On Moral Humility

(Context: There is a kind of philosophy or personal belief that argues, in essence: "Who are we to say that something is right or wrong?" This philosophy goes by many names and manifests in various ways in many cultures. One of its labels is "moral humility", the idea that one who is humble is careful not to make absolute moral claims. And to be fair, there is some reasonable ground for such skepticism which I do not intend to diminish. However, taken to its more extreme conclusion, one finds a level of moral relativism that hurts more than it helps. It is this kind of "humility" that we consider here.)

    The moral humility of the relativist is admirable, but bland. This is where post-modernism and Christianity once again split on their definitions, and ultimately their realities. The moral humility of the relativist requires him to decline taking a side on any moral issue (until, of course, someone steals his silverware). But in his efforts to avoid taking a side, he fails to take a stand of any kind, save indifference. For the sake of objectivity, he finds himself losing the object of his own convictions. In short, his moral humility strips him of his own moral authority.

    The personality of Christianity stands in stark contrast. Compared to the modern man, Christ may be accused as the most arrogant, moralistic man in history. Truly, nothing is more conceited than claiming Godhood, and with it the right to define morality. By default, Christ took a moral side, something the post-modernist is careful not to do. But I would also argue that the figure of Christ, while taking a moral stand without hesitation, is actually also the perfect model for moral humility--and it comes down to our understanding of humility.

    A common understanding of humility is the awareness and acknowledgement that one may be wrong, and the willingness to learn. While not untrue, it is incomplete, for there is a difference between seeking growth and lacking conviction. True moral humility strives for the development of a moral framework and knows, when having encountered the truth, when to plant the flag. The flagbearer may not be called humble because he chooses neither side of a battlefield but because he gives himself to the established values of the flag he bears.

    But let's continue considering humility. The difference between humility and conceitedness is not merely that of open-mindedness versus close-mindedness. That is too narrow an understanding. The difference is this, that one seeks itself and the other seeks beyond itself. For the conceited mind, all roads travel inward into itself; for the humble mind, all roads lead out of itself. One seeks to be fed and is never filled; the other seeks to feed another and is never empty. This is how Christ can make the most self-promoting statements and still be the epitome of humility. At the same time as being glorified above all, He turns around and says, "I can do nothing except what I see my Father doing."

    Thus, the morality of the relativist turns dull in contrast to that of the Christian. The former is unable to make any moral claim, and no wonder, as only he can be the anchor of his own morality. And what claim can one make based on oneself? The latter, however, can make the boldest of claims, as he is not his own witness: his affirmation comes from beyond himself.

If Only...

They missed it.

Late into that dismal evening, oblivious to his dire state, they missed it.

Failing to comprehend the gravity of that night, the tears in his eyes, the pain on his face--they missed it.

Would they have slept if they knew?

Would they have slumbered if they had heard his prayers?

Would they have been surprised had they truly understood what he had said for years?

The Bridegroom was with them only for a little while. And they missed it.

What thoughts must have plagued them that second day?

What questions lingered in the dead of night?

If only...

If only...

If only they had traded the comfort behind their eyelids.

If only they had looked upon his face one last time.

Then, maybe, they wouldn't have missed it.

The hour has come, was what he said.

The hour has come. The words rang in their heads.

The hour has come, and is now past. All over in an instant.

They slumbered. And they missed it.

Oh Lord, let me not fail to see your coming

In those moments when the curtains part,

When your footprint is embedded in the sand,

Let me not overlook it.

When transforming power manifests in your church,

When daily miracles guide me from dawn to dusk,

When the hour of the Bridegroom has come as last,

Let me not missed it.

The Virtues I Do Not Have

     Some call me strong, gracious, resilient. Others say I have faith. I assure you that none of that is true. The more I observe myself as the days, months, and years roll by, the more I'm certain of this. They say the trials of life make you stronger; if that's true, I'd say I've been fairly privileged. And my privilege is my weakness. I read of the Christians in soul-crushing trials, of the likes of Bonhoeffer in Hell on earth. I see their grace, their conviction, their faith in the face of the unspeakable, and I know I do not have such in me. I have not the fortitude. Instead, I, at the first sign of trouble, am more than ready to shake the proverbial fist at the sky. Any other impression of me is merely that--an impression. A façade. So don't call me strong, or gracious, or faithful. I doubt any of the men and women of old would attribute such virtues to me.

     You might think that I'm in a pit of melodramatic pessimism. Perhaps I am.

     They say that God grants appropriate strength to whom He wills. Then perhaps I am unfit for such a grace.

     They say that I'm not the only one, that everyone struggles that same way. Then maybe we all need a better model for true virtuous spirit.

     They say, "A sapling cannot compare itself to an old oak." Neither can unrefined silver be compared to the refined. I must call myself for what I am. Then maybe God would have the grace to pass me through the furnace that is heated seven times over.

Golgotha

Amazing grace and extravagant favor That Golgotha would be graced by His presence And sprinkled with His blood. Death’s defeat was not merely its elimination But its beautification.

"Christ in Limbo" by Hieronymus Bosch

It was not mere human execution that took place on that hill, but a demonic onslaught. Men may have pierced His flesh, but Hell enveloped His spirit. Separated from the Presence and offered to Death, such is the wrath of God. What glee and cries of delight, the ugliest sound Heaven had ever heard, with which bloody chains assaulted Him. Screams of victory erupted from the throat of Hell as the Son was dragged into its bowels; the Father and Dove looked on as one of their own disappeared into the darkness.

But the darkness was too stupid to see the end, for the darkness blinded even itself. With the trap with which it ensnared mankind for millennia it ensnared itself. Never could it anticipate that the divine bloodstains in its halls would seal its demise. It did not realize that holding Him within its caverns made it possible for even those in Hades to say that the Christ was Emmanuel for them as well. It thought God was offering a sacrifice to Hell, when it was Hell that was unknowingly participating in a sacrifice to God. It lusted for His blood, forgetting the ancient warning that life is in the blood. It did not foresee its gates would be kicked open by the Dove, leaving a holy footprint to this day. It did not expect a mass exodus out of Hell, led by the Lamb who was slain.

And the Father watched as His Son, forever scarred, emerge into the light of the morning sun.

The Two Greatest Failures of Every Generation

Photo by Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash

     Let us consider the people of Nineveh. Roughly around 760 B.C., the prophet Jonah confronted the wickedness of the city, resulting in a religious awakening and a swing toward monotheism. Thus, the people were spared from judgment.

    Fast forward slightly over a hundred years later to the days of Nahum. Wickedness prevailed in the city once again. Most of the people who were old enough to remember the revival of Jonah were gone, and Nahum arrived to proclaim a similar but more elaborate message. This time, they were not spared. Shortly thereafter, in 612 B.C., Nineveh sat in ruins.

    It took the Assyrian city five generations; for early Israel, not so much. Flip over the Book of Judges and we find the infamous cycle of rebellion, judgment, repentance, deliverance. Starting with the man Othniel, after he delivered Israel, "the land had rest for 40 years" (Judges 3:11). Then wickedness reigned again, and then came the Moabite oppression. Ehud rose up to deliver the people as the second judge, and there was peace for 80 years. Then came Deborah, whose work ushered in another 40 years of freedom before the cycle started again. Then came Gideon, after whom 45 years of peace ensued, before Israel turned again. Are you seeing the pattern? It took Israel an average of 1-2 generations for the spiritual climate to dry out. May I suggest that the primary reason for these frequent fallouts may be the lack of transmission of the knowledge and fear of God from one generation to the next? How would I guess this? It's the crazy possibility that members of the generation that went through one season of cultural wickedness lived to see the next in 40 years--and probably did nothing about it.

    Thus these I believe are the two greatest failures of every generation, which I still see to this day:

        1. The failure to impart healthy values to the generation after;

        2. The failure to receive and learn important values from the generation before.

    On one side, it is irresponsible not to pass on the wisdom, customs, and beliefs that sustained you in life. On the other side, it is arrogant to think that you can figure out this thing called life without the guidance of the past, let alone do it better than they had.

    That being said, it is at this point where I must unpack the layers of what we are talking about. At the same time as I am calling to retain the teachings of the past, I am also calling to renew them. We must be both adamant traditionalists and ardent progressives; I don't mean progressive in the postmodern sense (assuming it makes any sense at all), but truly progressive in seeking the renewing of the world. There is a reason why we human cultures propagate endlessly into new generations; so that we don't grow so old that we die of chronic stiffness. It is the job of the young people to birth our long-held value systems into new life, and I say we let them have at it. The problem is that these youngsters, more often than not, don't so much evolve our value system as much as kill it. They kill off more than they have to replace it with.

    That's not to say there ought not to be any killing involved, however. Every time something evolves, something needs to die; in order for the rocket to enter orbit, the thrusters need to fall off. You can trust the next generation to be merciless in their critique, but that is all it must be: a critique, not a rebellion. You ought to renovate the house, but ripping it off from over your bed is not such a good idea. It is naïve to think that you can usher in a better world with your tiny brain and 20 years of life experience. You need to be at least a thousand years old to formulate anything that could possibly reach that goal. But good news! By seeking out the successes, failures, and even folk lore of ages past (not to mention your own parents), you can have the wisdom of centuries to augment the energy and imagination of your youth. In a way, you can be bigger than you are. I would also argue that that is what culture ought to be: a wise sage with a young soul.

    We are responsible for what we pass on, or fail to pass on, to those who come after us. We are also responsible for learning, or failing to learn, from history. This applies on the large scale of culture as well as the smaller scale of the family unit and the individual. As for me, I am determined to be an exception in these two greatest failures of every generation.

The Revival of the Ignorant

Photo by Edwin Andrade on Unsplash

Can I accept the revival of the ignorant?

Does foolishness invalidate the seeker?

Must the worshiper be doctrinally sound?

Must the penitent be ultimately wise?

Should I rejoice at misguided spirituality?

Should I declare the presence of the glory?

Or must all be right and true

Before I can begin to praise You?

Or is it more important that I

Should join the throngs of the Church,

Though she be crippled, and deaf, and dumb, and blind,

And covered in ashes and dirt?

Would God receive the praises of him who

Cannot tell his left from his right?
But maybe I myself am no more wiser
In the shadow of His marvelous light.

On the Book of Habakkuk

    The book of Habakkuk is the story of a man who is disillusioned by the way the world works and the way God chooses to work. It is the story of a man who begins with weeping and ends with rejoicing, who begins with anger and indignation and ends with awe at the glory of God. It tells of a man who chooses to wrestle with God and comes out the other side with new revelation.

    This little book of only three chapters packs within it so much emotion, doubt, questions and answers, and the dichotomy of the evil and suffering of this world and the justice, beauty, and glory of God. In just three chapters, Habakkuk lays out for us a model for how to respond in times when God seems distant or unjust, when questions need answers, when we are wrecked by calamity or disillusionment. Habakkuk shows us how we can find joy and the assurance that God is with us, and for us, in a world as dark as ours.

___________________________________

    The book of Habakkuk, despite its relative length, is one of immense depth, such that I lack the conceptual wherewithal to adequately extract its wealth. Thus, I am dependent on divine revelation to have anything approximating a proper understanding of this book. It goes without saying that the three chapters we call "Habakkuk" are significant for both the individual and the collective, and they are especially poignant in light of our day; their timeless words we now find exceptionally timely.

    The book of Habakkuk speaks of the broken: the man and the system; brokenness as a result of being touched by malevolence as well as being the source of it. Violence was in the streets and King Jehoiakim of Judah was not any better, whom the prophet described thus: "But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion" (Jer. 22:17). From the bottom to the top of the social totem pole, injustice and strife painted those coarse faces blood red. What do you do when the one who wears the golden crown of justice and order turns against you? What do you do when you need to guard yourself against your neighbor? What do you do when the soldier who fought for your freedom draws his sword on you? You then have only God to turn to. But what if God Himself does not seem to listen? Well, that is the big frustration of the man's very first words.

    The first point of interest is how the Lord answers. He reassures that He is still involved and active even in this dark time. God is still on the move. But there is a catch: you are not going to like it. It is almost like those good-news-bad-news jokes. Telling Habakkuk to be amazed, He goes on to describe the coming army, wicked and cruel, but He does it with a surprising extravagant flair; it almost sounds like God Himself is quite amazed at their terrible strength; it is as though God wanted to paint them in all their cruel glory, not to diminish their brazen wrath. If Habakkuk was looking to a positive turn of events in his day, all hope for that is gone. It is only going to get worse. The passage wraps up with this description: "...guilty people, whose own strength is their god." Put a bookmark on that statement as we will return to it.

    The next fascinating thing to point out is that Habakkuk begins with a complaint that God did not seem to have an intention to answer his cries; however, when God, quite abruptly, does reply with a plan of action, the prophet shoots back with an objection to the expressed methods. It seems that Habakkuk thought he would be happy with any answer from God only until God actually ends up giving him one. First, he was upset with God's inaction, then he is upset with God's plan of action. In his defense, though, it really seemed like God was, in a way, playing games with the poor man by giving him precisely what he did not want; the complaint of God's turning a blind eye is met with a resolution to continue turning that ever-watchful eye. In his second complaint, Habakkuk raises a decent and proper objection: that God is not acting in accordance with His own character; it is quite an accusation. Some may suggest that he is trying to be very tactful about it, and perhaps he was; but I think the man of God at this point was not feeling much of a desire to be tactful. To me, Habakkuk's high praises and colorful epithets leading into his followup speech is an attempt to remind God of His own nature as one who could tolerate no evil; he boldly called God into account and cross-examination. He then goes on to appeal to Jehovah's divine jealousy, stating in effect that the Babylonians will attribute their earthly successes to their own schemes and the works of their own hands. And by their means of oppression, they shall live in wealth and luxury. In this conversation between man and God, we see Habakkuk experiencing what is essentially a faith crisis, not that his faith is wavering but that his conceptual understanding of God is being challenged. Apparently, God is not entirely how he thought He is.

    This experience of psychological death is reflective of a necessary, archetypal truth: our established understanding of reality is not perfect nor sufficient; when it gets old it becomes restricting to learning and new revelations. And when we learn something new that updates our current knowledge, some old ideas have to die. Sometimes they are small and manageable, other times they are big and traumatic, but the process of letting the old, inaccurate parts of you die so that you can have a refreshed perspective is a necessary one. This is true in daily living, and is especially true in regards to the nature of Being and God. Essentially, a faith crisis occurs when one encounters a startling indication that God and reality are not exactly how one originally thought they are. But when a man finds himself in the valley of such an experience, he has two choices: either to lose his faith or to reconstruct it stronger than before with what he has found to be true. Here we see Habakkuk making a clear choice that allowed him to be rooted deeper in his faith.

    My next observation stems from Habakkuk's last words in the beginning of the next chapter, words that seem more to himself than to anyone else. Those words imply to me that God did not answer immediately, just when the conversation was only getting started. The question here then for the prophet would be common for all people:

What does one do in this space of limbo when the voice of God falls silent?

    Habakkuk has to learn to deal with confusion about questions that were answered and questions that weren't.

    Here we encounter what I consider the great hinge of the entire book, the pivoting point that shapes the words that came before and the ones that come after, for it is at this point where the man decides what to do in his season of questioning and doubt. Here we can learn much from the prophet. When he feels that his spiritual perspective has crumbled around him, he resolves to come face to face with the very object of his faith. Taking his post on the ramparts, his face is set to receive the reply he believes will come. When the patriarch Jacob received his new name, he was told what it meant, and what it continued to mean for his descendants: the name "Israel" means "he who wrestles with God." Such are the Christians. No one should think that the journey of the Christian is one of roses and butterflies. The journey of the Christian is the journey of anyone who desires to walk righteously in this world: to wrestle with reality, and the God who holds it. This is Habakkuk's choice as he stands at his station, welcoming the opportunity to contend with the truth. It is a bold decision, one not many people choose to make.

    What does it mean to be on watch? It means to be alert and attentive, to look for signs of, to prepare for, to anticipate. The concept of waiting takes me to Psalm 40:31. Some writers chose to say "those who wait on the LORD;" other chose the translation "those who hope in the LORD." After some thought, I figured out why: if a man waits, he has hope; if he hopes, he will wait. Still other English writers (to me, this indicates the relative incompetence of the English language) chose the word "trust," and they would still be right, for where there is no trust, there will be no hope, nor will a man wait. So Habakkuk's determination indicates the presence of some amount of trust and hope--in other words, faith. In his waiting, we find a kind of persistence not common among the people of the faith.

    His patience is not in vain as God enters the scene again. The instruction is given to write down the coming revelation. He is to inscribe it as sure as it is true, certain and plain. Such is an act of faith, for the word of the Lord is as sure as written law. The day on which the prophecy will be fulfilled is set; it will come to pass, not a second too early no too late; it arrives precisely when it is meant to. Here is the point: though fate feels out of your hands, know that it is in someone's hands, and that someone is one whose word is law.

    This is also contrasted by what is expressed in Zachariah 10:2, stating: "The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false..." Holding these two passages side by side nails in the point that, while there are many alleged sources of visions, there is only one source that is credible.

    Additionally, Zachariah goes on to say: "...they give comfort in vain." This is a critical distinction: the diviners speak of false visions that give comfort, but in vain; God in Habakkuk speaks of a truth-telling vision that does not give much comfort to its hearers, but is grounded in eternal security.

    God then goes on to spend twice the amount of time dramatically describing the fall of Babylon than He did when announcing their imminent wrath. Their reign shall be short lived, and their wickedness shall be their downfall. The means of their demise will quite literally be their own deeds.

Verse 7-8: "Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their prey. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them." Also in verse 17: "The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them."

    They have chosen to lead a life of chaos, and chaos will overtake them. One does not simply raise a lion cub as a pet; without caution, that cub may one day turn on you with full-grown jaws. Likewise, beware if you choose to play with fire, lest that same fire grows beyond your power and overtakes you. We find the same truth in the story of the great Flood. Who was there who walked in righteousness and truth? Not one. For every man did what seemed right in his own eyes. That kind of moral relativism flirts with a life of chaos; therefore chaos, archaically symbolized by the rushing waters, rose to destroy them. But the man Noah who chose truth and right standing, and raised his family likewise, found his feet on solid rock, for such is the truth and such is the Lord. This is why we are given those famous words: that the righteous shall live by their faith. But here I want to point out again the horrid and wonderful phenomenon that is the English translation. We know the verse by heart to say "faith," for indeed that is what the apostle Paul meant; however, while not technically incorrect, the English word has evolved in our sorry modern usage to mean a fraction of what it should mean. The Greek pistis has two kindred meanings: one being faith, as in belief, which we know; the other being faithfulness. The latter is the meaning closer to its origins in Habakkuk 2:4, in which the Hebrew 'emuwnah describes fidelity and steadfastness. In other words, to the Hebrews, faith is the twin sister of faithfulness. Why is this important? Because it fits the puzzle concerning the demise of the wicked; if the unrighteous will ultimately be betrayed by the pseudo-foundations of blood, extortion, and moral relativism, the righteous will ultimately be saved by the firm foundations of truth, charity, and worship; as the proverbs declare, wisdom will rescue you in the day of trouble. Here God assures Habakkuk that the wicked will face judgment, both Israelite and Babylonian. It is true that He can tolerate no evil; but it is also true that there is redemption on the horizon for the one who is faithful. One more note: God's second passage wraps up with this statement: "Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation..." Put another bookmark on that.

    Here we arrive at what I consider possibly the greatest part of the book, given by Habakkuk himself. This shout of victory, proclaimed long before the day of victory, is a song that claims the everlasting security of God. The book begins with a stream of questions, it ends with a fount of declarations; it begins in doubt, it ends in faith; it begins bewailing the unseen, it ends rejoicing in the not-yet-seen; it begins with a mournful cry, it ends with a triumphant song. The prophet's heart has found its rest, not because all its questions are answered but because it has established an undoubting confidence in the character of God.

    But all this, I find, is hooked on the peg of what I think is the second hinge upon which the book is held: a little obscure behind the giant number "3," before the song is sung, we find words by Habakkuk himself in response to the great revelation. As God's mighty voice subsides, the man whispers, "The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him." It is from this that his song emerges, from this that his praise arises. For it is that upward gaze that secures us.

    Let me take you back to the prophet Isaiah's commissioning. He was lifted up in the spirit and saw God in His holy temple with the seraphim bathed in glory. This is the upward look. As the temple shook and was filled with smoke, Isaiah was painfully aware of himself and cried the age-old words: "Woe to me!" This is the inward look. Then, as his lips were touched with the burning coal and his sins declared atoned for, he was met with God's desire to raise up a prophet to the people, to which he very enthusiastically answered. This is the outward look. Thus, we find this general model: the upward look leads to an inward look and inspires an outward look. Everything begins with the eye turned to heaven. The key then to the Christian journey revolves around the continuous need to gaze upward to the identity and character of God; such a gaze will shape everything else in life and set it all in place.

    Finally, we come to the place where we lay our third bookmark. Verse 19:

"The Sovereign LORD is my strength..."

    We see the contrast between trust in one's own strength, trust in an empty creation, and trust in the sovereign Lord; the contrast between the thing that has no breath and the one who gives me breath. In Habakkuk's declaration, I hear the words of Joshua echo in the still night air: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

    The book of Habakkuk contains more than has been put on paper, and I am very much aware of how I have come short of exhausting all it contains. It stands as a testimony for the one who questions and doubts; it stands as a representative journey for the Christian. God told the prophet to write it down plainly, and he did. Today we read of the ordinary man with ordinary questions who gave us the everlasting statement that fueled the defining movement of the apostolic ministry and eventually the great Reformation: the righteous shall live by his faithfulness.

Penance

The wicked go not unpunished

For every evil has a judgment.

Justice must be served,

And that seems my only hope.

What redemption is there for me?

What penance must I pay?

If there is ever a thing that can right the wrongs

I would do it.

What if I don’t want forgiveness?

What if pardon is not the answer?

What if the only thing that can put my soul to rest

Is the payment of my debt?

And not just this one, but the millions before

And the millions to come?

Tell me, you Christians,

From where comes your peace?

How can you rest in your beds

While the Innocent pays for your crimes?

What laughter and rejoicing as you walk free

While there is no lash on your back

And no thorn on your brow.

Go ahead, you Christians,

And call me a pagan,

When I lament that your hands do not bleed

To replace the blood you drew.

Forgive me if I cannot rest

In the gift of grace

Knowing that another would die for me.

No free gift can gift me peace.

The debt must be paid, and by my own hand,

By my own back.

But what do I have to lay on the altar?

What do I possess that could ever satisfy?

What turmoil to bear to balance the scale

Of the turmoil I wrought?

What chains must shackle my hands?

What burdens must break my back?

What stone must I roll up the never-ending mountain?

To what bird must my side be exposed?

A life for a life seems right to me.

Perhaps that’s the way to save my sanity.

But maybe insanity is the price to pay.

Maybe the fires of hell are the cost of peace.

Ravi Zacharias, A Prophet Called Home

      The late Ravi Zacharias went home to be with the Lord on May 19, 2020. This is my tribute to the great apologist.

      I was first introduced to Ravi's existence in elementary school. My dad had a CD collection of some of his older sermons and one day started playing them in the car. The words flew over my little head and I had no idea what the guy was saying, but something deep inside me told me that I was encountering a wealthy mine of wisdom and truth that I could dig into for a long time.

      At the age of 12, I returned to those audio recordings. And that began the long journey of my intellectual and spiritual development, outside of my own parents' teaching. Over the next few years through high school, I exhausted every message Ravi gave that I could find online. I even managed to get my hands on some from the 80's and 90's. Not to mention some of the books he penned that are sitting on my shelf. Ravi and the RZIM team played a major role in my growth in the faith. He was my spiritual hero, and I owe a lot of who I am today to him.

      It has been one of my dreams to see Ravi in person, or even to meet him face to face. Unfortunately, it was not meant to happen on this side of eternity.

      While I hear of the passing of this great expositor with sadness, I can't help but look toward the future with anticipation. Every prophet has his time, his days, his decades. And it seems to me that whenever God deems a prophet's work finished, He raises up another one. Whoever God has yet to unleash into our desperate world I look forward to witness.

      I will always remember Ravi as one of my spiritual mentors, albeit a distant one. I am grateful for his life and legacy that have touched millions around the world.

      Thank you, Dr. Zacharias, for a life well lived. Because He lives, we also shall live.

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 4]

Vs. 39-42

     The woman testified, and the people believed. So when they arrived to meet Jesus, they urged Him to stay with them. I can only imagine, but perhaps they were saying in their hearts: “We want to experience You the way this woman did. Stay with us, so that You may teach us and touch us.” So Jesus stayed there for two days. Remember that He was originally on His way to Galilee, but He seized the moment of this “interruption” to minister to a despised people. I believe that many opportunities for ministry occur as “interruptions” to our plans and daily life. As a result of His staying and teaching, many more believed.

     Look at the transformation of a single woman that spilled over to the salvation of a city. In his book Jesus Among Other Gods, apologist Ravi Zacharias made this comment on the story of the Samaritan woman:

“The transaction was fascinating.

She had come with a bucket. He sent her back with a spring of living water.

She had come as a reject. He sent her back being accepted by God Himself.

She came wounded. He sent her back whole.

She came laden with questions. He sent her back as a source for answer.

She came living a life of quiet desperation. She ran back overflowing with hope.”

     I would like to add: She encountered the Christ spiritually barren, and she returned to Him with a multitude of converts. She said to the people, in essence, “See for yourself.” And they saw. And they heard. And they believed all the more.

“It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 3]

Vs. 27-30

      The disciples came strolling out of the city toward the well, lunch bags in hand. As they sighted the well, they were shocked to see the man they respected talking to a Samaritan woman. They cautiously approached them, not sure what to say. The things going through their minds might have been something like, “Um, Jesus, did You know that You’ve broken two cultural taboos by talking to this woman? This is unthinkable for a respectable man like You.” However, they couldn’t bring themselves to discuss the issue with Jesus.

      The woman was so excited that she didn’t bother taking her water pot with her, as she ran back into the city and called the people. The text says she spoke to the men, which is even more amazing. When she found Christ, who gave her the life she needed, she just had to share the good news. She didn’t care anymore about her reputation, nor did she worry about talking to men. She had a message, and she gave it well. “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”

      Her message was in the form of a testimony. But not only did she say what Christ did for her, she also gave a call to come and meet Him. Don’t you think that a testimony should be a call to a certain action, whether to praise God or to come to Him?

      Why the people believed her and came out, I do not know. Perhaps they were amazed at her boldness despite her status, and wanted to know what gave her that life she never had before. Perhaps it was also because of the special act she claimed she experienced. But they nevertheless came out to meet the proclaimed Messiah.

Vs. 31-38

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”

      Notice something here: the disciples were urging Jesus to eat! The fact that they had to urge (some translations say “beg”) Him to eat tells us that Jesus had no desire to eat at that moment. Imagine how puzzling it must have been for the disciples. Shortly before, Jesus was tired in the afternoon heat, and it was lunchtime. Surely he must had been hungry. But now, after talking to a Samaritan woman, he did not want to eat! Furthermore, He said He had food! What was He talking about?

      Jesus made it clear: His food was to do the will of the Father. Isn’t it interesting that He had probably forgotten, or even lost, His physical hunger when He ministered to the social outcast and watch her run back into the city? How is it that doing the will of God brings a satisfaction so great that everything else seem so insignificant? Is it possible that the reason for that is because the answer for true fulfilment is found in being filled from the inside out?

      However, just two chapters later, Jesus fed the five thousand. So physical food is not absent from His mind. He provides and nourishes us both within and without.

      Then He goes on to say, in effect, “As each season passes, you wait for the harvest to come. But look up! See that the harvest is already here! Will you not go and reap, just as I have done with the woman so despised? Go and harvest, for that shall be food unto you!”

      Next, Jesus says something interesting. He quotes the saying, “One sows and another reaps.” Please don’t take this to counter the other saying, “You reap what you sow.” We all reap what we sow, but, if we work for it, we also reap what has been sown by others before us. “Standing on the shoulders of giants” is another good saying with the same meaning. Jesus was urging the disciples to harvest what had been sown by the prophets and men of God before them, and in so doing sow more seeds. The Christians today have the opportunity to reap what was sown by the apostles and other believers throughout the ages, as well as sowing seeds for future generations.

      Now the people from the city arrived at the well . . . led by the Samaritan woman.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 2]

Vs. 10-14

“You have nothing to draw water with and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?”

      The woman must have been really puzzled, because the man before her claimed to have living water and yet asked her for a drink. Furthermore, can He provide better water than the one her ancestor did? This well had been used for centuries, and here is a man who says he could give something better to her.

      Here we also see Christ making His move to bring the conversation past physical satisfaction to spiritual satisfaction. As we know, even the best pleasures and satisfaction this world can offer would not last. Deep down, we all have a need, a craving, for something lasting, but we need to realize that eternal satisfaction can only come from an eternal Giver, an eternal Fullness, an eternal Joy, an eternal Well of Living Water.

“. . . but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

      The woman came to the well, but Christ wanted to place the well within her.

      What are the wells we go to for fulfilment? Do we find ourselves searching for wells of riches, wells of entertainment, wells of lust? The Lord wants us to come to Him, the Eternal Well, and place in us wells of living water to overflow onto those around us.

Vs. 15-20

      But this Samaritan woman had a difficult time grasping the words of our Lord. She was still thinking of the water in the well.

“Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

      The prospect of eternal fulfilment attracted her, but her focus still needed to shift to a different dimension—the realm of the soul.

      So Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” And when she said she had none, He pointed out her sinful life. He was moving the subject from physical thirst to spiritual emptiness.

      Perhaps the Samaritan woman was uncomfortable with where the conversation was going, so she changed the subject: the right place of worship. The Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim while the Jews worshiped in Jerusalem. Is there a right location to worship?

Vs. 21-24

      Christ said no. “Salvation is from the Jews” because the Messiah was a Jew, and the Jews were the first messengers of the Gospel. But we will worship neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem, because the true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth, regardless of location. However, does this mean that we can stop going to a physical church building every Sunday? Although it is not a sin to stop going to church, we know that God desires that everyone of us will join in the fellowship of His people, and there is power in a gathering of believers.

      What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth? Worship is primarily an intimate communion and communication with our Heavenly Father. And since God is spirit, we must worship, or communicate, with Him in spirit. Can we then still worship with our bodies and minds? Of course! Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, so use it for worship! “Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and with all your strength.” The intellect and physicality were not excluded in worship. And we must worship God the right way—in truth, not falsehood.

      I am reminded of what Archbishop William Temple of Canterbury said about worship, and I believe it is the best definition I’ve come across:

                                        “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God.
                                        It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness,
                                        Nourishment of mind by His truth,
                                        Purifying of imagination by His beauty,
                                        Opening of the heart to His love,
                                        And submission of will to His purpose.
                                        And all this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human
                                        expressions of which we are capable.”

      The woman at the well must have been confused at all this. Perhaps this was too deep for her limited understanding. “I know that the Messiah is coming, and that He will explain all these things to us.”

      This is where Jesus made one of the clearest declarations of His identity in the Bible. “I who speak to you am He.”

      We can learn a lot from Jesus’ method of conversation. We cannot give water to one who is not thirsty. We cannot give food to one who is not hungry. We need to help that person come to realize and acknowledge his need so that he would be able to receive the fulfilment that we present to him in the person of Jesus Christ. Though the woman attempted to change the subject, He used the new topic to continue revealing Himself as the answer to all of life’s questions. By declaring “I am He,” Jesus was explicitly offering the living water which He was speaking of, and the soil of the woman’s heart was ready to receive.

Next, the disciples arrived on the scene. . .

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 1]

Vs. 3-4

      Judea was further south, Galilee was up north, and Samaria lay between them in the middle. We have to remember that the Jews despised the Samaritans. In fact, the Pharisees and many Jewish people normally avoided Samaria by crossing to the east of the Jordan River to travel from Judea to Galilee. So in actuality, Jesus was going against the status quo by travelling through Samaria, even though there were occasional Jews who do so. I’m sure even His disciples were wondering what He had in mind. Indeed, every thing Christ did was done with a purpose, and this case was no exception.

Vs. 5-6

      Jesus stopped at Jacob’s well, near the city of Sychar. It was about the sixth hour, which is around noon, the hottest time of the day. Not surprisingly, Jesus was weary from both the travelling and the heat. Because the relationship between the Jews and Samaritans was a hostile one, the Jews did not eat food that was produced by Samaritans. Thus, it is interesting that the disciples went into the city to buy food. Perhaps Jesus told them to buy food there, or maybe they were being influenced by His kindness to all men. Whichever was the case, Jesus was left alone to rest at the well. Our Lord was also at the well for a reason, for it was at this time that an unlikely encounter took place.

Vs. 7-9

      A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. The fact that no one else was drawing water showed that this was an unusual time to come to the well. Exactly why she came to the well, we cannot say for sure. Perhaps she had an unexpected need for more water, or, more likely, she wanted to avoid meeting the other women. Her life was in a mess, as we shall see later in the chapter, and it makes sense for her to want to avoid being the subject of gossip at the well. As though being a Samaritan were not lowly enough in the eyes of society, she was among the lowest of Samaritans.

      So this woman, the outcast of the outcasts, came to the well at noontime. We can picture her reaction at seeing a Jewish man sitting at the well. As she quietly and timidly went about her business, the man suddenly spoke to her saying, “Give Me a drink.”

      One can only imagine her surprise. First, Jews had no dealings with Samaritans (v.9). Second, Jewish men were not allowed to speak to women in public. Apparently, Jesus broke both cultural taboos with one statement. The woman probably had lots of questions going through her head. Why is He speaking to me? Doesn’t He care about His reputation? Aren’t Jews supposed to scoff at us? And yet, this man is asking me for a favor! So she replied, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?”

      What Jesus said next was a step toward crossing the bridge from her head to her heart, and ultimately reveal to her that God was not as concerned with the kind of person she was then as He was with transforming her into the person she could be.

      Jesus chose to pass through Samaria because He wanted to meet a person who led a life devoid of meaning. He wanted to feed and fill the hungry, find the lost, and give life to those who are dead in spirit. Christ first comes to us, and waits for us to come to Him.

      Next, we will look deeper into how Jesus used water to reveal the woman’s spiritual thirst.

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 6]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

Verse 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

      King David closes this chapter by reiterating his security in the Lord and his joy at having God as his shepherd. All through the psalm, David expresses how the Lord cares for him, protects him, and provides for him. The Lord brings us to green pastures and still waters. He restores our souls and leads us in the path of righteousness. His grace covers us as we journey through times of trials and danger, and He honors us. Surely His goodness and mercy will be with us all the days of our lives. We will abide in Him, and He will abide with us, in the house of the Lord forever.

      This promise that God’s Word presents to us is for the Lord’s sheep. Are we His sheep? Jesus said, “My sheep hears my voice.” Are we hearing the Lord’s voice? Do we listen to His teachings and commands? A shepherd’s sheep follow him faithfully and trustingly. Are we the Lord’s sheep? Let us reflect on our lives and follow Him.

As we walk with Him, may we remember that He is not just any shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 5]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

Verse five: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

      Think about that for a moment. Wouldn’t it be cool for God Himself to prepare a banquet? And when God prepares a banquet, it won’t be a simple meal—it will be a feast! All this in front of your enemies. David goes on expressing how God honors this person: “Thou anointest my head with oil.” During the time of the ancient Hebrews, anointing a person with oil is also a mark of hospitality, an act of honoring the guest. So God sets up an elaborate feast for us, and even honors us as guests by anointing us with oil. David accurately says, “My cup runneth over.” This is more than we will ever need.

      Would God do this to anyone? I believe He would only do this for those who faithfully follow in His steps. Just as 1 Samuel 2:30 states, God honors those who honor Him. In Proverbs 29:23 and 22:4, God promises to reward the humble. The prospect of God honoring us would make “turning the other cheek” easier, wouldn’t it? The people who mistreat us today will soon watch us be honored by the Lord, if only we would faithfully develop the character of Christ.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 4]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

Verse four: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

      If we walk in the footsteps of Christ and genuinely live the Christian life, we are bound to face strong opposition. Sometimes we may even find ourselves in physical danger. Also, as is often the case for many evangelists, God may call us into places where dangers loom in every corner.

      This verse uses the word “valley,” which is translated to be “steep valley” and “narrow gorge,” because the term reflects the shadows, gloominess, and depression that one would likely feel in such a place, as opposed to the feeling of strolling on the mountain top. The shadow of death refers to danger, distress, and darkness.

      But even in such treacherous situations, the psalmist says that he will fear nothing. No evil, danger, or threat will place fear in his heart, and he goes on to explain why: “For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The rod and the staff are two different objects. The rod is used to fight off danger, and the staff is used to guide straying sheep with its crook. We can be fearless under the hand of Christ because we know that He will guide our steps and defend us from evil.

      We are comforted by that knowledge, and we can rest secured by His grace. God will give us the strength to live out His perfect will in our lives. No matter where we go, as long as our Shepherd is with us as we walk in His way, we have nothing to fear.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 3]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

      Verse three: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

      “He restoreth my soul.” Here, David continues expressing the refreshing experience the Lord gives us. The word “restore” means “to bring back to an original or former condition; to return to a state of health and vigor.” We will grow weary spiritually from time to time. As I have had only seventeen years of life, I may not have yet experience what it would be like to be spiritually weary. But I expect that I will, because we all will.

      When we start feeling unfulfilled in our careers, discouraged, depressed, low-spirited, and like we’re dragging our feet, the world will tells us things like, “Maybe this is not what you should be doing in life,” “It’s time for a change in direction,” and “Stop doing what you’re doing and look for something else that makes you happy.” However, there are two problems. First, it’s not always possible to drop our careers or other activities to start from scratch somewhere else. Second, God may not want us to leave our current paths, even with the struggles heading our way. But whether He wants us to stay or move elsewhere, He wants us to turn to Him for refreshment, because that’s the answer to the fundamental problem. There is no career or activity in this world that will keep us happy all the time. We will face periods of discouragement and pressure, and we will have times when we feel like we cannot go on, no matter how passionate we are of the work. Our souls will get weary, and no change of environment will keep us up for long. What we need is the Life-giver, the One Who restores our souls to a state of vigor and renewed passion. Isaiah 40:31 tells us that “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

      “…he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The Lord leads me in righteousness. He guides me in righteousness. He instructs me in righteousness, because I can never properly walk in the way of righteousness on my own. I can try to, but I can never do it successfully. I need God to guide me on the right path.

      The implications in the phrase “for his name’s sake” in this particular verse can be perplexing to some. It was to me, for a while. So I was very excited when I figured it out! This phrase can be rephrased as, “for his reputation’s sake.” If that doesn’t ring a bell yet, look at it this way: When we pray, “Lord, please help this person, for Your name’s sake,” what we mean is that, should God answer your prayer, all the glory will go to Him. In other words, we are saying “For Your glory.” Now, we should be able to understand what the psalmist meant when he said, “he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” What I believe he was trying to say is that when I am able to walk in righteousness, I will point to God to give Him the glory, because I cannot do it on my own. When He guides us, we will succeed, and He will get the glory.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 2]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

      Verse two: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

      Let’s keep in mind what we’ve discussed in the previous post as we explore the second verse of this psalm.

      “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” The Greek term for “lie down” is “Rabats” (raw-bats'), which means “to stretch oneself out; to lie stretched out.” Imagine relaxing in the afternoon stretched out under a tree or on a hammock. How would you feel? You might feel peaceful and lethargic, probably even slightly vulnerable. When sheep lie down in a pasture, they would become helpless, unable to respond quickly to danger. Therefore, their shepherd must make sure that the environment is safe. Likewise, our Lord, the Good Shepherd, leads us to rest, and we can have faith that we are safe. However, the struggle is in trusting God enough to be led to a vulnerable position. We do not like to feel weak. The question is: Are we willing and able to trust God in our weaknesses?

      One of a shepherd’s task is to lead his flock to a pasture with good vegetation. The word “green” in this verse means “grass; new grass; green herb.” Our Lord would not lead His sheep to a field with poor quality, dry, brown grass. Rather, He would bring them to pastures with grass that are new, fresh, and healthy. That’s the love of our Heavenly Father. We can be sure that, as we place our lives into His hands, He would take good care of us and give us the spiritual nourishment we need each day.

      “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” This continues the concept of God leading us to places of rest and refreshment when we need them. He leads us to “still waters.” The NIV uses the words “quiet waters.” I believe that the psalmist was trying to convey the wonderful peace and safety that can only come from God.

      Our LORD knows everything we need. This second verse of Psalm 23 addresses two of the main fundamental needs of man: nourishment (both physical and spiritual) and inner peace. And it encourages us to turn to the Person who can meet those needs in ways the world can’t. So my question for us all today is this: Will we turn to God for our daily bread and for the true peace that will sustain us amidst the world’s turmoil? I pray we will, each and every day.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 1]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

      Verse one: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

      So first, the LORD is our shepherd. One method of meditation that I find very effective is emphasizing different words as I repeat the phrase or sentence. Let’s try it out.

      “The LORD is my shepherd.” The word emphasized is “LORD.” God Himself is the one who is personally involved in our lives. Imagine the wonder of knowing that Jehovah, the King who created the heavens, cares about us enough to be our shepherd.

      “The LORD is MY shepherd.” Again, this reflects the personal character of our God. He doesn’t just look at the human race as a whole. He knows each one of us by name. David did not say “The LORD is OUR shepherd,” though it is true. He was specifically saying “The LORD is MY shepherd.” He recognized that God has His eyes on each individual’s life.

      “The LORD is my SHEPHERD.” Now, what does a shepherd do? A shepherd is one who guides, protects, and provides for his sheep. A shepherd watches over his flock, repeatedly counting them to make sure none were missing. Christ depicted his loving role as shepherd in the story of the 100 sheep. When just one of the fluffy animals was missing, the shepherd immediately left the other ninety-nine in the fold and went out to search for it. And he never stopped searching until that missing one was back safe with the flock. That’s our God. That’s our Shepherd.

      Let’s move on to the next phrase: I shall not want. What does “want” mean? Does it mean I will not have any desire whatsoever? No, that doesn’t make sense. Let’s check the Greek translation, shall we? The Greek word for “want” is “khaw-sare',” which means “to lack, or be without.” So the phrase actually says, “I shall not lack”! Cool! How does that fit into the whole verse?

      “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” When we allow the Lord to be the guide of our life, we have nothing to fear. We will not lack anything. Sure, we can desire riches and possessions, but that’s just what we want. God promises that we will have everything we need, should we dedicate everything we are to Him, and to depend on Him as much as the sheep depend on the shepherd. This is something I’m trying to remember, too. I often fear the future, wondering if I’ll ever live in poverty. I need to learn to trust God more, and to have confidence in His faithfulness. We all need to grow in faith as we walk with the Lord.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong