Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Source of Love"

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 1 John 4:7
   

The great and first commandment, said Jesus in reply to a question is this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). A second commandment, following from it as a corollary, reads: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Loving God and loving human beings whom He has made and placed in our midst, while we can distinguish between the two, are really of one piece. Reduced to one word, God’s expectation of His people is LOVE. What is the source of love?

“God is love,” writes Saint John in 1 John 4:16. As our heavenly Father is, so we, His children, are expected to be. Our response to Him and all His saving acts in our behalf is to be love. But something has to happen before there is such a response in human beings. Our love to our Father and to a brother or sister in Christ is not self-generating. Love does not proceed out of the hearts of people as they are by nature, for sin has deadened and dried out the heart and made it a desert from which no streams of love can flow.

Our love to God and to man represents God’s workmanship. It is the Holy Spirit’s accomplishment in us through the Gospel and the sacraments as He creates and sustains faith in Jesus Christ. Love is God’s great gift. The tide of divine love, cresting in the sending and sacrificing of His Son for our salvation, is the source of our love to God.

The apostle whom Jesus loved and who loved Jesus puts it very plainly: “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). And for that reason we love our brothers and sisters, even when they are less than perfect.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Jesus, Come Our Way"

A blind man, Bartimaeus … was sitting by the roadside begging. Mark 10:46
   

Bartimaeus, sitting by the roadside near Jericho, was both miserable and blessed – miserable because he was blind, lonely, and forced to beg, but supremely blessed to have Jesus, the Son of David, the promised Messiah and Savior, come his way to give him sight.

There is hardly a person today who in one way or another doesn’t find himself or herself in a situation of distress. If it isn’t blindness that handicaps him or her, it is something else: lack of education, poverty, failing health, sickness in the family, or the loneliness that usually accompanies misfortune. But such persons are also greatly blest to have Jesus, the Helper and Healer, come their way.

The Lord comes our way through the Word and the sacraments. Through these means He conveys all the blessings He gained for us on the cross: remission of sins, peace with God, a purpose for living, the promise of eternal life. He comes our way whenever the Gospel is applied to us through brotherly consolation and the pronouncement of forgiveness.

The Savior comes our way in the person of a friend, relative, neighbor, or fellow Christian in whose heart the love of God is working. Through such a representative He imparts many gifts of healing, including new perspectives, a clearer vision, eyes of the mind that now can see.

We are blest for our own good and to be a blessing to others. Jesus has brethren like Bartimaeus among us today. We find them in homes beset by hunger and other needs, in hospitals, in prisons, and in many other places. He has ascended into heaven and will not go physically in person to help them. But He has you and me as His delegates. Through us He still comes to the needy.

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Beginning of Knowledge"

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
   

The National Geographic website refers to him as one of the “world's most important scientists.” The “him” is Dr. Francis Collins who has been entrusted with plotting out the human genome. For those of us who don’t know a genome from a giraffe, let me explain. A genome consists of all of the hereditary material possessed by an organism, or, in other words, all of its genetic information. This means Dr. Collins has been asked to map out the 3.1 billions bits of genetic stuff, which, in some ways, determines who we are.

That’s interesting. What is more interesting is that Dr. Collins used to be an atheist, figuring there could be no truth outside of mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Later, in medical school, face-to-face with the great mysteries of life and death, Dr. Collins realized science cannot answer questions such as why are we here, who created the universe, why do humans have a moral sense, or what happens after we die.

Eventually, Dr. Collins confessed he could no longer LOGICALLY hold on to his “there-is-no-God philosophy.” In a short time, the Holy Spirit led him to a leap of faith in Jesus Christ. While I certainly don’t share all of Dr. Collins beliefs, he does prove a point. No matter what the media would have you think, having faith in God and believing on Jesus Christ doesn’t mean you have to turn off your brain.

On the contrary, in the book of Proverbs, it is written, “fools despise wisdom and instruction,” but a really smart soul knows that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” The Lord has given us a body, mind, and a soul that He wants us to use as we live our lives in thanksgiving for His many blessings. He wants us to understand we have a brain which, when it is coupled with faith in Him and His Son, can create Christian parents, preachers, teachers, inventors, philanthropists, humanitarians, politicians, mathematicians, astronomers, and even one of the world’s most important scientists.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Loss and Loneliness"

…be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5b
   

Loss and loneliness. On its own, each of these can be disturbing. When they’re coupled together, they’re downright devastating and destructive.

Last week, India’s national newspaper, the Hindu, told the story of an elderly couple in the city of Hyderabad. Recently, at the request of some neighbors, the police were asked to stop in at the house of a Mr. and Mrs. Raj, a childless couple in their sixties.

When the police arrived on Sunday, neither the husband nor wife answered the door. What did come to the door was an overpowering odor. The police gained entry to the house and found the hanged bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Raj. Both had committed suicide on Thursday. The note the couple left behind explained why they had decided to end their lives. It told how they had been unable to shake the depression they’d felt since the death of 13-year-old Papi. Without any other immediate family, and thinking themselves alone and unneeded, the couple took matters into their own hands.

Oh, did I mention that Papi was their dog?

While most of us may not be able to understand why a couple would go to such extreme measures, we are able to comprehend the terrible feeling of loss and loneliness. We understand because we’ve been there. Family and friends die or move away. Life situations change. Things we once relied upon are no longer trustworthy or dependable. Loss and loneliness are tough.

This is why we need to hear the words of our omni-loving and omnipresent Lord. God tells us in the book of Hebrews that, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” In saying those words, God wants His people to know that He is with us, even when no one else is. God sent His Son to take our place, to be our Redeemer, Savior, and Friend so that we would never be alone. That’s something to remember, especially those of you who are reading these words and think yourselves lost and alone. YOU AREN’T.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Shipwrecked"

…holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith. 1 Timothy 1:19
   

How did that happen? That was my reaction when I read about the 1,600 passenger cruise ship that was evacuated last Thursday after it ran aground on the Greek island of Santorini. Having been in that beautiful harbor and knowing there are days when a dozen luxury liners come into the port, I wondered how such a tragedy could happen.

It’s not like a ship-sinking reef can grow overnight. It’s not as if the waters haven’t been charted, or that the underwater rocks were moved in a maritime April Fool’s Day joke. Even if the anchorage had been totally unexplored, ships like the Greek liner, Sea Diamond, are equipped with sonar and a host of other electronic gear to prevent such catastrophes.

“How could that happen?” That may well have been Saint Paul’s question when he wrote about the shipwrecked faiths of Alexander and Hymenaeus (Hee' meh nee' uhs). These two men, once the apostle’s colleagues in the cause of Christ, had fallen away and were promoting false doctrine that left their followers ‘depraved in mind and deprived of the truth.’ (1 Timothy 6:5)

How could that happen? This is what pastors and parishes wonder when they see people who once believed in the blood-bought salvation of the Savior slowly slip away from their faith. We wonder what has happened when the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh shipwreck believers’ love for the Redeemer.

The answer is the same today as it was centuries ago when Paul wrote to his young friend Timothy. Peoples’ love for the Savior grows cold, and they find something that pushes Jesus to the side. Scripture is clear that nothing, except ourselves, can separate us from the love of God, which is ours in Christ Jesus.

This is precisely why we must, by the Holy Spirit’s power, keep our eyes focused on the Savior’s cross and His empty tomb. There we find the greatness of God’s grace and the depth of His love. Do you want to avoid a spiritual shipwreck? Saint Paul tells us how when he writes: “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.”(1 Timothy 6:11b-12a) May God grant it to be so.

[Soldier4Christ]

"What It Takes"

'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Luke 16:30
   

Years ago, a small country church was looking for a new pastor. After some significant searching, they managed to pare down the list to two possible candidates. Each man was requested to present an “audition” sermon. That’s how it came to pass, that on two consecutive Sundays, the potential pastors found themselves preaching to a most attentive audience. The first pastor preached on hell. The second pastor preached on hell as well. When it came time for a selection, the vote for the first man was a unanimous, first-ballot decision.

The new pastor was understandably curious as to why the church had picked him. One of the congregation’s leaders said, "When the other pastor preached about people going to hell, he seemed to be almost satisfied that they were getting what they deserved. When you preached about hell, everyone could see that it just about broke your heart.”

Today we have to admit that many churches have stopped preaching about hell. Some stopped because hell made listeners feel bad; some stopped because they believed God would never send anyone there. Still, others stopped because it was bad for church attendance and the offering. As a result, rather than being feared, hell has become part of comedy routines as party central and heaven as a place filled with souls who are incredibly boring. I don’t laugh. Hell is real, and it would break my heart if you landed there.

You see, I know there is a hell. If there isn't, Christ's life—His suffering, His death, His resurrection—was unnecessary. I know there is a hell because the Bible says so and the Scriptures don't lie. I believe in hell because I see the devil working overtime to make sure you will be there with him. I believe in hell because Jesus believed in hell.

When the Savior talked about hell, He said, "Hell is a nasty place, and you don't want to go there." Now, for those who believe, hell is no longer a place to be feared. Those who have a Savior are confident that they aren’t headed in hell’s direction. That makes the Lord glad. It would break His heart if anybody, unnecessarily, ended up going there.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Whom Do You Believe?"

I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed. 2 Timothy 1:12b
   

It is difficult for us to imagine what might have been in the minds of the Melanesian natives as they saw WWII American and British engineers descend upon their islands and clear the ground for airstrips. They were even more astonished to see that, when the airstrips were completed, giant planes began to land, their bellies bulging with every imaginable commodity. “This,” the islanders decided amongst themselves, “is a good thing, and we, too, wish to be recipients of the bounty from the sky.”

With considerable faith and an eye for detail, the natives began to build their own airstrips. They cut down trees, moved rocks, and ripped out vegetation for their runways. Fires marked the perimeters and antennas were put up, built of bamboo. They had every confidence that when they were done, the cargo planes would bestow heaven-sent goodies upon them, as well. Of course no planes came. Their sincere belief was not enough to make a plane land on their runways. Belief, when it’s belief in a wrong thing, isn’t enough.

Of course, I’m not telling you something you don’t know. We are sophisticated and not easily fooled. We don’t believe the commercials about the knives that can cut through a blacksmith's anvil and remain sharp enough to do brain surgery. We don’t necessarily believe the politicians when they make promises. We don’t always believe that hard work and good intentions will always be rewarded in the business world. There are a great many things you don’t believe in, aren’t there?

Which leads me to ask, “In whom do you believe?" Is there anyone you can absolutely, completely, totally, rely on? Do you have a friend you can be sure will never, no matter what the circumstance or situation, sell you out to save his own hide? Do you have a special love which you are positive will remain solid, safe, and secure, in sickness and in health, in sad times and in glad, in times of riches or poverty? Is there anybody you can trust? The apostle Paul would suggest, and countless millions agree, that you can trust Jesus the Savior who came to save you from sin, who gave His life for your redemption, who has promised to be with you always. I believe you can trust Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

"This Is What You Should Do"

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3:28
   

Here’s a story—it’s only a story: A man died and found himself standing before the gates of paradise. Saint Peter told him that he could come in if, in his life, he had accumulated 1,000 points. “No problem,” the man said to himself. He began, “I was an active Christian.” “100 points,” said Peter. “I sang in the choir.” “25 points.” “I was a substitute teacher once in Sunday school.” “10 points.” With only 135 out of the necessary 1000, the man became concerned. “I had a cousin who was a pastor and a great uncle who was a missionary.” “5 points each,” came back Peter’s reply. “I went to a congregational voter’s meeting.” Well, that should count for something: “100 points.” Unable to think of anything else, and with a grand total of 245 points to his credit, the man mumbled, “I’m not gonna’ make it. Nobody could. Only by God’s grace alone can I ever get into heaven.” Listening to the man’s mumbling, Peter replied, “That’s 755 points. Come on in.”

Now I wouldn’t want you to think you can ever get into heaven by your own power. Scripture is clear: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). If we're going to get into heaven, it will only be because we have been given faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Let me say that a different way. If you want to get into heaven, this is what you should do: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. If faith is given to you, there is no doubt, no question, no second-guessing, no balancing scales. That is the difference between Christianity and every other religion of the world. Other religions say, "Do, do, do." Christianity says, "Done."

Done. That is such a simple word for me to write. But so that I could write it, your Savior paid a terrible price. So you might someday stand before God as your heavenly judge and be declared "innocent," Jesus stood before an earthly judge and was found guilty. So that Satan's true accusations against you might be found groundless, Jesus accepted the false accusations made against Him. So that your sins might be removed, Jesus took those sins and carried them to His cross. So that you might be given the gift of eternal life, Jesus gave up His life upon the cross. Done. Jesus’ resurrection says that the Christ has done everything necessary for your salvation. Now, all that is necessary for you to do is to believe it.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Come On In"

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3:28
   

Years ago there was a teacher, a Christian professor at an English university. Normally enthusiastic in his worship, one Sunday he found himself standing before his church, reluctant to go in. The events of the previous week had driven a wedge of separation between him and the Lord. As he stood debating about what he should do, he saw a young lady start up the steps of the church. He saw her stop, turn around and run, crying, away from the church doors. Quickly he went to her side and said, “Come on in, young lady. Jesus has opened the doors for sinners like us.”

For more than a quarter-of-a-century, I had the joy of serving as a parish pastor. During that time, I saw the scene above repeated again and again. No, it was not always a professor at an English university who hesitated to come into church. Nor was it always a young lady who brought them both into worship.

In truth, people believe they have a great many reasons to stay away from entering the doors of a church. They think there are almost as many reasons for them to stay away from the Christ. I’ve known strong men who felt they would appear less a man if they admitted their need for a Savior. I’ve seen teenagers who felt that Jesus was boring and they didn’t want to be branded a Jesus freak. I’ve met wives who thought they would be safer following the lead of an irreligious man in their lives. I’ve seen students who felt that acknowledging Jesus as Lord would be a sell-out of the academic community. Now I know that I may not have listed your reason, or that of someone who might be a close friend or family member of yours.

So large is the list of supposed reasons not to be a Christian, a person might readily wonder, “Why would anyone say, ‘Jesus is my Lord?’” Here’s the answer: “We are justified (made right) through faith alone.” If we want to be saved, and most of us do, we have to realize it will not be because we are strong or intellectual or part of an in crowd. We can be saved only through faith in Jesus Christ. True God, and true man, Jesus came into this world not only to open the doors of a church for us, but to open up the gates of heaven as well. Through His sacrifice repentant sinners like you and me can find forgiveness and our eternal future. Which is why I say, like the professor, “Come on in, my friends. Jesus has opened the doors for sinners like us.”

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hope"

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
   

As this devotion is being written, the body count on the Virginia Tech campus is still rising. Parents are still trying to find out if their children are safe. Families and students are in shock, and the entire world is in mourning and looking for answers.

In the days to come, stories of heroism and fear will be told. Questions will be asked, and some will be answered. Most certainly many will be asking, “Where was God when a gunman roamed the dormitories and classrooms? If He loves us, and if He is all-powerful, why didn’t He stop this horrible tragedy? Why didn’t He strike down a bad person before He could do this horrible thing?”

Are there any answers for Christians? I believe there are.

First, we must confess that this action dare not be laid at the feet of God. He who gave His Son to live, suffer, and die so this world might be given forgiveness, peace, and heaven would not cause such a thing. The motivation for these murders will not be found in heaven. Rather, the motivation stems from a sinful human heart where Satan’s seeds of hatred found suitable soil for success.

Second, we must acknowledge that God’s great grace and unrelenting love have the ability, even now, to bring comfort to those who are mourning. It can bring strength to those who are destroyed and hope to those who are filled with hatred and despair. We must remember that when Jesus died upon the cross, He saw this terrible tragedy, along with every other horror that has been birthed by sin and Satan. So that God’s people might know that despair and desolation will not have the last word, Jesus rose from the dead. With the power of the resurrection, He promised to be with us always. It is a promise He keeps. Believers are given eternal comfort and hope, even when looking down the barrel of a gun or standing beside the casket of a murdered child or classmate.

Lastly, we need to remember that Christ’s people are custodians of hope—hope that is found in Jesus alone. When the Amish children were killed in Pennsylvania, one old grandfather said, “Even now we are praying for the families of the children, but we are also praying for the family of the man who did this. We want them to know we have forgiven them already.” Grandpa understood. The Savior’s people, who are forgiven of their sins, can use this moment of mourning to let the world know that Christ can comfort hearts that are hurting.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Dubious Distinction"

"Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:12
   

The five-year-old boy was at a fast-food restaurant with his mother, brother, and sister. I’m proud to say that the family saw no need to change their custom of praying before their meal. The boy asked if he could say the prayer. He prayed with the volume and vigor of a normal five-year-old: “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let these gifts to us be blest … and, Lord, if Mom would add fruit pies for dessert, I would be even more thankful. God, this is Your friend, Danny, signing out for the entire family. Amen.”

A lady in the next booth whispered, so all could hear, "No wonder this country has gone to the dogs. Kids today don’t even know how to say their prayers. As if God doesn’t have other things to do than provide fruit pies.” The boy asked, “Was that a bad prayer? Shouldn’t I pray for fruit pies?” An older man leaned across the aisle and said, "I’ve been praying a lot of years, and if I know God like I think I do, He would rate that prayer as being one of the best He’s heard. In fact, I think it’s a shame more people don’t ask Him for fruit pies. Fruit pies can be good for our hearts and souls.”

Mom bought fruit pies for the entire family. The little boy turned around, tapped the shoulder of the lady who had put down his prayer, and said, “Here, I want you to have my fruit pie. Fruit pies can sometimes be good for our hearts and souls.”

The boy had successfully survived his first taste of persecution. In the years to come, Satan will return to try again. Scheming and shrewd, Satan will try to wear down, grind down, and tear down the boy's Christian confidence, conviction, and courage. He will do the same to you. When that day comes, I encourage you to remember that you are not alone. Christian heroes, in every generation, have been persecuted for their faith. In those moments of challenge, they have turned to their Redeemer for courage. Like Saint Paul they believed, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Confident in Christ’s promises, they emerged victorious and gave proof to all those around them that Christ is still triumphant.

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Privilege of Long Life"

LORD, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Psalm 90:1
   

On February 21, 1986, a man in Japan, Shigechio Izumi, died at the age of 120 years. He was believed to have been the oldest person on earth.

Age is a relative thing: it varies from person to person. Moses lived to be 120 years old, and when he died, “his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone” (Deuteronomy 34:7). But he knew that not everybody would attain such an age with unabated strength. He writes in Psalm 90:10, “The length of our days is seventy years – or eighty, if we have the strength.”

The gift of long life comes as a special favor of God, especially if it is attained in relatively good health. When giving the Ten Commandments, God said: "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). In writing to the Ephesians, Saint Paul calls this “the first commandment with a promise – ‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’” (Ephesians 6:2-3). The promise of long life to children who honor their parents bespeaks a reward of divine grace, not of human merit.

The aging among us are honored by God, and they should be honored by us also. In the book of Leviticus we read: “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God” (Leviticus 19:32). The aging in our homes, churches, and communities have much to share with us of their wisdom, experience, and maturity.

It follows, too, that the aging honor themselves by regarding themselves not as excess baggage or useless beings, but as persons whom God loves and blesses. How wonderful is God’s promise, spoken through the psalmist: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no wickedness in Him’” (Psalm 92: 12-15).

There is goodness and grace in God, who sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to redeem with His life, death, and resurrection all people, both young and old.

[Soldier4Christ]

"God Looks on the Heart"

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
   

In Peter De Vries’ story “The Glory of the Hummingbird,” one of the characters declares, “There has been enough of personality; it is time for character.” Indeed, the cult of personality, the preoccupation with good outward appearance and skin-deep beauty, the good-image projection, the greater emphasis on style than on substance – we’ve had enough of these; it is time for upright character, truth, and reality.

People are often misled by what they see. So it was with the prophet Samuel, whom God sent to Bethlehem to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as king. Samuel was impressed by the imposing stature of Eliab, the oldest son. But he was not God’s choice, for the “LORD does not look at the things that man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). This is to be a warning, as Jesus said to and of the Pharisees: “You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25). A superficial piety is not pleasing to God, for He looks on the heart.

The fact that God examines the heart is also a comfort, for God, who searches our hearts, truly knows us and provides for all our needs. He especially sees the saving faith in Jesus Christ, as well as the love we have toward our Savior and His needy brothers and sisters. He looks on our hearts and sees our needs.

God knows our hearts better than we do. Saint Paul writes that the Holy Spirit knows our needs and intercedes in our behalf. The heavenly Father understands the Spirit’s plea: “He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:27).

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"Staying Close to Christ"

"I am the Vine; you are the branches." John 15:5
   

During the disastrous retreat of Napoleon’s army from Russia in the dead of winter (1812-1813), many soldiers perished. Out of the 600,000 men only 10,000 able-bodied soldiers remained. At night the men would huddle close to one another around the fire. That was their only chance for survival. On the following morning it was found that those on the outer fringes had frozen to death.

Jesus bids us to stay close to Him. He declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). If we stay in close fellowship with Him, we experience the strength and warmth of His love to sustain us.

Close fellowship with Christ is the basis for close fellowship among His followers. They become brothers and sisters in the faith to one another. Christian fellowship is like a bed of glowing coals. When one coal is separated and lies by itself, it grows cold. The disciple Thomas grew weak in his faith when he was separated from the others after Christ’s resurrection. But he rejoined the group a week later and was richly rewarded. The risen Savior singled him out and restored not only his faith but also his commitment to the other disciples. Of the first Christians it is said, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).

The religious teacher Hillel gave this advice to his students: “Do not separate yourselves from the community.” Saint Augustine said of the first Christians, “That they might not be frozen with fear, they burned with the fire of love.” This is our response to the warm embrace of Christ’s love: “As Thou hast died for me, Oh, may my love to Thee, Pure, warm, and changeless be, A living fire!”

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"Going God’s Way"

July 28, 2005

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word. Psalm 119:9
   

William E. Gladstone (1809-1898), who served as England’s prime minister into a ripe old age, declared: “The problem of statesmanship is to find out which way God is going and to go that way.”

Not only persons in public life but all people do well to go God’s way throughout life. Where do we pick up the signals directing us in the right way? We find them in Holy Scripture. Saint Paul declares, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Again, the apostle writes, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Earlier in his letter Saint Paul reminds Timothy that “from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures” (2 Timothy 3:15).

The Holy Scriptures, as the apostle testifies in this connection, make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). In keeping with the Father’s will, Jesus Christ went the way of the cross to take away sin. We follow in the footsteps of Jesus and go God’s way when we, empowered by the Holy Spirit and by the faith He creates in God’s promises, find pleasure in doing the will of the heavenly Father. With the hymn writer we say, “Your way, not mine, O Lord!”

How good it is when young people, like Timothy, go God’s way throughout life. The psalmist in the above text has a short catechesis. He asks the question, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” The answer: “By living according to Your Word.” He explains that one is to have this Word hidden in his or her heart. Then it will serve us as a true and reliable compass.