothing of value; it's all due to His gracious empowerment within us.

2. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging those very works of God. Just don't think there's more than there really is. The Apostle Paul doesn't say, "Don't ever think highly of yourself." He says, "Don't think more highly than you should."

3. Have sound judgment when thinking about yourself. The Message says it this way: " The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him."

I don't know the motives of the Japanese woman in her humility, but I can evaluate my own heart and whether I'm thinking rightly and soundly and truthfully about myself , especially when someone gives me a compliment. For a long time, I thought humility meant demeaning and refusing someone's compliment. Invariably, the person felt like they had to say something more complimentary to convince me to accept their compliment. Inadvertently I was encouraging them to praise me even more and make it all about me!

Although it felt awkward and still does, I've learned to say, "thank you" instead. That way they don't have to go on and on trying to get me to accept their compliment. I could accept what they sincerely said and thank God for whatever or however He had moved in my life that He would shine. And as appropriate, give Him the credit.

You and I can have a godly and healthy opinion about ourselves. It's only through God's view of us as we are "in Christ." What a relief to make it all about Him! That way we don't have to live up to our inflated reputations. He gets the praise and we stand by grinning, just like that precious little Japanese woman.

Who in Your Life Needs Grace?

I'd gone to Japan to visit my niece, Kelly, whose husband is in the Navy and stationed at Yokosuka. Since the Japanese drive on the left side of the street, the base is also oriented that way, which of course is a challenge for all the Americans when they arrive there.

Every time I've been in a country where driving is on the "wrong side of the street," I've never wanted to drive. Thankfully, I haven't been forced to. I know it's possible to learn and my niece Kelly has done that very thing. I felt completely comfortable as she drove us around.

When we traveled around on the base, I remembered that she had told me about a little courtesy given to those who are new. On the car of anyone learning to drive on the left side, a magnetic sticker with a specific design is put on their car to alert others that this person is learning.

At one point as we drove on the base, we saw someone turn into the wrong lane. When we saw that familiar magnetic sticker on their car, we said, "Oh, they're new." Kelly graciously waved to them to let them know it was OK. She understood.

As I saw this exchange, I thought of grace. The grace of giving understanding to those who stumble. Grace to give help to someone who has fallen. Grace to remember that we once didn't know how to drive on a different side of the street.

Actually, in the Christian walk, we all need grace from others because none of us has become perfect. In many ways, we're still all learning to drive on the different side of the street--in the Kingdom of God. God has already given us the grace to welcome us into His kingdom through salvation. And He continues every day because we continue to stumble and at times, fall.

All of us are wearing a spiritual magnetic sticker that says, "Hey, give me some grace. I'm new at this." Regardless of how old we are in the Lord, we're still "new" in it in some sense. Every experience and challenge is a new one; we are learning to trust the Lord in new ways.

Who in your life needs some grace? Who in your life, or even yourself, is turning into the wrong side of the street? How about waving graciously that it's OK and to try again? How knows how soon you'll need someone to give that same wave to you?