Oasis Christian Fellowship | Meigs County, Ohio

All-Stars Baseball vs. Church

This weekend begins a 4-week season of All-Stars Baseball for our 8 year-old son. Brock was actually selected to play on an All-Star team last year, but this year we have had more time to prepare and discuss all of the issues of being on a traveling all-star baseball team. The first and most obvious issue for a Christian family is the dilemma of every tournament being played on weekends. Typically the way an all-star tournament goes is like this: on Saturday all the teams play one another in a "round robin," and according to their records from those games they are seeded in a tournament, which is played on Sunday. The reason this can be a dilemma for Christian families is because tournament games are often played out of town, or could even be scheduled during the morning hours, the same time as most church worship gatherings.

I have chosen to title this article "All-Stars Baseball vs. Church" because it states the tension that so many Christian families have faced over the years of playing sports, taking vacations, going to band or cheer competitions, or any number of different community activities family members have been involved in. Traditionally, whenever anything caused us to consider missing a worship gathering or church meeting many families have been made to feel as though the event they were considering and the church meeting were two things that were against one another. Thus the title "All-Stars Baseball vs. Church." This brings up a very interesting conversation. One that I have been having for several weeks as this year's all-stars season has approached. There are a few other Christian families on Brock's team this year, and together we have been discussing this "dilemma," which has caused us to come up with some very creative ideas for how to help alleviate the felt tension among families who desire their children to be able to participate in other community activities while also honoring Christ and glorifying God in all they do. Here are some thoughts to consider.

Probably the most common answer to this dilemma is to simply state a hard line of right and wrong when it comes to church attendance. For instance, in my youth this question seemed to be a no-brainer: where a person was on Sunday morning was the ultimate test of their loyalty to Christ. Everyone who was truly committed to Christ was expected to be at church regardless, and would be considered a hero of the faith for making the choice to miss a baseball game in order to attend the church meeting.

The problem with that line of thinking is that it puts "being at the church meeting" at such an elevated proof or evidence of faith in Christ, when in fact there are many who attend church meetings faithfully yet have no faith. Therefore we must be careful of saying there is only one right answer to this so-called dilemma. To do so would be dangerously close to a legalistic view of church attendance, and could possibly lead someone down a similar path of the Pharisees, who praised such acts over true and living faith. As you have heard me say many times over the past 4 years, we are called to BE the church, and to live out our faith and glorify God wherever we happen to be, and in whatever we happen to be doing. I would rather see a person of active, living, daily faith in Christ miss a church meeting than see a person come to every meeting of the church but show no evidence of faith any other day of the week.

On the other side of this discussion is the fact that while it is important to live and be part of the world as believers in Christ, it is vitally important that we regularly gather with other believers in a community of faith for our strengthening, encouragement, and spiritual nourishment. To habitually neglect this at the expense of community activities or personal vacations is just as wrong.

As those of you who know me know, I am not interested in old legalism. I have missed church meetings here and there in order to attend games I am coaching or to be with my kids who are playing. But there is also something about the discipline of church attendance (actual participation in a family of faith—the kind of thing that gives Hebrews 10:24ff life!) that is vital. We believe that we’re forming a certain kind of person through such disciplines as this. And it is our hope that our children see our regular attendance at church meetings as not a ritual we keep, but a healthy part of the formation of our lives as believers in Christ.

Someone once attempted to quote me a couple years back and said they heard me say: “God doesn’t care whether or not you attend church.” I never recall saying exactly that, and I hope none of you have ever processed anything I have said in that way. The fact is, I do believe God is very interested in our commitment to be with other believers in a community of faith. What I do not believe is that He is keeping a record of church attendance, from which we will be rewarded as heroes of the faith.

I understand the frustration we have all experienced with old legalism. But we must also be just as careful to not say that this spiritual discipline, this matter of community, this place of being intentional about regularly worshiping and fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in the faith, does not matter. It most certainly does.

I know that April and I want to be sure that the message we are sending to our children is that God is a priority in ALL of our lives, whether Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or etc. Church meetings are obviously a priority because we have created a regular habit of attending. But more importantly, they know that God is a priority because we have created regular habits of honoring God in a variety of ways: at meal times, at bed times, while driving in the car, while going to school, while on the gymnastic floor, while on the baseball field, etc. and etc.

We are most certainly thinking about priorities, and we are also thinking about the larger understanding of spiritual formation. Our deepest hopes for our son and daughter have nothing to do with playing baseball, cheerleading, or even going to church. Our greatest hopes for our children is that they will develop genuine, living faith in Jesus Christ.

Just 15 years ago, the decision to “miss church” for a ballgame would have been a no-no for me. As I have continued growth in age and in the Lord, I have grown to see church through the lens of relationship—being a way of life, a people—rather than a meeting that happens once a week at a particular place or building. BEING the church means that we are the church—and not a time slot on Sunday morning—which means being the church could happen at the baseball game just as well.

IMPORTANT: do not hear me saying, “Everything is church,” because I am a firm believer in attending regular assemblies with a common Christ-community for worship, Bible teaching, and communion. But these kinds of activities in our lives that we often deem as “in conflict” with church, I believe actually provide us opportunities to teach a deeper lesson about the essence of “church.”

This Sunday morning before I come down to our Oasis worship gathering I will be hosting an All-Star team worship gathering/Bible-study/prayer meeting at the shelter house in the park in Athens at 7:45am. Then, the team will play a game at 9:00am, which I will attend for the first hour. Then I will leave the rest of the game to my assistant coaches and drive down to be with my Oasis family and preach from James chapter 1. After that gathering I will go back to Athens and be with the team for the remainder of the tournament.

Choosing to be involved with the All-Star team the way we are (as a coach and having our son play) has provided us with some wonderful conversations with other brothers and sisters in Christ (who also have kids on the team) regarding church and faith in Christ, and it has even given me the opportunity to answer questions from some who are not yet believers in Christ. I am looking forward to how the next 4 weeks may in fact provide our family with an opportunity to be a witness for Jesus.

I pray that this article will be helpful as you process these kinds of things in your own family. I know that there are a number of varying opinions on these issues, and I respect others who may stand in a different place. Not everyone faces these kinds of issues. But if your family is one that is involved in sports or any kind of community, school activity or group in the world there is a good chance you will be faced with the same "dilemma" at some time or another. Just fill in the blank: "__________________ vs. Church." My hope is to convince you that it does not have to be a hard line one way or the other. Remove the "vs." from the title of this article, and replace it with an "AND." And... "whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Sermon MP3s Are Caught Up

Several of you have asked me what has happened to our sermon MP3s on the Oasis Media page or our podcast links. Well, the past several weeks there have been some technical glitches in our recordings, and I have had to go through each one and clean them up as best as I could. Hopefully everything is now resolved. Today I uploaded sermons from the past 9 weeks. You can get them directly from our media page or from our iTunes podcast.

"Amen."

Bethechurch friends, below is one of the best videos I have seen in a long time. After watching this, go listen to Chad's sermon from last Sunday (James 1:2-18) if you have not already.

More Gavin & Proud Family

More gladness. Nana Dreama, thanks for sending me these.

New Stewart Baby - Welcome Gavin McGwire

Born on May 22. He's 6 pounds, 1 ounce; 19 inches. Beautiful baby. Mommy and Daddy are doing well too (as you can see below). Grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all very excited (as you can see).

 

A Word about Virginia Tech

All week I have been thinking, pondering, contemplating, and praying about how I should respond to the dreadful evil events that unfolded on Monday morning at Virginia Tech University. Like you, I have probably asked many of the same questions: Why? Did God allow this? If so, why would He? How does this fit with a biblical worldview of a Sovereign God? These are all good questions. And we ask them because they are desperately needed by our human minds in order to try to piece together some sort of rationale for what took place. But in the end we will undoubtedly be left with the conclusion that these kinds of acts are purely irrational. There are no “reasonable” explanations. And the conversations and various responses we hear and see all around us are very revealing of the worldviews we hold. Your response to tragedies like these reveals your worldview, and your view of God.

Perhaps the oldest and most asked question of Christian theology is “Where was God during this tragedy? How could God allow evil like this to happen?” It always comes up at times like these. And it always has come up throughout history whenever evil, tragic events rock our world. In fact these questions go all the way back to the Bible. The questions are asked all throughout the book of Job. And they are asked throughout the gospels in conversations Jesus had with his disciples. It is an age-old question. It is the question of evil. And it always rears its head whenever evil manifests itself in such a dramatically horrifying manner such as at Virginia Tech.

As with any evil that manifests itself in our culture, the terrifying evil of the killings at Virginia Tech bring us face to face with the reality of all human evil. Biblical Christianity does not duck the question of the problem of evil. Christianity faces this challenge honestly, and acknowledges the horror of moral evil and its consequences. The Bible never shies away from assigning responsibility for moral evil. Human beings are capable of committing horrible acts of violence, wickedness, cruelty, and killing.

Here is a paraphrased summary of Dr. Albert Mohler’s On Faith article in the Washington Post from this week that I thought was very insightful and on the mark:

The Bible locates the problem of moral evil, and points directly to the human heart. As the prophet Jeremiah reflected: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). In taking moral evil seriously, the Bible affirms that we (human beings) are responsible creatures. Our Creator will hold us fully accountable for our actions. All are sinners. Some sinners embrace evil more explicitly than others—leading to horrors such as these killings on a university campus.

As author C. S. Lewis so powerfully reminds us, we must trust that God's perfect justice will destroy evil and reset the moral equilibrium of the universe.

A central principle of the Christian faith is the claim that, on the cross, Jesus Christ willingly suffered the full force of evil, even unto death—and that in raising Christ from the dead, the Father vindicated Christ's victory over sin, death, and evil.

The Virginia Tech horror reminds us all what human beings can do to each other. The cross of Christ reminds us of what Jesus did for sinners in bearing the full punishment for this evil.

Christianity does not deny the reality of evil or try to hide from its horror. Christians dare not minimize evil nor take refuge in clichés (i.e. “God is in control”). He certainly is, but we must be willing to acknowledge how God is in control and how God has responded to human evil. Additionally, we cannot accept that evil will have the last word. The last word will be the perfect fulfillment of the grace and justice of God. We know this promise from God’s Word. And we trust in it and live by it.

In the meantime, we are witnesses to the true nature of moral failing and tragedy such as the killings at Virginia Tech. We mourn with those who mourn, and weep with those who weep.

None of us can truly know the pain and suffering of these victims and their families? Even now as I pray for those who grieve and suffer, I place my confidence in the assurance that God will bring all things to the perfect conclusion of his judgment. Without this confidence, how could I make sense of what certainly appears to be senseless evil and violence?

Does this still not answer your question of how can I believe in a God who would allow something like this? What answer will satisfy that question? One thing I know for sure, and I will stand by this regardless of what evil I see in the world or even experience personally. And that one thing is: God is GOOD. He is so good that it’s not as if he measures up to some external standard of goodness—He actually determines what goodness is just by being who He is. God is love. God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. And you may even hear some Christians try to wiggle out of this question by suggesting that God is not omnipotent—meaning, God did not have any control over this circumstance. He is omnipotent. He is in control of all things. God is the creator and He is ultimately responsible for all things, either by making it happen, ordaining it to happen, or allowing it to happen. He is omnipotent and sovereign.

So if He is truly omnipotent, then how can He be good? It would seem, in our minds that a truly good God who was also omnipotent would never allow something like this to happen. I will again say what I said above. The Bible hits every single one of these issues head-on. On every issue that deals with this problem of evil, the Bible never flinches. It tells us that God is omnipotent and in control of His creation. It tells us that God is good and in Him there is no evil at all. And it tells us that we (his creatures) are responsible and will be held accountable for the evil we do.

There is such a clash of worldviews out there, and you have undoubtedly seen, read, or heard them. For instance, the Christian scientists say that there is no evil at all. There is no sickness. It is all just an illusion. Well, those students and families in Blacksburg, VA know all too well that evil is not an illusion. I remember hearing one preacher address the question, why do bad things happen to good people by saying this: “Look, God is good, but He is not in control of all these evil events (translation: God is not omnipotent). He is doing the best He can under the circumstances. He tries his best to make good come out of the evil we choose to do, but it is not always possible. In that case He is always ready with ‘plan B’ whenever ‘plan A’ fails.” Open theists offer similar answers: “God is ultimately resourceful; He’s just not completely sovereign.” In other words, we cannot blame God for this because God could not have prevented it.

All of these are efforts to keep people from blaming God for evil events. For many, the only way to make sense of the answer that God is not to be blamed is to suggest that God could not have done anything about it. For if He could have controlled it, then He would be to blame. And if He is to blame, then He is not good.

The problem with all of this rationale is that it is completely antithetical to the Bible. The Bible says He is in control. The Bible says He is good. There is no “Plan B.” The Lamb—who was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8)—is, was, will be, and always has been “Plan A” for the problem of evil. God is not shocked or surprised by the events of this world. God is not stunned or taken aback by our actions. And God’s plan is not thwarted by evil. God’s will has never been thwarted by man’s evil. The story of Joseph teaches us that clearly. God did not just use the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers, the Bible says that God “meant” for Joseph to be sold for “good” reasons according to God’s redemption plan (Genesis 50:20).

So, God ordains and/or allows all that comes to pass. Within that omnipotent sovereignty you will find man doing evil. The distinction that we must make in our understanding of biblical theology is that God did not ordain the evil but “allows” it because it is going to bring about the good will of God. This is consistent throughout the full counsel of God’s Word.

For example, Judas was not forced by God to betray Jesus. But God allowed Judas to act like Judas (an evil sinner) because God’s will of the cross would be thus fulfilled. In order for Judas to act like Judas all God had to do was cease from restraining the evil in Judas’ heart. Thus, God did not create the evil, Judas did.

As you can probably see by now, I for one believe that God is not a casual observer in His own universe. He does not sit idly by with His hands tied and watch the events of His creation unfold, wishing He could do something about it but either not having the ability to or restraining Himself from interfering. That is not the God that is described in the Bible. He is the Lord of all that He has created.

But, He has done something very interesting with human beings. He created us as moral creatures. If you go back to the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis, you will see that God created Adam and Eve as moral creatures, in His image. What it means to be created in God’s image is to be creatures who have moral capacity—to do good and to do evil; to obey and to disobey. The whole story of the fall of humanity had to do with this very issue of evil: they did evil rather than good. They disobeyed rather than obeyed, and it came with consequences. One of the consequences of their sin (Adam and Eve) is that for all of us in the human world, sin is a very real threat, evil is an all too real reality. And the fact of the matter is that we do not have to look very far to find horrific acts of this evil.

Just looking at the many photos and video captures of the faces on the campus of Virginia Tech University tells us that human beings know all too well the face of moral evil. The biblical Christian response to this, as well as to any tragedy, is to affirm that God is sovereign and Lord over all; that God is good, absolutely righteous. And that God has made us as moral creatures, capable of doing great good and great evil. And the sad story of human sinfulness is that we so often choose the evil rather than the good. The Bible doesn’t say that some people are sinners, but that all are sinners. But there are some sinners who give themselves unreservedly with abandon to their sin, and that is the only explanation for what took place on Monday morning in Virginia.

And the only HOPE to find in what took place is that God, who is ultimately good and sovereign, is working together in this evil—as well as in all the evil we experience—for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.

Whenever something like this happens in our world it tends to put Christians on the stage with onlookers saying, “Okay, how will you respond?” It certainly puts us on the spot. And so my word to you is this. Respond with truth. Respond with grace. Respond with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Respond ultimately with the Gospel. And most of all I would exhort you with this: to respond with a theology that is honoring to God rather than with one that simply makes us feel better. Do not be quick to rationalize in order to make sense of evil. Hold fast to the timeless truth of God’s Word. To me, the theology of a sovereign, holy, omnipotent, loving and good God is the most comforting thing there is. To know that we have a Lord of lords and a King of kings, whose supremacy reigns over all people, all events, and all circumstances; that is what helps me rest and have joy even in times of tragedy. Because I trust Him; even when it is difficult to accept the events and the results of the evil in the world. I trust Him.

Even if just a little, I hope you feel more equipped to converse with your friends and co-workers on this. Do not overlook the incredible opportunity you may have to be a witness to the truth of the Gospel as a result of this event.

May God bless you this week, church.

"Good Friday" - What Makes It Better Than Other Fridays?

Why is Good Friday referred to as “good”? What the Jewish authorities and Romans did to Jesus was definitely not good (see Matthew chapters 26-27). However, the results of Christ’s death are very good! That is why we must look at the crucifixion with eyes to see a dimension deeper than the surface. On the surface it looks merely like a brutal beating and a cruel, undeserving death. But as believers, we know why the events of this day are called GOOD. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”

This morning I was talking to my son Brock about Good Friday, explaining what it means to us. He asked me, "So, where would Jesus be around this time of the day when he died?" It was 9:00am, and so I replied, "He would be hanging on the cross, with people gathered around looking up at him, some yelling insults, some spitting in his direction and mocking him. But his mom and his closest friend were right there watching. Can you imagine watching someone you love very much die like that?" Hardly seems "good" doesn't it.

In contrast to all of the GOOD that has come as a result of Christ’s obedient and selfless death on the cross, this Friday was certainly the darkest day the world has ever seen. And while our hearts are heavy because Jesus had to die this day this way, (as a victim of capital punishment, abandoned by his friends, betrayed, mocked, etc., all of which stands to remind us of our fickle faith), we are full of awe of the love that God has for us. And we approach Good Friday with thankful hearts because we know that THE DEATH WE COMMEMORATE THIS DAY ENDED IN RESURRECTION.

I look forward to celebrating this event with you at this Sunday’s Oasis gathering.

Backseat Bible Lesson

Normally on their way to school each morning April prays with and for the kids, but this morning their trip came complete with a drama and live sermon illustration along with their prayer. Here's how it went down.

Just down the road about a quarter of a mile from our house in The Plains there is a new home being built, and this morning the concrete was being poured. The concrete truck was in the road, taking up the lane April was driving in. But because it is not a busy road, April checked to see if any cars were coming, and when she saw there wasn't, she slowly began making her way around the concrete truck. Suddenly, she began to hear a man screaming and yelling his head off, using profanity and all sorts of colorful language, so she stopped. Apparently this fellow was on the sidewalk and he was there to direct the traffic, in plain clothes, with no flag or any signal whatsoever to indicate he was there to direct. So April rolled down her window and began apologizing, saying that she did not realize he was directing traffic. But this man continued his rant, calling my wife a barrage of inappropriate names while my 8-year old and 6-year old were sitting in the backseats listening. Finally, she drove off (albeit remembering the company name on the side of the concrete truck).

When she called me to tell me about it I asked her how the kids reacted. She said they were a little freaked out that he was calling her the names using the "F word" and "S-H word" as Brock put it. April herself wasn't affected much. She's become pretty resilient. After years of ministry she has learned to take insults well, so she's had plenty grains of salt. LOL.

The best part is what just happened a few minutes ago. When we went upstairs to read the Bible and pray with Brock and Kaylee I asked them to tell me about what happened this morning. Brock told me his version of the story, and then he said, "Mom prayed for that man on the way home from school today."

I asked, "Do you know why she did that?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Because of the Golden Rule?"

"Well, sort of," I said. Then I opened up to Matthew chapter 5 and read these words:

"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."

I told him that the reason why his mother prayed for a man who shouted profane words at her and called her all kinds of awful names is because his mother loves Jesus and desires to honor him. And the way we can best honor Jesus is to do what he tells us to do in the Bible. If we really love Jesus then we will do what he says. It is common for everyone else to yell back, or to call names, or to try to have such a man fired from his job. But we are called to live and to behave differently from everyone else in the world. And when people see our actions and ask why, it gives us an opportunity to glorify God even more by sharing with them that He is the motivation for our desire to bless even though we have been persecuted.

So my kids learned a new word today (well, actually several new words, LOL). But the word I am talking about is "persecution." I know what they saw and experienced this morning is nothing compared to the persecution so many are facing in the world for Christ's name. But what they experienced did provide us with a lesson. And hopefully this little backseat Bible lesson will stick with them the rest of their lives, so that if and when they are faced with even stronger persecution, they will remember their mother's example.

Weekend Getaway Pictorial

April and I had a wonderful time together on our weekend in Cleveland. Here are few photos from the trip.

I love this picture of my beautiful wife. She wasn't ready when I snapped it, but it is one of my favorites.

This one was taken for my son, Brock. He loves Lebron.

The Severance Hall, home of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. On Saturday night we saw them perform The Four Seasons by Vivaldi.

A little Irish pub in Port Clinton, where we had Sunday lunch.

A very old Baptist church building next door to our hotel. All the houses were covered with ice-cycles, some were 3-4 feet in length.

Notice the variety of items you can purchase at this one-stop shop. These are the stores you find only when you decide to take a short cut in the city.

Thank you, Oasis, for giving us this enriching and refreshing weekend.

God's Providence (Part 2)

In an email to a friend yesterday I had the privilege of sharing some insight that I have gained from reading Dr. John Piper's newest book, What Jesus Demands from the World. The chapters are actually a list of 50 different demands Jesus spoke, found in an exploration of the four Gospels. In doing so, Dr. Piper assumes first that the Gospels are true and they are unified. It also assumes that Jesus is not just someone who sets an example for us or does something for us, but he is God and has authority to make demands of us.

In this post I will be taking some words from one of the chapters, Demand #18: "Do not be angry—trust God’s Providence." It is based on Matthew 5:21-22 and Matthew 10:28-31. Because his outlook in that chapter was so encouraging to me as I read, I would like to share some of it here in light of yesterday's post on God's Providence and also in light of anything you may be going through at the moment which causes you to be angry, frustrated, confused, anxious, or concerned. When we say the words, "God is in control," do we really believe what we are saying? Or perhaps we believe it but only to a certain extent. The question I want you to ponder is: How much control does He really have over His creation and over the circumstances His creation encounters?

Below is a portion of the email, with the quotes from Dr. Piper's book.

One of the greatest truths that Jesus taught to help us be free from sinful anger is the truth of God’s all-encompassing providence—His wise and sovereign control over all things for the good of His children. The rise and strength of our anger should be governed by our trust in God’s providence—that He is ruling over the evil that makes us angry and will not let anything occur with us that is not ultimately good for us (even though it often does not seem as such).

The rage that could rise in our hearts when we are treated unjustly and when we watch loved ones treated cruelly is natural and strong. Interestingly, Piper points out, that when dealing with these kinds of threats, Jesus spoke directly to our fear, not our anger. But the implications for anger are plain. He said in Matthew 10:28-31, And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

The point here is, first, the smallest details of life on earth are governed by God—not a bird falls to the ground apart from Him. And the second point is that God is near, and His acquaintance with our situation is total—even the hairs on your head are all numbered. The conclusion is: Nothing will come to pass apart from His wise and loving providence over your circumstances. Don’t fear. And don’t be angry in a way that contradicts your confidence in God’s care over your life. God’s providence should change the way we experience circumstances that would otherwise be totally infuriating.

We have the assurance that God’s providence will govern all the evil that comes against us so that His good purposes are fulfilled. Yes, evil is being done. But it does not have the last say, and in the end even serves God’s hidden designs.

Rejoicing In Persecution

One of the clearest illustrations of how God's Providence overcomes the controlling effect of anger is Jesus' command that we rejoice when we are persecuted unjustly. He says, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). Few things would ordinarily make us angrier than unjust treatment. Not only are we being hurt by this reviling and persecution, but Jesus emphasizes that it is "evil" and it is "false." These are the factors that tend to infuriate us.

But Jesus transforms that ordinary, understandable emotional experience of anger. Although he recognizes that the normal response of any human being would naturally be anger; meaning that we all have the "right" to be angry about this, Jesus demonstrates what happens with our "rights" when he is Lord of our life (my added thought). Instead of saying, "Be legitimately angry" or "Try to control your anger," he says the most incredible thing imaginable: "Rejoice and be glad."

Rejoicing does not mean that we approve of the treatment. It does not mean that we stop thinking it is unjust. It probably does not mean there is no anger whatsoever. Some kind of holy anger--strong emotional disapproval--may be emotionally compatible with joy. The human soul in the image of God is that complex. And we know, from all that Jesus taught us about God, that God experiences anger and joy simultaneously because he sees and responds perfectly to all evil and all good at the same time.

Our joy in the presence of persecution is possible because of God's Providence. Not a hair of your head will perish (when they kill you). Not a bird (or a hateful blow to your head; or a hateful word of slander to your name) falls without the will of the Father. Providence governs your suffering. And in the end, "Your reward is great in heaven." That is Jesus' argument why joy and not anger can dominate our experience of persecution: "Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12).

Last night these things came to mind as I was singing with Brock and Kaylee before their bedtime. The song we were singing was "Blessed Be Your Name" by Matt Redman. Whenever we sing songs together I usually like to take time to explain the words to them, where it is found in the Bible, and why we sing them (side note: this practice has certainly helped me to discover songs that are more biblically grounded and speak truth as well as move our spirits to worship).

Anyway, when we were singing the line, "You give and take away, you give and take away. My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be your name," we stopped and talked about what that means. I explained to my kids that Matt Redman borrowed that line from the book of Job in the Bible. I told them the story of Job, how he was wealthy and felt very blessed by God. But God allowed Job to be used, perhaps as a reminder to Satan for how strong the relationship of faith in God is and how man's loyalty to God does not reside in the number of earthly blessings we are given. I told them about how in an instant all of Job's earthly blessings began to be removed from him one by one.

His sons and daughters, and property, and animals, and servants, and nearly everything he cared about on earth was taken away in the most amazingly treacherous set of circumstances one could ever imagine. And Job's response was why we sing the song. He cried out, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). And the author of the book then gives us this incredible reminder. I wonder if we truly understand the significance of this added line at the end of chapter one? He says, "In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong."

He did not charge God with wrong? But he recognized that God was still in control of the situation. That God can give (which we usually always attribute as a blessing to us), and that God can take away (which we usually always attribute as evil toward us). And we can recognize that both of those things come from God without being in danger of accusing God of wrongdoing.

How can that be? It must be because when we are seeing things as "wrong" and "terrible", God is using those very things for good, and He is accomplishing His good purpose in us, even when our circumstances are awful.

When Job became physically sick, with sores all over his body, he responded by saying, "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" Then the author of the book again tells us that in saying this "Job did not sin or curse God with his lips."

So I reminded my kids that even in their most awful times of trial and pain, God is still involved and he is working in it for good. Do we always know how exactly that is happening? Nope. Can we always see clearly what He is doing in our times of pain? Nope. Job couldn't see it either. He did not know what was going on behind the scenes. He did not know that countless millions would still be reading and being edified by his story to this day.

The bottom line is this. I believe in God's Providence. My trust is not in a God who has no control over his creation. Nor is it in a God who may have control over his creation, but chooses not to exercise it because he would rather we do everything down here on our own. My trust is in a God who can and does have control over the most minuscule details as well as the most significant ones. And because of that I sleep well.