Time with Jesus - Saturday, 11
February 2012
Hi all,
The
Hebrew people of the Old Testament were remarkable. Their language was simple
and very expressive. Their thought patterns had not been influenced and downgraded
by Greek culture and thinking. As a result we read beautiful pictures. The
mountains skip like a calf. The trees of the field clap their hands. We know
that this was their way of expressing the glory of God in nature. Modern
thinking looks at such language and describes it as “quaint”. It is not logical
and fails the “truth test”. It follows that it annoys modern rationalists who
are trapped into an inflexible mindset that fails to comprehend the beauty of
such expressions.
What
I find exciting about this is that it challenges my own thinking. Perhaps I’ve
got no understanding of modern art. But, “I likes what I fancies and fancies
what I likes!” It may sound comical, but I really enjoy this form of Hebrew thinking.
It appeals to me to think that nature gets so excited about God that the trees
clap their hands. I suspect that if others could get excited about God, they
would also love to see nature honouring the Creator in such a beautiful way.
The
first three verses of Psalm 1 likens upright men to trees planted next to a
stream of water. The tree may not be free from trouble. It’s the same way as
Christians are subject to the normal trials of day to day life. But those who
follow God and walk in His way have a wonderful promise. They will have a
fruitful life. Everything he does prospers. 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the
wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his
law he meditates day and night. 3
He is like a tree planted by streams of
water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all
that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3 ESV
Today
many Christians regard prosperity as consisting of an accumulation of things. Big
cars, big houses, big ministries and all the trappings that go along with being
rich have defined prosperity for too many of us. By this standard, Jesus was a
failure. He died alone, naked and ignored. He didn’t attend a Seminary and get
a PhD. He didn’t build a school and was hated by all the influential people. What
little money He did have was taken care of by a thief with sticky fingers. His
only means of transport was his own two feet. The donkey He rode on was not
his. He didn’t even have a grave of His own. So much for the greatest man who
ever lived.
Paul’s
definition of prosperity is vastly different from ours. 11 Not that I was ever in need; for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know
how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of
living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with
plenty or little. Philip 4:11-12 NLT It
seems to me that he encapsulated genuine Christianity in these magnificent
words.
Many
years ago Phyllida and I were listening to a tape by Bob Mumford. I can’t
remember the topic but we do recall one of his statements. He said, “I’ve known
what it’s like to be rich. I’ve known what it’s like to be poor. Believe me,
rich is better!”
In
some respects, Phyllida and I agree with him from personal experience. Furthermore,
I don’t suppose we’ll ever know what it’s like to be really rich. But we do
have something or rather Someone who would make Paul Getty look like a pauper.
His name is Jesus Christ! All we are looking for is, “Well done, good and
faithful servant!” Nothing is of greater importance.
Today’s
meditation is about the beauty of creation. Nature might be described as God’s
garden. He spoke of His creation as being “very good”. That’s what life is all
about; looking for and finding God everywhere.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
What life is about!
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God did us all a favour, when
He created trees.
The beauty of creation is what
His people see.
The birds that flap their
feathered wings and fly into the blue.
The cats, the dogs, the
reptiles. O Lord You made them too.
The wild goats and the pine
trees, rock badgers and the stork;
The parrot and the cockatoo
that do their best to talk.
Lord, Your imagination and the
creatures you have made,
Truly are stupendous and they
all make the grade.
In fact when we see anything
and mark it out of ten,
It seems you’ve scored eleven! But
in the world of men,
You certainly excelled
Yourself. Your image is our mould.
And every person You have made
is worth their weight in gold!
You gave us what we needed; our
minds to help us think.
The power to make decisions, may
take us to the brink
Of nuclear destruction. So You
gave us restraint!
A quality essential in each and
every saint.
You gave us a root system that
goes down very deep.
Perhaps it isn’t like a tree; but
what we sow, we reap!
And You have given knowledge.
It’s wisdom that we lack.
And with all our inventions - there
is no turning back.
We've unlocked many details of
what you first designed.
Some doctors can restore the sight
of those who have gone blind
Our medical practitioners have
learned what makes us “tick”.
And vehicles to get there if
needed double quick.
We understand that many things
we’ve used have made You sad.
But on the odd occasion, we’ve
made Your great heart glad.
We know that all the plant life
is standing in its place.
The pine tree and the cedar can’t
flee from what they face.
They have to grin an bear it,
or we will chop them down,
Because we need the lumber to
expand our little town.
You give us the ability to
choose what’s right from wrong.
We could enslave our neighbour for
you have made us strong.
It isn’t many years ago we
walked upon the moon.
We’ve even got atomic clocks to
tell us when it’s noon.
You haven’t put restrictions on
those things which we can do.
But we still have the problem
of listening to You.
We all get old and wither. And
then we will sign out.
And face your final judgement;
that’s what life’s all about.
Jim Strickland – Written 11th February 2012
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