Category: Bible

“The Riches of the Poor”

woman with parasol
The Riches of the Poor

In the midst of their calamity, they managed to smile. There was an unexplainable calm and peace upon their faces as they fell patiently in line, awaiting their turn to receive water, rice and canned goods.  There was no noise, no panic, nor distress.

They had little to start with, and the little they had, they lost.  They lived in palm-roofed huts that were blown away, and now they huddle under tents of tarpaulin held up by wooden planks. When the rains revisit at night, the fathers and mothers sit in the rain, while their little ones sleep under the sparse canopies.  Help has been slow to arrive. Meek as sheep, they do not grumble. They wait.

A woman who stepped on a nail while braving the typhoon, walked many miles under scorching heat to where relief goods were distributed.  Her foot throbbed with pain as she approached my daughter and me, and she held out her parasol to shield us from the sun.  Other women joined us and offered their parasols as well. They told us they had little to eat, and when the relief supplies run out, they will share what remains with each other. Their sun-parched, emaciated faces somehow reflected an inner joy.

At that moment, I recognized the palpable wealth of the poor: they who possess little do not own the onerous burden of the “cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in” 1.  I felt the light-hearted freedom in their hearts, the natural sensitivity to gravitate towards gratitude, as the flowers of the field blossom, facing the sun.

As the nail that pierced the woman with the parasol, so has her countenance, along with the many other tranquil faces around her, wounded and scarred my heart forever, that noonday under the sun.

“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those who love Him?” James 2:5 ESV

D. G. Vachal © 2013

1 Mark 4:19

*** Photography courtesy of Amy Lynn Vachal

“Faith on Trial: Drawing Near to God”

Apostle Islands
Faith on Trial: Drawing Near to God

… a synopsis of the writing of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

In Psalm 73, the Psalmist laments at the prosperity of the wicked, and undertakes a journey of self-examination and reflection. Having completed a review of the past, and as he faces the  future, he arrives at a resolution:  “It is good for me to draw near to God.”

Living in this world sometimes makes us focus intently on our need for certain things, and we are led to believe that our happiness depends upon favorable events and circumstances. It was because of this line of thinking that the Psalmist fell into a state of misery. He witnessed the prosperity of the ungodly while he was suffering, and this brought him to the depths of self-pity and despair. Upon further thought, he eventually realized that he had not been keeping close to God.

The moment we move away from God, we lose our bearings like a ship at sea that loses sight of the North Star, or when its navigation aids fail.

At the sanctuary of God, the Psalmist became enlightened and he discovered that there is only one thing that matters: our relationship to God.  “If I am near to God, it does not matter what happens to me; if I am far from God, nothing can eventually be right.” ¹ This was his profound conclusion.

The Psalmist contemplates upon God’s character: His goodness, majesty and glory are among its many facets. If we can comprehend the character of God, there would be nothing in the world we would desire more than to be in His presence. Amidst all the instability and uncertainty in this world, it is wonderful to know that in Christ, we can enter into the presence of the “Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” ²

Being near to God is also the place of safety and deliverance. He holds every blessing that we need, He is the Giver of “every good and perfect gift”. He has put them all in Christ, and He has given Christ to us. When we draw close to God, we know our sins are forgiven. We are aware of His love, and He gives us a joy that the world cannot give nor take away.

Finally, the Psalmist wants to draw near to God in order that he may declare all of God’s wondrous works.  Experiencing God’s character, His salvation, peace and joy eventually leads us to praise and glorify God, and to testify about Him to others and to the world.

Scripture Reference:
“But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. “ Psalm 73:28

Reference:
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1965), Faith on Trial, Grand Rapids, Michigan: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, pp. 116-124

 Footnotes:
1 Martyn Lloyd Jones, Faith on Trial, p. 117
2 James 2:17, King James Version

“The Peace of God”

pic4
The Peace of God

… a synopsis of the writing of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones   

The Apostle Paul exhorted the early Christians to rejoice in the Lord always, being mindful that there are many forces in life that tend to rob the Christian of that joy. One of these factors is the tyranny of circumstances, the things that happen to us.

Here lies a practical test of our faith and of our Christian position, far removed from the realm of mere theory. We are in the situation, things are happening to us, and the question is, what is our faith worth at that point? How does it differentiate us from people who have no faith?

Let us consider what the Apostle Paul has to say on how to deal with the tyranny of circumstances.

He tells us what we need to avoid: the state of anxiety, of harassing care that wears us down. In a profound piece of Biblical psychology, Paul shows us that we get into this state of nervous, brooding unrest due to the activity of the heart and mind.  In other words, Paul is saying that we cannot completely control our hearts and minds and the conditions of agitation they produce. The anxiety happens apart from us and in spite of us.

Paul shows what we need to do in order to avoid the inner turmoil, in a manner quite different from the psychological or “common-sense” prescription. He does not say “stop worrying” because it is the very thing a worried person cannot do. It is like telling a helpless drunkard to stop drinking.

First, Paul tells us to pray.  This means worship and adoration.  In the midst of insurmountable problems, we do not rush to God with our petitions; we come into His presence, lay our problems aside, and pour out our hearts to Him in praise and adoration.

Next, we bring our petitions to God, with an attitude of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is essential because there must be no doubt as to God’s goodness in our hearts.  We recall the many things we can be thankful for, the many blessings we have received from Him in the past.

After prayer, supplication and thanksgiving comes the promise of the peace of God that will keep our hearts and minds, garrisoned from the stresses and anxieties, a supernatural peace that transcends all understanding, attained in and through Jesus Christ.

Notice that the promise does not mention the circumstances or the things that troubled us. The triumph of the gospel message is that through the peace of God, we are taken above circumstances; we are made victorious in spite of them.

Scripture Reference:
“6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7, King James Version

Reference:
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression, 1965, Great Britain: Pickering and Inglis ltd, pp.261-272

“The Old Paths, The Good Way”


The Old Paths, The Good Way

When we are in a state of great distress and perplexity, it is difficult to determine what action to take when there are many different paths to choose from. Thousands of years ago, the kingdom of Judah was in such a state, finding itself at a crossroad, facing peril and destruction which could only be averted by wise and prompt action.

Out of the clamor of counseling voices came the word of the Prophet Jeremiah:  “Thus says the Lord: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.”1

Let us consider the Prophet’s instruction:

First, stand in the ways and see.  This means deliberation.  When at a dilemma, it is not the time to rush into action which may result in choosing the wrong path.  A crisis, a turning point is the time for prudence and forethought.

Second, ask for the old paths, what is the good way.  This means guidance. Let history serve as a guide:  the nation of Judah had won victory and experienced peace and prosperity in former times; therefore, inquire of the past how these blessings were attained.  Search for the trodden road that led to safety and happiness.

Third, walk therein. This means action.  After deliberation and having discerned the guiding light, proceed ahead upon the chosen path. In doing so, Jeremiah told  the people of Judah, you will find rest for your souls.

Almost five centuries later, Jesus Christ addressed, not a nation, but individual men and women:  the weary and heavy-laden, and once again he mentioned the concept of soul-rest in the same manner as the Prophet Jeremiah :

 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”2

Christ’s prescription for finding rest for one’s soul is to come to Him, to choose the path that leads to Him, proclaiming that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  A new and a living way, but yet the most ancient of pathways— a pathway that leads to the Rock of Ages.

1  Jeremiah 6:11, King James Version
2  Matthew 11:28-29, New King James Version

*** Reference: Henry Van Dyke, 1903, “Joy and Power”, http://www.gutenberg.net/1/0/3/9/10395, pp.72-92
*** Photography by Rovakovski


“The Desire for Happiness”

Evening Glory by John Langley

The desire for happiness is natural, a law of life itself.  While we are all alike in this human aspiration,  our individual perceptions and ways of seeking it are singularly different.   As it is right to wish to be happy, what then are the conditions upon which its fulfillment depends?

Let us consider Christ’s teachings as it relates to happiness.  What were his words concerning this natural human wish?  Did he say it is an illusion? Would he have agreed with Goethe that “religion is renunciation”?

“There is nothing of the hardness of Stoicism in Christ’s gospel. It is humane, sympathetic, consoling. Unrest and weariness, the fever of passion and the chill of despair, soul-solitude and heart-trouble, are the very things He comes to cure”. 1

Jesus begins his great discourse of the Beatitudes with the word “blessed” — “happy” is the meaning.  Nine times he repeats the word like the urgent chimes of a resounding bell. Christ’s teaching does not entail giving up things merely for the sake of giving up, but always in order to win something better. He came not to destroy, but to fulfill — to fill to the fullest, to replenish life with inward, lasting riches.  And as we come to him, we discover four great secrets in this quest: 2

First, it is inward. It does not depend on what we have, but on what we are.

Second, it is not found by direct seeking, but by pursuing the things from which it flows. We must climb the mountain if we would see the vision — we must tune the instrument if we would hear the music.

Third, happiness is not solitary, but social, so we can never have it without sharing it with others.

Fourth, it is the outcome of God’s will for us, and not our will for ourselves; therefore, we find it by surrendering our lives to the dominion of a loving God.

These four aspects reflect the divine doctrine of happiness as Christ taught, which perhaps can be distilled in these words: “Mankind’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”

1 Henry Van Dyke, “Joy and Power”, p. 12
2 Ibid., pp. 13-14

 Reference: Henry Van Dyke, 1903, “Joy and Power”, http://www.gutenberg.net/1/0/3/9/10395

*** Image: Evening Glory by John Langley