Tag Archives: Job

Praising God despite the circumstances

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This week’s denominational developments have left many reeling.  Many are asking now, “where do we go from here?”  “How can we be faithful followers of Christ when the church we are members of has put ‘truth and falsehood upon a level’?”  (All comments I have heart this week.)

So all I could do this morning was worship.  Numbed and unable to come up with some great theological response, lacking any clear insight into political and ecclesiological moves, I just came before the Lord in worship and prayer.

I mentioned this in my sermon on Sunday, we are commanded in Scripture to praise – it’s not an option.  “Praise the Lord!  Praise God in his sancturay; praise him in the mighty heavens!  Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!” (Psalm 150:1-2 (ESV)) It’s not a matter of “I don’t feel like praising and worshiping God right now” – praise Him.  The act of praise, even when we don’t feel like it, reminds us of God’s great power and love which He demonstrated in Christ, in His life, death, and resurrection.  The act of praise raises our eyes from our current circumstances and situations to the realm of God’s might in the heavens and His excellent greatness.  The act of praise builds our hope and trust in the strength of the Lord.

In my time of worship this morning I came across the song, “Forever” by Chris Tomlin:

Give thanks to the Lord our God and King
     His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
     His love endures forever

With a mighty hand and out-streched arm
     His love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn
     His love endures forever

From the rising to the setting sun
     His love endures forever
And by the grace of God we carry on
      His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever, forever, forever

It is difficult right now to praise Him.  As the Israelites were led into Babylon, they sat down by the river and wept, saying “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land” (Psalm 137); and still they sang.  Job had lost everything, property and his children, still his song was, “Naked I came from my mothers womb, and naked I shall return.  The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).  Now, in the wake of an unbiblical and unfaithful decision of the church, shouldn’t God’s faithful sing to Him, extolling his praise and glory so that we might learn to trust in Him more and find our hope in Him?

I’m Reading Polity

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For the third year now, I have the privilege to read ordination exams for the PC(USA).  For those of you unaware of how this works, toward the end of the ordination process in the PC(USA), after students have completed at least some of their seminary work, candidates for ministry take 4 written exams.  They gather at regional testing sites (usually seminaries), and take three of the exams – Theology, Worship and Sacraments, and Polity – then they are given a week to write their Exegesis paper on a selected passage from either the Old or New Testament.  Once of the Exams are collected, they are sent to the Presbyteries where they are read by ordained Elders and Ministers. 

Serving as a reader has always been a good experience for me, a time of study and reading and thoughtful inquiry. It’s a great opportunity to invest and help shape and guide those who are exploring/pursuing God’s call in their lives toward the Ministry of Word and Sacrament.

The first year I read I got to evaluate Theology Exams. There were some real stinkers, but there were also many very well written and theologically sound papers. Last year I read New Testament Exegesis, and while it was clear that some of the exams were DOA, there were still some enjoyable exams to read.

This year, I’m reading Polity.   Let me share how I see this coming about:

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Ethan…  a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Ethan fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and he has read Theology and New Testament. But stretch out your hand and let him read Polity, and he will curse you to your face.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
(Job 1:6-12 ESV – alterations indicated )

I knew it was only a matter of time.  If I kept reading exams, eventually it would come to this.  Wait **cough, cough** is that a cold coming on.

The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

SDG