Tried With Fire

Last fall, I came face to face with mortality and death when my dad's health began to decline. When he died, there were three things that the Holy Spirit used to comfort me - my pastor's recent sermons on the resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostles' Creed, and the first question and answer from the Heidelberg catechism. While it is true that my dad is in the presence of the Lord and free from physical suffering, this is not his end state. To be fully human is to be body and soul. Death severs that union, but the resurrection will unite what has been torn apart. So my dad is awaiting "the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting." 1 And everyone in Christ has this hope because "with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ." 2 The resurrection offers great comfort when faced with death, but I can think of practical implications now. Namely, if we affirm the resurrection, wh...

Mother: I've never grown old before. Daughter: None of us have. Mother: Is there a book that I can read that can help me know what to do? Daughter: There may be, but what works for one person may not work for everyone. So we have to trust God. When my sister related this conversation she had with our mom, I had to smile. This is Mom and her methodology to a T. Do the research, learn the rules, then do it right. This showed in her organization, efficiency, and thinking through and planning for everything to the smallest detail. This is how she functioned until the fall in the form of dementia began to manifest. Thus every glimpse that it is still Mom and not the disease is encouraging, But the details are much more elusive now. My mom compensates by jotting down lists on scraps of paper to help her remember what to do. I've come across those lists, and I marvel at her efforts. I also weep a little because, barring a miracle, I don't think she will get her memory bac...

If you are on social media, you may have seen the law enforcement lip sync challenge where the agencies of different communities challenge one another to show another side to the badge. I watched a few that were a lot of fun. However, the video from the sheriff's department of Pickens County, George is very different. Trigger warning: Scenes of domestic violence. The video contains scenes of domestic violence that are heartbreaking. The statistics that are cited at the end are heartbreaking, too. But I applaud them for using this platform to raise awareness and, above all, encourage victims to seek help. In a previous social media discussion, I wondered whether those who encourage victims to remain in abusive situations are violating the 6th commandment (Thou shalt not kill) by putting people in harm's way. This was confirmed by Pastor John Fonville who pointed me to the Heidelberg catechism's question 107. 107. Q. Is it enough, then, that we do not kill our neigh...

This 1st Q&A from the Heidelberg catechism never gets old. It's an anchor for the soul in troubling and sorrowful times. Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death? A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.  Photo credit: By Heino Ruiso (Eesti Looduse fotovõistlus 2013) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I'm posting at Out of the Ordinary today. It's funny how my pastor's recent sermons have provided the exact encouragement I needed from the Word at exactly the right time. Being reminded of who God is in His Word is a lifeline in the middle of a trial, so God's timing is pretty amazing. I just got off the phone with my dad. Today was a rough day for him and my mom. He never knows what the dementia may bring, but the stress ramps up when my mom won't comply with the care that is necessary and good for her. Because of the disease, she will question and argue, and because of the disease, trying to reason with her is futile. This is hard for my dad when all he wants to do is help his wife whom he loves. I encouraged him as best as I could, and we prayed together on the phone. When I hung up, then I could release the tears I had been holding inside. It's no wonder the Heidelberg Catechism refers to this life as a vale of tears. Read the rest of the post here ...

I'm posting at Out of the Ordinary today. "This was also the first time I said goodbye to my parents wondering how many more times I would be able to see them in this life., and it hit me hard. As we were driving home, I grieved for my parents. Dementia is so cruel because it robs a person from the inside out, and it inflicts such loss, not just on the sufferer but on the surrounding family too. But as I was praying, I asked myself - is this life and its eventual deterioration all my parents have to look forward to? And as I asked the Lord to comfort us, the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism came to mind: What is your only comfort in life and in death?" Read the rest here .

It's my turn at Out of the Ordinary : At the ripe age of six, I was convinced that there was too much responsibility once you entered 1st grade. At least that's what I thought after the carefree days of kindergarten. I decided that it would be better to keep repeating the first five years of my life over and over again - an endless loop of play with a little bit of learning thrown in. Setting aside the theological problem of reincarnation, I had an inkling even as a youngster that with age comes responsibility. And now that I'm in the thick of midlife, responsibility weighs heavy at times. Perhaps it's introspection that comes with age, but I find myself stopping and considering what I've done with my life. What do I have to show for it when all is said and done? How have I been as a daughter, a mother, a sister, and a friend? What is the fruit of decisions I have made, and who has been affected by my choices for good or bad? Read the rest of the post ...

125. Q. What does the Fourth Request mean? A. "Give us this day our daily bread" means, Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know that You are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work or our worry nor Your gifts can do us any good without Your blessings. And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and to put our trust in You alone. "Too often our struggle with prayer is that we focus on the wrong things. We focus on praying better instead of focusing on knowing better the one to whom we pray. And we focus on our need of discipline rather than our need for God. So many of us want to pray more but our lives seem too disordered. But God wants us to see that our messy, chaotic lives can be an impetus to pray instead of an obstacle to prayer. "You don't need discipline nearly as much as you need a broken heart and faith. You don't need an ordered life to enable prayer; you need a messy life to drive you to pra...

122. Q. What does the Third Request mean? A. "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" means, Help us and all people to reject our own wills and to obey Your will without any back talk. You will alone is good. Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to, as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven. "[N]o one deserves to have his will followed no matter what. No one except for God. When we pray, "Your will be done." we are confessing our confidence that God knows best, that His plans are good, that His way is always the right way. The Good News We Almost Forgot , Kevin DeYoung, Moody Publishers, 2010, pp. 226, 228.

122. Q. What does the second request mean:? A. "Your kingdom come" means: Rule us by Your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to You. Keep Your church strong and add to it. Destroy the devil's work; destroy every force which revolts against You and every conspiracy against Your Word. Do this until Your Kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it You are all in all. "[T]he kingdom has come where the King has His way. Faith and repentance, and the godly life that follows in their wake, are unchangeable requirements for membership in the kingdom. We want to live like Christ, show people Christ, and make a difference for Christ, but also call people to renounce their rebellion against God, flee worldliness, and be ready to meet the King when He returns to finally establish His kingdom in full. God is not interested in making us good people apart from making us glory people. That is to say, the kingdom is not about excellence in behavior, It ...

122. Q. What does the first request mean? A. "Hallowed be Your name" means, Help us to really know You, to bless, worship, and praise You for all Your works and for all that shines forth from them: Your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, help us to direct all our living - what we think, say, and do - so that Your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. First, God's passion for His glory is not the same as self-flattery because it does not arise out of weakness or deficiency. Second, we hallow God's name because it deserves to be hallowed ... To recognize that God is the most glorious, most lovely, most powerful Being in the universe is to simply recognize Him for who He is. Thirdly, hallowing God's name is for our good. God's glory and God's love are not at odds... As John Piper says, God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, Or to put it another way...

120. Q. Why did Christ command us to call God "Our Father"? A. At the very beginning of our prayer Christ wants to kindle in us what is basic to our prayers - the childlike awe and trust that God through Christ has become our Father. Our fathers do not refuse us the things of this life; God our Father will even less refuse to give us what we ask in faith. 121. Q. Why the words "in heaven"? A. Those words teach us not to think of God's heavenly majesty as something earthly and to expect everything for body and soul from His almighty power. "We are not bowing before a tyrannical despot or a distant deity. We are praying to our Father. He's bigger, better, and stronger than any earthly father. He loves us more fiercely, understands us more deeply, and delights in us more fully. "Though God may discipline His children and lead us through valleys we would not have chosen, we should never doubt that God is on our side... All parents wish to do ...

116. Q. Why do Christians need to pray? A. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives His grace and Holy Spirit only to  those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking Him for them. 117. Q. How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us? A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, who has revealed himself in His Word, asking for everything He has commanded us to ask for. Second, we must acknowledge, our need and misery, hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in His majestic presence. Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. This is what He promised us in His Word. 118. Q. What did God command us to pray for? A. Everything we need, spiritually and physically, as embraced in the prayer Christ our Lord Himself taught us. 119....

113. Q. What is God's will for you in the Tenth Commandment? A. That not even the slightest thought or desire contrary to any one of God's commandments should ever arise in my heart. Rather, with all my heart I should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right. 114. Q. But can those converted to God obey these commandments perfectly? A. No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless, with all seriousness of purpose, they do begin to live according to all, not only some of God's commandments. 115. Q. No one in this life can obey the Ten Commandments perfectly: why then does God want them preached so pointedly? A. First, so that the longer we live the more we may come to know our sinfulness and the more eagerly look to Christ for forgiveness of sins and righteousness. Second, so that, while praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, we may never stop striving to be renewed more and more after God's ...

112. Q. What is God's will for you in the Ninth Commandment? A. God's will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one's words, not gossip or slander, not join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, , I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are the devices the devil uses, and they would call down on me God's intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor's good name. "The saddest part is that when we lie, in little ways or big ways, we are showing our allegiance to the wrong father. Lies and deceit "are the devices of the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God's intense anger, " Answer 112 tells us. The remedy is to follow the example of our heavenly Father, whose words always prove true (Prov. 30:5). We should, like God, "love ...

110. Q. What does God forbid in the Eighth Commandment? A. He forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law. But in God's sight theft also includes cheating and swindling our neighbor by schemes made to appear legitimate, such as: inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volumes; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interests; or any other means forbidden by God. In addition He forbids all greed and pointless squandering of His gifts. 111. Q. What does God require of you in this commandment? A. That I do whatever I can for my neighbor's good, that I treat others as I would like them to treat me, and that I work faithfully so that I may share with those in need. "Finally, and most poignantly, the Eight Commandment forbids greed - stealing with the eyes of our heart... When we are greedy, it is bad for others and worse for ourselves. "The opposite of the love of money is generosity. Instead of hoarding our money, we hand i...

108. Q. What is God's will for you in the Seventh Commandment? A. God condemns all unchastity. We should therefore thoroughly detest it and, married or single, live decent and chaste lives. 109. Q. Does God, in this commandment, forbid only such scandalous sins as adultery? A. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, body and soul, and God wants both to be kept clean and holy. That is why He forbids everything which incites unchastity, whether it be by actions, looks, talk, thoughts, or desires. "We need to fight the fleeting pleasure of sexual sin with a far greater, more abiding pleasure of knowing God. The fight for sexual purity is the fight of faith. It may sound like nothing but hard work and gritting your teeth, the very opposite of faith. But faith is the heart of this struggle. Do we believe that a glimpse of God is better than a glimpse of skin? Do we believe that God's steadfast love is better than life (Ps. 63:3)? We'd probably sin less if we spent less t...

105. Q. What is God's will for you in the Sixth Commandment? A. I am not to belittle, insult, hate, or kill my neighbor - not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds - and I am not to be party to this in others; rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. I am not to harm or recklessly endanger myself either. Prevention of murder is why government is armed with the sword. 106. Q. Does this commandment only refer to killing? A. By forbidding murder, God teaches us that He hates the root of murder; envy, anger, vindictiveness. In God's sight all such are murder. 107. Q. Is it enough then that we do not kill our neighbor in any such way? A. No. By condemning envy, hatred, and anger, God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be patient, peace-loving, gentle, merciful, and friendly to them, to protect them from harm as much as we can, and so do good even to our enemies. "I'm all for passion and righteous indi...

104. Q. What is God's will for you in the Fifth Commandment? A. That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me, that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; and also that I be patient with their failings - for through them God chooses to rule us. "Sadly with the reign of youth-ism comes a disrespect for older generations. Instead of thinking, "This person is older and probably has something to teach me that I don't know yet," we figure, "This person is old and out of date and funny looking and weak and is best ignored." Older folks deserve better, especially Mom and Dad. Even into old age we must honor our parents. We should visit them, listen to their advice, and see they are well cared for later in life. Honor for parents has no statute of limitations." "I doubt that many of us regularly feel convicted by the Fifth Commandment, but we probably should. How a...

103. Q. What is God's will for you in the Fourth Commandment? A. First, that the gospel ministry and education for it be maintained and that, especially on the festive day of rest, I regularly attend the assembly of God's people to learn what God's Word teaches, to participate in the sacraments, to pray to God publicly, and to bring Christian offerings for the poor. Second, that every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through His Spirit, and to begin already in this life the eternal sabbath.  "Sabbath rest is about making Jesus Christ the center of who we are and relying on Him alone for our salvation. It means ceasing to find approval and righteousness in our deeds. It means we stop doubting God's promises and start trusting that our spiritual vitality is found only by resting in Him. Keeping the Sabbath means we give up on ourselves and give ourselves over to God, letting the Lord work in us through His Spirit, "and so beg...