Turning Back Time -- Part II

In Isaiah and 2 Kings, we read about how Hezekiah gets a dramatic second chance in life. I like to think of it as an Old Testament conversion story. His illness is like the sin that burdens the unsaved. He pleads to God for healing and rationalizes about the unfairness of his condition. Then, by God's grace, he's blessed with healing and a rebirth to life. God even performs an astonishing miracle of "turning back time" to put his stamp on the event. Isn't that like the second chance in life Christians get when they accept Christ as their savior? And, for us, Christ's death and resurrection is the ultimate miracle signifying our redemption.

Now, let's look how Hezekiah responds to his new life. Look at the thankfulness and zeal that drove his restored faith. The King James version puts it this way, "The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children, shall make known thy truth" (Isaiah 38:19). In the 1990's, Bill McCartney a football coach at the University of Colorado read these verses as a call to start a ministry for men to renew their commitment to God and their families. "Promise Keepers" filled stadiums around the country with men who confessed their shortcomings and pledged to build their relationships and witness for Christ. Coach McCartney saw the story of Hezekiah as a call to revival -- to make the most of the life we have left on earth to serve God. Shouldn't we do the same?

Turning Back Time

As King of Judah, Hezekiah instituted many reforms that strengthened the religious traditions of Israel while working to rebel against the country's Assyrian captors. Late in his rule he became gravely ill and prayed fervently for healing. As he confronts the big questions of life, God's answers and his response are chronicled in both Isaiah 38 and 2 Kings 20.

(Summary of Isaiah 38) Isaiah prophesies that Hezekiah will die -- which prompts his prayer for a longer life. Hezekiah makes a case for all of the good things he has done as king. In reponse, the Lord reveals to Isaiah that Hezekiah will live an additional 15 years and that the Assyrians will not take Jerusalem in that time. God confirms this promise with a miraculous sign of "turning back time" (approx. 20 minutes) on a sundial. After his healing, Hezekiah writes a song to express his thanks to God. He shows great humility and affirms that God is his strength. He proclaims that while he is still alive, he will be devoted to claiming the Lord's faithfulness.

Read and study both accounts of Hezekiah in Isaiah and 2 Kings. The miracle that God performs seems to jump out as the key to the lesson, but I think it is important to focus on Hezekiah's response to his healing. How can his response be a lesson for us today? What should we be doing in our families to show our affirmation to God? Check back soon.

My favorite verse -- Part II

One of the great questions of Christianity is the role of faith and works in the saving grace of Christ. Paul is pretty clearly on the side of faith. In his time, the Judaizers claimed that circumcision was key to salvation. It was a way to quantify their record of conversions. Paul was clearly put off by this kind of legalism. He said (in Galations 6:14), "as for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Jesus Christ." The Judaizers glorified in the flesh, Paul glorified in the Savior. In verse 15, Paul says, "it doesn't matter whether we are circumcised or not, what counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation." I think Paul used capital letters to explain this issue because it goes beyond just the question of circumcision. Everything we do should be for the glory of the Lord, and not ourselves.

My kids are involved with a group called Christian Youth Theater (CYT) that produces top notch musicals while promoting loving, Christian values. In the DuPage (Chicago-area) group, they have a great tradition to end each show with the entire cast raising their arms in unison and pointing their index fingers to the one who makes it all possible. They call it "The Point" -- and to me it's a great illustration of my favorite verse. The talented kids with all of the great singing and dancing have a special director. Everything they've done is for the glory of God. What a powerful witness. I can only hope that I can find a way that my life can "point" to the glory of God. For now, I will try to practice humility, and remember to only boast about Christ.

My favorite verse

Paul was the epitome of the hard-working disciple. Yet, he is also a prime example of humility and what matters most in this life. My favorite verse (Galations 6:14) is one that might not rank that high on most people's lists -- but, it is a great reminder of how we should live. I love the fact that, when studied in context, Paul himself says (in verse 11) pay close attention to what I'm saying here -- LOOK AT MY CAPITAL LETTERS!

(summary) may I never boast about anything other than the cross of Jesus Christ. Nothing else in this world matters.

Read the verse in the context of Paul's letter and see what it reminds you of in your life. How can we be more humble and better disciples of Christ? Check back soon.

Old is good! -- Part II

In these passages, Caleb gives an account to Joshua of his faithfulness. He recalls how, 45 years earlier, he and Joshua gave their report about the Promised Land and stood alone against the other 10 spies and a cowardly mob. They said beware of the giants, but Caleb stood true to his conviction in the power of God. He urged the people to trust God for victory. The faith of Caleb and Joshua was unshaken, and God set them apart to inherit the new land. If the story ended there, Caleb would be a towering example of faith. But, his story keeps growing and growing with decades of desert wandering, courage, sacrifice and obedience.

Now, at the age of 85, when most people think about the past, Caleb is energized to fulfill God's promise. In fact, he says he feels just as strong as he did when Moses sent him on that journey. Most people don't want to take on new challenges at that age, but Caleb pleads to Joshua to let him lead the battle against the Anakites (the so-called giants). Joshua grants his request and, amazingly, the next chapter of Joshua describes how Caleb fights as a courageous warrior and enlarges their inheritance more than expected. This is a great example of diligence. It's one thing to have your faith strengthened by a test -- another to build that strength with lifelong faithful obedience in order to bring ultimate glory to God. Old is good, because it gives us that much more time to get His work done!

Old is good!

My wife works in geriatrics and, as long as I've known her, she's had the "upside down" philosophy that old is good. In fact, the older the better. We are always collecting stories about people that have achieved great things late in life. Perhaps the best example of geriatric greatness is found in Joshua 14:6-14 in the account of Caleb.

(Summary) Joshua has just led the Israelites into the promised land where Caleb asks about his people's inheritance. He reminds Joshua about the time when he was sent by Moses along with 11 others to scout the land of Canaan. He came back and gave an honest report with faith that God would deliver them -- while his fellow spies doubted God's plan and spread fear among the people. Moses promised Caleb that he would one day be granted this land because of his great faith. Now, 45 years of wandering later, he is making his plea to Joshua to fulfill that promise.

Read the biblical account in Numbers and reflect on what has kept Caleb strong and faithful. How does he feel at 85? And, what did he take on at that age? For some geriatric wisdom -- check back soon.

A Sweet Perfume -- Part II

At the beginning of the passage, Paul compares his victory in Christ with the triumphant procession of a conquering Roman army. As the Romans marched, enemy prisoners were forced to follow in the victory parade. Now Paul is Christ's captive and he is marching in His victory parade. This is the "triumph in defeat" paradox of the Gospel message. The Romans burned incense in their processions -- but Paul talks about the sweet fragrance being the "knowledge of Christ" that is to be spread throughout the world. This symbolism is used in Catholic mass, when the priest sways the burning incense in a procession down the aisle of the church.

In the book "How to Stay Christian in College," author J. Budziszewski says that verses 14-16 hold the key to strengthening the great Christian virtue of discernment. For instance, if a physics teacher says "the material universe is all there is" -- you might think, "that smells fishy since physicists say the world has a beginning, and didn't something have to make it begin?" Or, if a literature teacher says, "there are no absolutes" -- and you might think "that smells fishy because how can he be absolutely sure about that? In 2 Corinthians, Paul says that how things smell depends on whether you are "being saved" or "perishing" -- whether you are following Christ or turned the other way. As Christians, we need to work on developing our discernment by our obedience to Christ, by studying God's word, and by asking God for discernment in our lives. We need more of that "Sweet Perfume" in our lives -- more of that wisdom like Solomon.