Not Alone

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Genesis 3:18 ESV)

Not Alone

This is a strange verse, because more than any other human but Christ Himself, Adam was not alone.  He lived in amazing fellowship with God!

But God knew that something horrid was going to happen.  Adam (and Eve) were going to break fellowship with God through sin.

And THEN Adam would have been alone.

So God gave Adam a help-mate.  Adam nor Eve, even after heart-wrenching separation from God, would not be alone.

God was not jealous of Adam’s affection in this way.  God loved Adam enough that God provided a solution for Adam’s subsequent loneliness. 

So Adam had Eve, Eve had Adam, and all of us have an end to loneliness, whether married or single, in the bigger fulfillment of this promise through unity with Christ.

But God gave that helper, helping Adam (and us) overcome sin-induced loneliness, because He loves His children.

We are not alone, because He loves us.

Rest

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:3 ESV)

Rest

There is an old country song that quips, “…worked my fingers to the bone, what’d ah get? … BONY FINGERS.”  It is a discouraging song, however silly.

God’s desire for His people regarding work is not that we end up with bony fingers.  But rather, He gives us work with which to serve Him, glorify Him, bring His ecology into our economy.

And work works best when we have rest, too.

A loving boss gives appropriate rest, rather than be a harsh taskmaster.  A loving parent gives appropriate rest, rather than overwhelm our children.  A loving steward gives rest to our land, our possessions, our employees, our partners, our friends, our companions, and nearly everything.

God loves us, and so gives us rest.

Yes, rest is pleasant.  Yes, rest is restorative.  Yes, rest is wise.  Yes, rest is necessary.

But rest is also the result of God’s love.

Blessings First

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them. (Genesis 1: 27, 28 ESV)

Blessings First

I once lost out on a promotion at a produce center because the job was given to the boss’s nephew.  In high school, the Vice-Principle’s daughter seemed to get away with anything.  When coaching, we were always on the lookout to make sure that we coaches-with-kids-on-the-team did not favor our offspring.

Nepotism is a horrible thing, we usually think.

But nepotism is also an understandable thing.  We want to bless our children, family, and friends wherever we can.  When we have something to give, whether materially, emotionally, or positionally, we yearn to do so.

It is a by-product of love.

As God created the universe, He created a lot of creatures.  And He blessed all of creation (Genesis 1:22).  But then He particularly blessed mankind (Genesis 1:28).

It was not nepotism… it was love.

He blessed them in the Garden. He blessed them with hope after the fall. He blessed them by giving dominion over all creation.  He blessed them by forming them into a nation.  He blessed them by promising, and keeping His promises.  He blessed them though providence.  He blessed them triumphantly through the Messiah.

The first thing God did after creating humans was bless them.

And He has not stopped.

All because of love.

Light and Love

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. (Genesis 1:14, 15 ESV)

Light and Love

I preach because without the Light of God’s Word, we would be walking in darkness.  But while the sermons I preach ARE available online, I do not really preach to the world.  I preach to the people I love. 

I yearn for the people I love to live in Light. 

And God does that, too.  He created light.  He did not duplicate light, or bring light, or show light.  He invented light, and created it. 

His motivation is given in these verses.  He desired for His yet unborn children order.  He desired for His yet unborn children safety.  He desired for His yet unborn children clarity.

God could have kept His children in the dark (literally and metaphorically).  But instead, He brings His unconditional love to light by making light happen in just the right way.

I do not cling to a poetic understanding of Genesis 1.  So I believe that God actually made this light before He created the sun and the moon.

His desire that we have order, knowledge, safety, and clarity were foundational as manifestations of His love for His children.

God wanted us to live in Light, so He created it.

He also therefore gave us His Word, more light.  He also gave us His Son, the most light.

We can see God’s love in His light.

The First Miracle

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 ESV)

The First Miracle

This first verse of the Bible does not contain the word, “Love.”  It is a verse that is often used as a foundation for theological argument, scientific foundations, and historical understanding. 

Seven little Hebrew words that even tell us the place this verse belongs in God’s Word, the universe, and all of our understanding.  But behind these words is God’s love.

Our creativity is often connected to an expression of love.

Love, of course, is selfless attention, sacrificial service, and unconditional devotion to the beloved.  And when we love someone, we often desire to make something for them.

If I could paint, I might paint a picture for someone I love.  If I could compose, I might write a song for someone I love.  If I could design houses, I might build a house for someone I love.

God made a universe, the heavens and the earth, for someone He loves.

It’s not worth digging into the question of exactly who God loves, yet.  But at a minimum, God loves His children, adopted through Christ.

And look what He made for us!

The variety found in creation, the beauty found in creation, the power found in creation, the mystery found in creation, all are evidence of God’s attentive, sacrificial, and unconditional love of His people.

The Bible begins with a declaration of the One True Living God’s love.

Effects

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends. (I Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV)

Effects

This passage is filled with the effects of love.  Paul’s familiar passage is not really a textbook definition of love.  It is something better.  These words and phrases are a (partial) list of what love looks like.

And the diagnosis/analysis can work both ways.

If someone is patient, love is present.  If someone is kind, love is present… and on through the list.

The reverse is also true.  If love is present, patience is found.  If love is present, kindness is found.

Love is not found in mushy feelings, batted eyelashes, increased heartbeats, or valentines.  Although those things might result from particular kinds of love.

Instead, this is a list of some things that are evidence of Biblical (which is the only real) love.

Wolf tracks are evidence that a wolf is somewhere around.  That certain smell is evidence of a gas leak.   The lawn mower starting to sputter is evidence of low gasoline.  A siren and flashing lights are evidence of an emergency vehicle.

And this list announces that Biblical love is here.

It is less mystery than we sometimes think. 

And the ONE who is always patient, kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant, not rude, not demanding, not irritable, not resentful is God.  The ONE who does not rejoice in any wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth is GOD.  The ONE who bears all things, hopes all things, and endures all things is God.  And God never ends.

God’s Word shows us the clearest evidence of God’s love.

Love

Love

Love is a more amazing thing than we often give it credit for.  Understandably, when love is defined by Hallmark cards, country music lyrics, and feel-good movies, love soon becomes tawdry, tepid, and temporary. 

But when love is defined by God, the One who invented love, understands love, is able to love, and in fact somehow IS love, then we can see why God tells us, “yet three abide: faith, hope and love.  But the Greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13 ESV)

Part of the reason God says this is that love is what we will know, experience, and do for the rest of our lives, in heaven.  We will not need faith in heaven.  We will not need hope in heaven.  But we will love there and then.

Because at the foundation of love is this statement from John.  God is love. (I John 4:8)

That makes love the most important concept in the world.

That makes love the most important thing Scripture teaches us.

That makes love necessary, serious, and desirable.

So for the next few weeks, let us leave aside our silly human understanding of love.  Let us see what God Himself says about love.

So Many Blessings

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)

So Many Blessings

It is simpler for me to give thanks for books, than to give thanks for guns, because I have so many more books.

It is simpler for me to give thanks for my nose, than to give thanks for my spleen, because my nose is more visible.

It is simpler for me to give thanks for a morning espresso, than to give thanks for a kale salad, because I enjoy coffee SO much more.

But really, all those things are thanks-worthy.

This summer we have been noticing how many blessings God gives His people.  And hopefully Paul’s instructions in I Thessalonians have become simpler.  Because God blesses us all the time, in obvious and subtle ways, and ways that we enjoy, and in ways that are less fun.

We can give thanks in all circumstances, because God blesses us in all circumstances.

God's Name and God's Blessing

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)

God’s Name and God’s Blessing

When DeAnne married me, I gave her my name. 

When my children were born, we gave them our name.

I regret, at times, that my name has not been an indisputable blessing to any of them.  My name is not the equivalent of any particular character traits, historical importance, noble traditions, or inherent power.  But the lack of these things makes me glad of the last section of the benediction.

Because my God’s name is a blessing.

Because my God’s name is powerful, powerful enough to overcome the second most powerful thing in the universe, sin.

Because my God’s name is honorable enough to wash away my dishonor, disrespectability, and despair.

Because my God’s name is salvific, beneficial, and necessary.

He blesses His people by giving us His name, through His first-born Son, Jesus.  And when He bestows His name on us, He blesses us.

Those are very good words.  Words I need.

Countenance and Peace

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)

Countenance and Peace

My mom had a look that could stop me in my tracks.  I imagine that the Batman has that look, too.

More than a glare, a glance, or a face, that type of expression is what the Bible means by “countenance.”

Storms have a countenance.  Guard dogs have a countenance.  If hate were personified, it would have a countenance.

So why is it a blessing to have God lift HIS countenance upon us?  His wrath… His anger… His judgment…

Because even back in the time of Moses, God knew that the only way to save the universe was to lift His countenance in righteous judgment against the guilty.  But when the guilty is frail humanity and broken creation, God needed to lift His countenance elsewhere.

He needed to lift His countenance on His beloved Son instead of us.

That is why His countenance is a blessing.  Because it is how our guilt is taken away, and God’s justice preserved.

God lifts His countenance on Jesus instead of on us.

And that is the source of peace… the ONLY source of peace.

That is a blessing, indeed.  It is THE blessing.

Face Shining

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)

Face Shining

This is an odd blessing for God to bestow.  Exodus 33:20 declares that no one can see God’s face and live.  His Holiness is so incongruent with human sinfulness that being that close to God, that intimate with God, that present in God’s present would cause destruction of our sinful selves.

Yet God blesses His people (us) by saying that His face actually shines on us!

This blessing means that we will have God present in our lives.  He is not only far off in heaven, He is here, too. He is not distant, He is at hand.  He is not separated from us, He has shown us who He is.

It happens through Christ Jesus.

This blessing is brought elastically into our time through Christ’s words: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6,7 ESV)

That means God chooses to bless us unnaturally by being present.  That means that we are never alone.  That means that we are never on our own.  That means that we are never abandoned, forsaken, deserted, isolated, or lost.  As long as we know Christ Jesus.

What a blessing His shining face is.

Bless and Keep

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)

Bless and Keep

The first part of God’s blessing through Aaron is a statement of fact, more than a promise.  God is not promising to bless us and keep us.  God is saying He DOES bless us and IS keeping us.

The two go hand in hand.  Because of the gracious nature of our salvation, we are blessed by God not as a reward, but as a result of the salvation that He has given to us.

To be saved IS to be blessed.  To be saved is more than a naïve hope of heaven someday (as fantastic a hope as that is!) But rather, to be saved is to experience God’s favor NOW, God’s smile NOW, God’s goodness NOW.

And these NOW blessings are not contingent on us.  He blesses AND keeps us. 

Because we are His… not because He is ours.

What a blessing it is that He keeps us.

Dominoes

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)

Dominoes

Recently on a movie set, the Director pointed out a problem to me.  I messaged one of my assistants.  She called one of her helpers.  He got in the car and drove to the grocery store.  The clerk sold him a particular item.  That item made its way back up the ladder until I used that item to keep away some mosquitos. 

Who defeated the mosquitos?

It was the Director.  He delegated, but did not give up authority.  He commanded, and his people carried out his wishes.  He spoke, and we acted for him, on his behalf, to help him, and simply because he said so.

In this passage, God spoke to Moses, who spoke to Aaron (and his sons) who spoke to the people of Israel, which in today’s world means Christians, and said an amazing thing.

It is God who speaks here, it is God who acts.  And God blesses us!

Notice who is speaking.

Not really Aaron’s sons, not really Aaron, not really Moses…  but God Himself.

He delegates, but HE blesses. 

We get to promise that same thing to others, too.  God promises His blessings, and we get to point those blessings out, enact those blessings, announce those blessings, carry out those blessings, proclaim those blessings, and DO those blessings.

But it is always Him.

Good Words

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)

Good Words

The word, ‘benediction’ comes from Latin, and means quite simply, “Good Speaking.” 

Words these days get a bum rap.  We think talk is cheap, rhetoric is useless, and actions speak louder than words.

But those cliches are not necessarily true.

God’s words count.  He created the universe through His words.  He gave us His Son, through His word.  In fact, Jesus Christ IS the Word long before He did anything on earth.

The Father of Lies has worked hard through the ages to diminish the power of God’s words.  But ultimately, Satan fails.  God’s Word and words are still the most powerful things in the universe.

God blesses His people first by speaking to us.  And what He speaks, His Word, is always good.

We like actions, we like proof, we like evidence, we like fulfilled promises.  And while history and our society give us good reason to doubt the words of Emperors, Kings, Presidents, Senators, Mayors, husbands, wives, parents, siblings, neighbors, friends, and even Lassie, God’s Words are true, reliable, powerful, and all that we need.

So God blesses us in this benediction, this good speaking, and that can fill us with hope.  God’s good words are greater than all the actions of everyone else.

The Benediction

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)

The Benediction

We’ll finish our examinations of our God’s blessings to His people with a few glances at the Benediction.  Many churches conclude our formal worship with these words.  Many churches believe that these words are intended to be spoken primarily by ordained pastors.  Many churches hear these words while extending our hands, closing our eyes, and/or being at peace.

However you are used to using or hearing these words, it might be helpful to realize that God spoke these words through Aaron and his sons as a verbal representation of the exact thing that we have been thinking about for the past couple of months: God’s blessings to His people.

God wants to bless His people.  God speaks in His word of blessing His people.  God does bless His people. And in our mundane moments, our tragedies, our sorrows, and or fears, it is a great thing to notice afresh His blessing, lest we become despondent.  Also, in our exciting moments, our triumphs, our joys, and our peace, it is a great thing to notice afresh His blessings, lest we become complacent.

God’s words are a blessing, most clearly THESE words.

Forever

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,  to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24,25 ESV)

Forever

My favorite gloves have begun to stink.  I found it sadder than you might expect.  Those gloves protected me from sunburn, blisters, thorns, and allergic reactions.

But I will throw them away tomorrow.

And as I glance at my NEW gloves, I already feel a little sad.

Indeed, I am caught in the decaying affects of time’s web, and so are you.

But the purpose of the universe (God’s glory, majesty, dominion, and authority) are not effected by time.

They last forever.

If I had a pair of forever gloves, I would be content.

How much more should our rejoicing be when we apprehend that we are connected to the perfect perfection of God’s eternity.

Because He is forever, His love for me is forever.

Because He is forever, His forgiving grace is forever.

Because He is forever, His protection is forever.

Because He is forever, we become forever His.

What a blessing forever is.

Blameless

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,  to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24,25 ESV)

Blameless

“It’s not MY fault,” we often claim.  When things break down around us, it is difficult to be humble enough to accept responsibility.  We would rather the blame shine on someone else.

But we are rarely blameless. 

That was too soft a sentence.  We are never really blameless.

But God in His mercy blames Jesus instead of His other children.

God in His mercy punishes Jesus instead of His other children.

God in His mercy takes joy in our second-hand innocence, and killed Jesus for His second-hand guilt.

What a blessing that blamelessness is.

Stumbling

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,  to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24,25 ESV)

Stumbling

Recently I was walking across a field in rural Kansas.  The ground was uneven, alternately squishy and firm, and hidden by various plants.  A friend was walking towards me, and suddenly shouted, “Look out!”  I looked out.

And barely missed a cactus. 

That friend prevented me from stumbling.  He warned me, he gave me an example of careful footing, and  he drew my attention to nearby dangers.

That is what God promises in this blessing.

He will prevent His children from stumbling.

His Word declares, “do not step THERE!”  but I do not always listen.

The Son walked carefully and safely, but I do not always follow Him.

His Spirit pulls my attention in the right direction, but I do not always pay attention.

But He keeps preventing.

He keeps me from stumbling, ultimately.

What a blessing His prevention is.

Community

And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,  for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. (Acts 18:27,28 ESV)

Community

These verses tell the story of Apollos, a Greek convert who was a skilled orator.  But when God sent Apollos out to evangelize, Apollos was not alone.

God graciously gave Apollos community to aid Apollos’ work.

This is important for two reasons.  First, Apollos was a blessing to the community of Achaia.  He helped them  He added to their community.  He joined them.

Second, those Achaians were a blessing to Apollos.  He did not have to cold call on his own.  But the Achaians provided a base, support, friendship, and context to His evangelism.

What was good for one, was good for many.  And what was good for many was good for one.

God places His children in community for the benefit of the individual and the group.

It does not matter if the community or the individual is flawed.

Both are a blessing from God to the other.

We see this same concept in the Trinity. We also see this same concept when considering Christ and His church.

What a blessing community is.

Bad Rest

Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria. (Amos 6:1 ESV)

Bad Rest

Rest usually seems like a good thing.  Recently I have experienced and enjoyed short rests, long rests, deep rests, shallow rests, and temporary rests.

But those rests have never been enough.

Even after a good sleep, I sometimes yawn.  Even after a relieving time of relaxation, my bones have ached.  Even after a peaceful sunset with a cool breeze, the morning brings the curse of work.

Amos spoke condemning the rest that Judeans and Israelites depended on.  He says that their ease, their peace, their rest was actually a woe.

Because they rested in the wrong way, in the wrong place, in the wrong Person.

There is only one worthy, reliable, complete, restorative, and eternal rest:  the rest found in God through Jesus Christ.

We experience a taste of it, occasionally, now.

But the time is coming when we will REST.

Not because we’ve worked so hard, but because of God’s love.

Not because we deserve it, but because of God’s grace.

Not because of us, but because of God.

What a blessing HIS rest is!