- Men are hopeless creatures, and the less they concentrate on their own sins, the more interested they become in the sins of others. They seek to criticize, not to correct. Unable to excuse themselves, they are ready to accuse others (St. Augustine)
- One of the greatest hindrances to internal peace that the Christian encounters is the common habit of dividing our lives into two areas—the sacred and the secular (A. W. Tozer)
- Vagueness about the object of our praise inevitably leads to making our own praise the object (Michael Horton)
- Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul (George M. Adams)
- The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement (Charles Schwab)
- Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy (C. S. Lewis)
Text: Psalm 11: 3 ‘When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” 4 The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.’
There are characters in the bible whose story leaves some questions. What is it that made Joseph, son of Rachel and Jacob, withstand all the forces against him? Joseph was born to an elderly woman who, though loved by Jacob her husband, had waited for a baby for many years. On realizing that his older brothers did not think well of him, he felt rejected and disconnected from the family while still a teenager. Jacob’s family could be what is referred today as dysfunctional in that there were four mothers, two sisters who were not kind to each other, and their maids. The family was so messy that the oldest son had an intimate relationship with one of the father’s concubines (Genesis 35:22). A young handsome healthy man put under heavy pressure by Mrs Potiphar responded, ‘How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?’ (Genesis 39.9). What was the source of Joseph’s inner strength that fortified him and made him be a prime example of faithfulness during his entire life? Joseph resisted temptation with a clear mind of who he was in relation to God.
It is worth examining what it is that make a Christian thrive, even when surrounded by hostility all around. No role model and no one to ‘cry’ to and yet be a person of excellence. What is it that internalise the fear of God in a way that one operates from a God consciousness. Hiding God’s word that one catches as he/she makes meaning of life, could be the inner fortress. The word of God, hidden in the heart early in life becomes the light within, when all else is dim. It might be important to recognize that feelings are built on beliefs. For example, anger is an emotion that can be used to hide fear, insecurity. It is like a veneer, a top layer hiding the belief/assumptions hidden in the heart.
Daniel, a righteous man of princely lineage who lived about 620–538 B.C. was carried off to Babylon in 605 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian. He is another person whose story leaves one curious of his character formation. Though not explicit in the bible, a prophecy in Isaiah 39:7 said, ‘And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ It is then possible that Daniel and his fellow captives were castrated and made into eunuchs. The reason for captivity in Babylon is refusal to heed warnings of becoming complacent and taking God for granted. Idolatry, injustice, and blending with people that did not worship God were some of the sins that prophets warned against. Among the people is Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, whose knowledge and confidence in God would make them not defile themselves with food dedicated to idols. How did they, living among people that took God for granted, learn to trust Him wholly? A death threat by the highest authority and being unpopular by not doing what everyone is expected to do would not make the young men budge. They knew God and they worshipped the Living God in a foreign land in spite of the hostility.
HOW CAN CHRISTIANS LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL IN A WAY THAT PERMEATES THE PREVAILING UNGODLY CULTURE?
When the foundations that hold life together are being shaken, each individual Christian should determine to know and hold on to God who is unchangeable and has a plan that include you. The knowledge of the word of God hidden in the heart becomes the internalised knowledge giving one a grid through which one can filter the godless beliefs that concretise to unexamined assumptions. The prevailing and popular definitions of what matters in life cause well-meaning people to settle for a counterfeit sense of identity and significance.
Open conversations – Children not separated from spaces of adults ‘small talks give important knowledge useful when separated or marginalised by the terrains of life. The general culture talked of the sovereignty of God even when people do not necessarily follow his commands. Joseph, who seemed to spend time with his father, is likely to have heard about the manifestation of God’s power through Abraham. There are elements of godliness in every culture that are learnt and shared consciously and unconsciously. King Hezekiah knew God and it is possible that his mighty works would be talked about in the midst of accommodation of values that hail other gods.
The loneliness helps process the beliefs – When separated from the regular comfort you realize you are not on the same wavelength with others, which gives one an opportunity to examine the beliefs and thought patterns that one has heard of. Being alone gives one a moment of truth when decisions and choices to forge one’s own path have to be made without the distractions of group judgments or opinions. Time alone can result from growth and separation, death and captivity as in the case of Daniel and that can be an opportune time to engage the innermost thoughts and feelings. A person who recognises that, ‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.’ (Deuteronomy 33.27a). remains secure. That is what Joseph, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego teach us that that time when dots of life do not seem to join it is an opportunity to hung loose from the systems of the world to the system of God’s kingdom. The systems that one lives can become idols that are worshipped.
The deeply firmly held ideas or assumptions that individuals hold about themselves – These beliefs that act as rules for managing relationships and daily life are the subconscious programming that are formed in childhood, and they influence a person’s personality, decision making and mental health. These beliefs form the content of self, who am I? and who is God to me”. Choosing to magnify God is a choice available to everyone. ‘What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.’ (Romans 1.19-20). Joseph, Daniel, David. Joseph the husband of Mary among others, chose to see God in their wilderness. Choosing to assign blame to the circumstances, history, or others is a choice available. Unfortunately, it leads to a darkened mind that refuses to see God.
Foundations of a society can be said to be shaken when beliefs that breed toxicity are normalized. Lying about others or to one another, or taking advantage of one another, and being disrespectful are accommodated and subtly celebrated. Unfortunately, this can happen even in the places of worship. The question of how to fortify the heart of a believer who is caught in that web to remain aware that God is still on the throne and should remain pure in heart and do good. Inner conviction of God’s sovereignty can overcome any outer pressure to compromise. Allow your mind to be exposed to God’s word and the testimony of His Living presence among the people. Refuse to be a partaker of moral defilement that arises from subtle, degrading comments from media, social media and public spaces. The amusement that comes from objectifying others is a lure to a mindset that does not honor God, His people and His creation. Be careful of being unconsciously lured to mob psychology, and so distancing yourself from having intimate moments with God.
It is unwise to assume that the small everyday choices do not have an impact on thought life. What seems harmless conversation could get you to a lane where dubious policies are normalized. For Joseph and Daniel, having a consciousness that honors God above all else, led to Pharoah and Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge that there is no God like Jehovah. The impact of seeking who to blame for the toxic environment has long term implications. Ray Pritchard tells the story of such a tree… a 400-year-old redwood that suddenly and without warning toppled to the forest floor. What caused the death of such a majestic giant? Was it fire? Lightning? A strong wind? A post-mortem examination revealed a startling cause. Tiny beetles had crawled under the bark and literally eaten the fibers away from the inside. Although it looked healthy on the outside, on the inside it was virtually hollow and one day finally collapsed. Stop the thought that is not from God from landing ‘Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom’ (Song of Solomon 2.15).
The same thing happens when you dine with earthly ‘kings’: we refuse to stand our ground for Christ. To be friendly and find pleasure in compromising with what does not honor God sickens the soul. Eventually the little decisions add up and we become hollow on the inside even though we may look great on the outside. Don’t let that happen to you. Godly convictions yield God-given rewards. Get distraction-free eating of the word of God. Trust in God and let him know what is causing you anxiety and tell the story of God’s goodness. When the foundations rare shaken be still and know that God is on the throne. Refuse to make you pain your prison instead let God love you. Magnify the Lord and allow his word to inform your inner self. Might the system of theology encourage you to get the inner fortification necessary to serve God in this weary land?
‘You become like what you worship. When you gaze in awe, admiration and wonder at something or someone, you begin to take on something of the character of the object of your worship’ (N.T. Wright).