The Refuge of a Name

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10

In the late eighth and ninth centuries, men from modern-day Denmark and Norway began to sail across the North Sea to raid and pillage Ireland. At first the Viking raids were conducted by a small number of ships, which would land in a coastal community, pillage and burn the settlement, then head back to their homeland with the booty. Because of their brutality in the treatment of those they subdued, the Viking warriors terrified all who lived within their reach. Over a period of time, the intensity of the raids increased. The Vikings, encouraged by the spoils of previous raids, now brought large numbers of boats and set up camp to conduct extensive raids over the surrounding countryside for several months at a time.

Monasteries were found to be the best sources of valuable booty, both in riches and slaves. At the beginning, the monasteries were an easy mark, as they were peaceful settlements and largely defenseless. However, after suffering heavy losses during the early years of raids in both valuables and personnel, the monks began to build defensive tall stone towers, or Round Towers, near the monasteries. When approaching Viking raiders were sighted, the monks would grab as many valuables and as much food as they could carry and hurry to the tower. They would climb a rope ladder to the door, which was located one story up from the ground. Once all were safely inside, the monks would pull the ladder inside and close the door. There they would remain in safety until the threat of danger had passed.

The old hymn, “Be Thou My Vision,” was written during this time period. Verse three reflects the reality of the Viking threat and Round Tower defense:

Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight,
Be Thou my whole armor, be Thou my true might,
Be Thou my soul's shelter, be Thou my strong tower,
O raise Thou me heavenward, great power of my power.

Solomon utilized the same metaphor while writing the proverb at the top of this page. He likened the name of the Lord to a strong tower, which offers protection to the righteous when they shelter within its walls.

How is the name of God a refuge to us? Romans 10:13 tells us, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” By calling on the name of the Lord, we receive safety from certain condemnation and consequent wrath of God. Instead of an awful eternal fate, our destiny for destruction is replaced by hope and peace with God.

The name of God also is protection from an attacker who would like to see us destroyed. Revelation 12:10 reveals Satan as the one “who accuses [the brethren] before our God day and night.” His goal is to incapacitate us, and with that goal he whispers accusing words of inadequacy and shame into our ears. In this case, too, the name of the Lord is our strong tower. Our worthiness and effectiveness is in the fact God has loved us, saved us, and will enable us to live for Him. So we can answer Satan’s accusations in the affirmative. Yes, we are unworthy. Yes, we are weak. You are correct, Satan! But we have a Savior that supplies all we need. Our hope is in the Lord, not ourselves. So accuse all you want, Satan. It is not about us at all.

Like the round towers of the monasteries of Ireland, the name of the Lord is our singular stronghold while the world around us goes crazy. These days many standards are now seemingly subjective. Morality and even our ideas about the character of God are whatever one decides them to be. In a society where we are rapidly losing objective measurement, the name of the Lord offers an absolute standard. Its strong, unmovable, and unshakable walls offer stability and safety in a rapidly changing world.

There is power in the name of the Lord. When Jesus was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Roman cohort asked Him if He was Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus answered “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:6). Just the mention of His name was enough to knock strong soldiers off their feet.

The name of the Lord was a strong tower in Solomon’s day, and continues to be our own refuge today. Its consistency and dependability stand in strong contrast to the contrary winds that buffet our lives. It is a name that will never lose its power nor fail to prove its worth. It is consistent because the God it represents is consistent. “Those who know Your name will put their trust in You. For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9:10

The Uniform of Service

“And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

I attended Women of Faith this summer and had the pleasure of watching a talented actress doing several monologues during the conference. She used very few props. A costume, something held in her hand, and lighting were all she needed to set the stage and help her become the character she was trying to portray. One memorable skit was when she became a diner waitress. She wore a typical waitress uniform, reminiscent of the 50's, an apron, and held a rag in her hand. But that was enough to transform her into a middle aged waitress who had watched life pass her by. Just a simple costume was enough to convince her audience that her words and thoughts were from this fictional character.

We, too, have a “costume” to put on when we prepare for service for the King. Peter tells us that our costume is humility. The Greek verb for “clothe yourselves” is a rare word in the NT. It is used to refer to a slave that puts on an apron before serving. Peter's writing indicates a necessary preparation for service is in a conscious decision to be humble.

This particular word for humility is used seven times in the New Testament. Paul uses it as an opposite to pride. It is interesting to see that Paul served with humility (Acts 20), yet did not shrink from proclaiming the truth. So we get an idea of humility which does not lack in confidence. It is just particular as to where that confidence originates. While pride is confidence in oneself, humility has no confidence other than in the Lord.

There is a positive and a negative kind of humility. Paul contrasts these two manifestations of humility in Colossians 2 and 3. He is writing the Colossians to help them guard against gnostic thought, a first century philosophy which was threatening the church with its heresy. Gnostics taught that everything material was evil; in order to become good, one must treat his physical body with contempt. The word humility is used within this context, translated by the NASB as “self-abasement.” Paul is clear: this kind of humility is not of the Lord. “These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” (Colossians 2:23)

Paul later goes on to talk about a godly kind of humility: “So as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another and forgiving each other. . .” (Colossians 3: 12-13) Do you see the difference? A person with the negative kind of humility despises himself. But positive humility comes as a result of having been chosen by God, set apart by God, and beloved by Him. With the confidence that our position in Christ gives us, we can choose to treat others as better than ourselves. Our confidence is not in ourselves. It is in what God has done for us. So we don’t need to put others around us down to build ourselves up.

When we understand how God views us, as His beloved and chosen one, we don’t have to do anything to make ourselves important. The fact is we are important to God. Therefore, we can relax about proving ourselves and concentrate instead on building each other up. We can put others first because we are already taken care of: we are His and in His hands. With such an astounding basis for security, humility is not so hard to "put on".

Jesus exemplified humility for us in the way He lived His life on earth. A memorable example is in John 13 when He washed His disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. Afterwards, He explained His actions to them: “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. . . a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13: 14-16) The King of Kings demonstrated humility by performing one of the lowliest jobs available. He did it to exemplify His expectations of the kind of service His disciples should give.

Without this experience, they might have been tempted to lord it over others, due to the importance of their position. After all, Jesus had chosen them to be the privileged twelve. He would entrust them with building the church. Obviously they were special. But Christ, in His actions, knocked any temptation of pride in their service right out the door. If the Master sending them out was only humble in His service, they could do nothing more than the same.

How do we cultivate humility? By understanding our position in Christ. That we are truly, unconditionally loved and valued by God. We don’t need to prove ourselves as important or significant. He has done that for us. We are then free to love others in the way Christ loved the church: sacrificially and without a care for what we will get in return. And He has promised to give us the grace to do just that.

Scared Straight

"He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness." Hebrews 12:10

Last week I had a scare. I woke up with an irregular heart beat. I mean really irregular. I was dizzy and nauseous and felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. After about 20 minutes, I woke up my daughter and asked her to take me to the emergency room. An EKG confirmed my heart was in atrial fibrillation. My heart was racing at 157 beats per minute. They put me on an IV drug to slow my heart down. The irregular rhythm persisted. I was admitted for an overnight stay.

When the cardiologist arrived, he went over my medical history. I asked him what would cause a heart to do what mine was doing. He said it could be stress or even sleep apnea. He gently said, “I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but . . .” I knew what was coming. The weight pronouncement. I needed to lose. It was affecting my health. I’d heard it before, and believed it. But I hadn’t ever been disciplined enough to follow through. I am a procrastinator. I was going to start dieting tomorrow. Always tomorrow.

But the cardiologist shocked me out of my complacency. He continued “ . . . but you are morbidly obese.” Morbidly?? Did he have to use such a nasty adjective?? I was mortified. If I died of a heart attack, I had no one but myself to blame. My obituary would read: she ate herself to death.

Finally, around two in the morning, my heart kicked back into a normal sinus rhythm. They sent me home in the morning, armed with prescriptions and instructions. I started Weight Watchers point counting immediately. I started walking. It was time to get serious. Tomorrow was here. My sister told me, “You now have a new life. It was fun while it lasted. But you now are looking at life-risking habits that have to change.”

I am scared straight. A brush with a possible heart-attack or stroke in my future will hopefully be enough to motivate me to do what my doctor has nagged me about for years. My family is coming with me to walk every night after dinner. We are all determined to make this thing happen.

The writer of Hebrews was trying to scare his readers straight. They had received the good news of salvation and experienced new life in Christ. Now some of them were considering going back to the old Jewish system. They missed their old community. They missed the traditions. They were experiencing persecution from their families and the community at large. So the writer (we don’t know who wrote the letter) spends a great deal of time demonstrating to them the superiority of Christ over anything else they have known. By the time he gets to chapter 10, he has laid out all the information they need. Now it’s time for the motivation.

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries . . . it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10: 26, 31) He was trying to scare them straight.

Was their salvation in jeopardy? No. They had been bought with the blood of Christ, declared innocent of their sin. They had been adopted into the family of God and had a secure future inheritance waiting for them. The Holy Spirit permanently indwelled them as a seal, or guarantee, of their eternal life. So what was the writer talking about?

God will not sit idly by and watch us self-destruct. We are His. He paid dearly for us. And He is faithful. So He does what it takes to bring us back into the fold. The measures can be severe. Paul tells us that some Corinthians were sick and some had actually died because of their sin (1 Corinthians 11:30). Our life here on earth can become a living hell, should we turn away from the God who saved us.

Our salvation remains unaffected. But He will get our attention, one way or another.

Hopefully we will never come to that point of wondering whether following Christ is worth the cost. But should we decide that we want our own way and begin to live for ourselves, the cost will be higher. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 16:25) Grave consequences may follow our actions should we choose to abandon the God who loves us.

We don’t like to think of this side of God. We like the part of His loving kindness and compassion. But He is more than a genie in a bottle to us. And He will take care of His own. If you ever think about abandoning the faith, be sure to read Hebrews 10. It will scare you straight.

The Irony of the Cross

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

In the states where the death penalty is still legally in place, inmates often spend nine to ten years awaiting their fate on death row as the appellate process is worked to its conclusion. Death row is a part of the prison system reserved for the worst of all criminals. Their actions have caused death and pain to many others. Now they themselves are condemned to die. There is great shame in having landed on death row. No one is proud to live there. To die by capital punishment is to be included among the most notorious group of criminals in our country’s history.

The cross was regarded by those living in the Roman world to be the punishment reserved for the lowest of the low. Only slaves and the worst types of criminals were punished in this way. It was the cruelest and most degrading form of punishment that existed at the time of Christ. Paul expressed the deep shame of Christ’s death by crucifixion when he wrote to the Philippians. As Paul lists the rungs down the metaphorical ladder Christ took from glory to utter humility, the last step down was this: “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

It was the most despicable, shameful way to die. Yet that was the punishment God chose for His Son to endure in order to pay for the sins of the world.

The cross is one of the many ironies we see in the Scriptures that contrast what the world would instinctively choose as a better way.

Have you ever tried to accomplish a task by using a mirror? When I taught school, the overhead projector was a piece of equipment I used in nearly every lesson I taught. I liked it because I could write on the board while facing my students-- a teacher never likes to turn her back on a class. I often used transparent math manipulatives or prepared overhead sheets. It was always a challenge to move things around on the projector while looking at the screen where the image was projected. Because the image is a product of a mirror, it goes against what your brain instinctively tells you. In order to move something to the left on the screen, you must move it right on the projector. It is a truly counterintuitive process.

Much of how God has chosen to work seems counterintuitive to us. He uses the weak over the strong. The more humble we are, the more usable. The rich and the privileged of this world are at a disadvantage when it comes to eternal life. Their very independence and strength threatens their capability to put their trust in a Savior to save them. The most expensive price possible was paid for our sin. Yet the resulting salvation is offered to us as a completely free gift. The Bible is full of ironies. Yet the greatest irony of all is the cross.

It was a place of ultimate suffering and shame. Yet it was the place where God was glorified the most. From all appearances, Christ’s death on the cross was His ultimate defeat. Yet in fact it was really the place of His ultimate victory. The most appallingly violent death possible became the source of our peace. God hanging like a guilty criminal produced for us a verdict of innocent.

We wear a tiny replica of a cross to symbolize belonging to Jesus Christ. In a way it is a little like wearing a charm of a hangman’s noose or an electric chair around our necks. First Corinthians 1:18 tells us the cross is “foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” The cross was always a symbol of shame. But for the Christian, it is a symbol of victory and the glory of God revealed. And we rejoice in the irony.

The Struggle to Believe

“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and He who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 1 Peter 2:6

I had the privilege of spending some time with one of my former fifth graders the other evening. I am always interested to find out where my students have gone in their spiritual journeys after leaving my classroom. It seems like so many students who have graduated from our school abandon their faith when they head out into the world. So I am interested in what made the difference for the ones who have remained committed to Christ.

In this case, the woman I spoke with went through an intense struggle of faith shortly after beginning her college education at a secular university. At one time or another, all children who are brought up in Christian homes must face the same struggle she did: deciding if the faith they were taught by their parents can become their own. This woman went through several years of inner turmoil as she struggled to discover if what she had believed for most of her life was the truth. In the end, she threw herself on the mercy of the Lord. “I prayed Psalm 119:31 over and over again,” she recounted. “I cling to Your testimonies, O Lord, do not put me to shame.” Her plea was a simple one: I will remain faithful to what I know to be true. Please don’t let me down.

Her experience echoed my own journey as a young girl. My loyalties toward the Lord had remained unquestioned until my junior year of high school. But during that particular year, I was dating a guy who was not a Christian and had attended several fraternity parties with him at his university. The fun of the life and social opportunities there at his school attracted me. My head was turned toward what that lifestyle had to offer. And away from Christ.

My father worried as he watched me gently drift toward the world and away from the faith I had always so staunchly held. So he made a deal with me. My dog had recently died and I desperately wanted a new puppy. He told me I could get a new dog if I read How to Be a Christian Without Being Religious from cover to cover. I felt angry that he was pressing his faith on me. But I wanted that puppy. So I sat down to read the book.

I didn’t get too far into the book when I put it down in disgust. I already knew all the answers this author offered. My problem was I had lost the feeling in my heart. What I knew had become dry, unaffective knowledge. So I challenged the Lord. “If you are real, I need you to show me,” I prayed. “I will remain obedient to what I know is true for now. But somehow, God, I need you to demonstrate to me that you truly exist.” I waited in silence for something big. I got nothing.

Several months passed by. The Lord faithfully brought people and events into my life which sparked my interest and enthusiasm for Him. Eventually, I looked at my faith and realized that God had proven Himself to be alive and real in my life. There had been no thunderbolt from the sky. Instead He had quietly and gently answered my desperate prayer over time. And I knew without a doubt that He really was whom the Scriptures claimed He was.

God is faithful. He will not put us to shame. When we cast ourselves on Him, determined to live out what we believe, He will meet our need and give us assurance that we are not doing so in vain. We possess a living hope, Peter told his writers. Our hope is in our salvation, bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Those who earnestly seek Him will not be disappointed.

Doggedly cling to what you know to be true. Even in the times when He seems silent and distant, He will not let you down. He cannot: His faithfulness is a part of His very nature. He cannot be untrue to who He is. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we possess,” the writer of Hebrews urged. “For He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

Preventing What Seems Irresistible

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17

I need to lose weight. Ask my doctor. She has made it her personal crusade to get me back down to a healthy weight. Her goal is not to make me beautiful. It is to keep me from having a heart attack. I am no stranger to the necessity of losing weight. It has been a constant struggle for me for my entire adult life. Apparently I have an excellent metabolism. Not one calorie wasted. My fat storage capability is a virtual steel vault. Sigh.

It is not a case of ignorance. I have given enough money to Weight Watchers over the years to look like Paris Hilton. I know how to diet. Eat less, exercise more. My problem is willpower. I absolutely love food. Anytime I deny myself food, it is a fierce inner battle. One thing I have found is that allowing myself to feel too deprived is a sure ticket to failure. This is key to long term success for me.

My hardest time of the day is the hour before dinner. I am hungry, and in my weakest state I am expected to stand in the kitchen, the dream room of all overeaters, and prepare dinner. Without snitching. Well, forget it. It can’t be done. So I have come up with a strategy. I have a little snack with a hot cup of tea just before preparing dinner. The satisfaction of a “full” feeling keeps me from temptation as I cook. Most of the time, anyway.

James wrote to his readers about temptation in the first chapter of his epistle. He had just encouraged them about the trials in their lives. Then in verse 13, he clarifies the idea of trials a little more. “Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” Both trial and temptation are translated from the Greek word peirasmos. When James used peirasmos the first time in verse 2, he was writing about outward circumstances. Now in verse 13, James wrote about temptation which comes not so much from outer circumstances but from within ourselves. He clarifies: “Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lusts.”

Don’t ever confuse your inner desire to sin as coming from the Lord. James tells us this is impossible. While outward things such as persecution or other trying circumstances come along, we can look at these as an opportunity from the Lord to persevere in obedience. Yet they are not what tempts us to sin. That desire comes from within ourselves.

So how do we keep ourselves from obeying the inner call to sin? James tells us in 1:17: “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” If we want to avoid sin, we must fill our minds with the only thing that truly satisfies. We need to spend time in God’s Word and absorb the truths within its pages. Our priority must be to love Him with all of our mind, heart, and strength. When we are walking with Him, both in heart and action, we are filled to satisfaction. Suddenly the sin which was so tempting doesn’t look so irresistible.

Conversely, if we allow ourselves to become “hungry” or to feel “deprived,” suddenly that sin looks too good to resist. Our good intentions only last so long. (For me, on a good week, about three days.) Yet if we take the time for some preventative measures, by filling ourselves with the “good things” God continually offers in His outstretched hands, the appetite for sin will diminish. Just like a cup of tea and a few crackers before dinner.

The Evidence Tells the Story

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Galatians 5:24-25

Last night we had quite a wind storm. I know this because when I pulled up the shade of my office window this morning, an assortment of twigs and branches littered the porch rooftop below. A tree in our backyard lost a rather large branch as evidenced by the fresh hole in its upper trunk. The yard has debris in it that did not exist yesterday. It must have been an impressive storm.

I slept through the whole thing. These past two weeks in seminary have been grueling. As it is the mid-point of the semester, there was a flurry of exams, papers, and assignments all due in a very short time span. I worked ceaselessly for several weeks at trying to stay caught up. Sleep had to become a low priority. Last night I fell into bed exhausted. I never heard a thing.

Yet while I did not hear the storm, I know it happened. Because the evidence was plain to see when I pulled up the shade.

The Holy Spirit is described in the Old Testament as a wind. The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach. It is translated as either wind, spirit, breath, or life. Although it can be used of a gentle breeze, most often it refers to power. The New Testament Greek word for spirit is pneuma. In Greek thinking, the word also took on and idea of a source of energy. The Bible does not spend very much time talking about the person of the Holy Spirit-- at least as far as in describing Him.

We know He is a person because He can be obeyed (Acts 10:19-21), He can be resisted (Acts 5:3), and He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). We know He is distinct from the Father and Son because at the baptism of Jesus, we see the three persons of the Trinity represented: Jesus the Son in the water, God the Father’s voice from the clouds, and the Holy Spirit coming to rest on Jesus like a dove (John 1:32). He is distinct from Jesus because Jesus promises to send Him when He returns to Heaven (John 16:7).

We can understand about the Person of the Holy Spirit from how he works. In the Old Testament, He often gave power for demanding acts of service to God. Joshua had this source of power (Numbers 27:18, Deuteronomy 34:9). The judges received a temporary filling of the Spirit for their calling (Judges 3:10, 6:34, 11:29). King David knew the power of the Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13) and when he sinned, begged God to refrain from taking it away (Psalm 51:11).

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit was given as a permanent indwelling to all believers at Pentecost (Acts 2). His presence in our lives is a seal, a guarantee of the eternal life which God has given us (Eph 1:14). He sanctifies us (1 Corinthians 6:11). He teaches us about truth (John 16:13) and equips us for service (Romans 12:6).

He is invisible. Yet we can see His presence in our lives by the fruit we bear that marks us as His. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control all demonstrate the Spirit at work in us. Some bear more fruit than others. The amount of fruit we bear is in direct correlation to how much of ourselves we have yielded to His presence in our lives.

We had a family rule that everyone must come to the dinner table with clean hands. This was an important rule because my kids loved to play outdoors in the mud and dirt! I didn’t need to stand over them at the sink to watch them wash. All I needed was a quick glance to know whether or not soap and water had been given a chance to do their work. The evidence told the story.

Like the wind storm that left branches and debris to be seen this morning, we can see the Holy Spirit evidenced by the results of His work in our lives. Paul tells us in Galatians that since we have life by the Spirit, we should also be walking by the Spirit. The walking he is referring to is a yielding of our desires for His, putting our agenda in submission to what God wants for us. This is an hour-by-hour process. We daily make decisions which will impact how much the Spirit’s presence in our lives will be evident. And as we yield to Him, our lives will reflect that determination by the fruit we bear.