I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me.[1] Psalm 119:19
Stranger in this verse means foreigner. A foreigner is obviously out of place – everything is foreign to them and they are foreign to everything around them.
A helpful thing for foreigners in any country is a guidebook. I have many guidebooks about the Philippines. I have tried to learn as much as I can about the culture as a missionary. I would even say that some of the knowledge is necessary just to survive.
In Psalm 119, David acknowledges that he is a foreigner on planet earth, and he needs a guidebook – instructions, rules, laws – so that he can live effectively. As Christians, we know the this world is not our home!
As Christians, we know that this world is not our home!
As you grow in your faith, one of the first things that happens is that things that you cared about before, you don’t care about anymore: maybe the music that you listened too, maybe the places you would go before, maybe the people you would spend time with.
They become foreign to you.
One of my favorite songs is “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” and the lyrics say this:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace
If you are maturing as a believer, you understand that you cannot make it in this world without the strength of God’s Word!
Without His guidance, you would be unable to live your life here on this earth – a foreigner longing for home.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
The valley is this verse represents a low place – a place of difficulty, of struggle, of trials. The Bible has much to say about trials in the Christian’s experience. James chapter 1, 1 Peter chapter 1, and other places describe that the Christian life comes packaged with trials, struggles, and difficulties.
The truth is that sometimes the Shepherd leads us into valleys.
But why? Why does the Good Shepherd lead us through valleys?
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing James 1:2-4
Answer: because it is the best path for me! He uses trials to make me perfect and complete.
God only leads me where He knows I need to go – He does not waste one single trip!
To really have this make sense and come together, pay close attention to the word shadow. Can a shadow hurt you? Of course not. We know that! But can a shadow frighten you? Come on be honest. How many of us have been scared of a little ol’ shadow before?
The point is that there may the appearance for a moment of something that can seemingly harm us, but ultimately, finally, whatever is happening in the valley cannot really touch us.
It’s a widely circulated idea that as a leader you should “only do what only you can do”. In other words, focus on your calling and ignore other (potentially good) opportunities.
If lived out as a general rule, this idea has merit. It creates and maintains focus in our highest priorities, those pertaining to our calling.
Saying “no” to most things helps you say “yes” to the things you were made for.
But if adhered to rigidly, this idea becomes unbiblical quickly. It prevents me from serving in the moment. It prevents me from participating in Divine opportunities. It prevents me from following the Holy Spirit’s direction.
Sometimes I’m the “only” one God has asked, even though there are others who are more qualified.
And that qualifies me. It’s my opportunity.
There is a balance to find here.
Jesus made breakfast for the disciples on the beach. Clearly, others would have been qualified to start the fire. He took the opportunity to serve. (John 21:9).
I should do what only I can do (my calling) , and many times a little more (my opportunities).
Vision is the ability to see what could be rather than what is.
Most leaders strive to have a clear vision. But where does vision come from? What are the possible sources? Our own heart can produce ideas and dreams, pictures of the future. Other people can give us thoughts and possibilities to contemplate. But if we listen to only ourselves, or to the wrong people, our vision can come from the wrong place and drive us in the wrong direction.
To guard against this danger, our vision source must be God Himself. Specifically, God gives us vision and direction for our life through the Bible:
Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.
Psalm 119:97-100
When God through His Word is your counselor, you are wiser than any of the enemies that are out to destroy you: Satan, sin, evil people with wicked intentions. You are wiser! When God’s Word is with you – meaning you have memorized it – you have the greatest counselor the world has ever known! Your vision will be clear and right!
When you are meditating on it – turning in over in your heart and mind all day – God’s Word makes you wiser than the intelligent, smartest people in the room – the people that should be teaching you! You may be the one with the most dynamic vision, if you are the one meditating faithfully on God’s Word.
And last, when you apply it, God’s Word helps you understand more than those who are older than you (the “ancients”). Yes, we are called to respect our elders, but age does not always equate to being right. Test every advice and counsel against Scripture and be assured of clear vision.
Wisdom and understanding – vision – comes from memorizing, meditating on, and applying God’s Word.
We heard there was ash falling in Manila. As I stepped out onto the porch of our house I was immediately overwhelmed by what I liken to “black snow” falling everywhere. It was covering up the white bannisters, covering my patio umbrella, getting in my hair. Volcanic ash is not really ash per se, it is technically rock and glass – like a course ground coffee all over….well, everything. (I do feel Starbucks may have missed some sort of marketing opportunity here).
My next thought was “surely this is not good to breathe”, and I told my wife we should run to the store and buy some face masks. Upon arriving at the mall, we saw that many others had the same idea, and we were able to buy some of the last remaining masks in the store. Filtering masks are now a hot commodity in Manila, and I’ve learned what N95 means (look it up).
In processing all of these events,I am struck with two thoughts: how small we are and how great God is.
Left to our own devices, despite all of our technology as mankind, we have no way to stop this volcano should it decide to do something worse. No patch, no cap, no military grade stopper that can hold it back. Nothing to stop the earthquakes happening. And, left to my own self, the best thing I could do for my family was a dollar-store face mask.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
Psalm 8:3
Is there any thing about us that should cause God to be mindful of us? According to David in the Psalm above – no, not really. This volcano reminds me of that. ‘I got nothin’. It is humbling.
Yet God cares for me immensely! David is awestruck by the fact that the same God who created that volcano is the one Who, as he says, “visits” with us. He loves us so, that he visits with us! He came to be with us through His Son, and He is with us through His Spirit and His Word. He calls us His children!
I am reminded that God did not love me because of how great I am, but because of how great He is.
My brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:2-4
In these opening verses, James addresses the issue of trials that come from outside. He is talking about trials that we “fall into” – meaning they are often unexpected things that we encounter. Literally, the unforeseen events of life that we do not plan for or wish to happen. The picture is a little bit like falling when you step into a hole or stumble over something in the way – no one plans to do that!
The Bible here says “various trials”, meaning this can include many different things. It may include physical trials, financial difficulties, relationship issues, gossip, broken hearts. It can include danger or tragedies that happen. I can’t list them all here, but you get the idea.
Most of the time for us, trials naturally produce a negative attitude – a complaining attitude. Someone does something negative to me and my first thought is “why did You let that happen Lord?”.
But God here describes a very different response. He says we should have joy when we face a new trial. Joy! Not only joy, but God says to count it (or consider or have the opinion about) “all joy”. It means not a little joy mixed with some complaining thrown in on the side. No – all we should have is joy in a trial!
Does that sound kind of ridiculous to anyone? I mean, really God? My child gets sick and I am supposed to be joyful in that situation? I lose my job and I am supposed to have joy in that time in my life? Someone hurts me deeply by something said or done and I am supposed to react with overflowing joy? Really?
The answer is, yes, really. But how? How can we do this as believers? The answer is given as the verse continues….knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience
To know something means to understand it.
As Christians, we must understand that God has a bigger plan for us than what is happening in the moment.
In fact, we must remember that God is doing something good for us in and through that trial.
Trials in our life are really a test that God brings into our life to grow our faith, purify our faith, and mature our faith. Trials have a purpose. Patience makes us “perfect and complete” – exactly what God wants us to be!
A mature faith is a patient faith – a faith that trusts in God no matter what.
What God wants in my life is for me to believe Him no matter the situation. And He brings trials into my life to teach me to have patience and trust Him.
You must learn to see the trials in your life through a biblical lens. These difficulties in your life are not accidents that God is not aware of! God has allowed them to refine you and shape you and sanctify you!
This knowledge is the key to having joy in a trial.
