Something is Missing

Something is missing.  What can it be?  Oh, yes.  It’s the State Fair that is missing this year.  The Great Minnesota Get-Together has been canceled for 2020 because of the Coronavirus.  Of course, many people are extremely disappointed because this event is missing.  Isn’t it interesting that we are disappointed, sometimes frustrated or even annoyed when something is missing?  It is not just the State Fair, but lots of other things that may be missing from time to time.  For example, I may forget to put my wallet in my pocket in the morning before leaving the house for the day.  When I discover it is missing, I am frustrated because it contains my driver’s license, a little bit of money and a couple of credit cards.  I may fail to insert an important word or thought in a document on which I am working.  As a result, the missing word or thought not only frustrates me but it adds additional work for me as I redo the document.  When I fail to reset my cellphone from the “do not disturb” mode and I miss an important call from a person at an organization which I needed to personally talk with, I am upset.  When something is missing, I generally do not have a good day.

This year is very unusual as lots of things are missing.  For example, we no longer can walk into a business establishment without a mask.  A store that sells goods or services that we have enjoyed in the past is closed and out of business.  We are not allowed to gather in large groups.  These things are discouraging and a little bit frustrating.  However, should the fact that any of these things are different or missing be of great concern to us?  As much as some of these missing things are a disappointment they should probably not be of great concern.

I am so glad that when it comes to God, nothing is missing.  He is completely adequate to take care of us and to meet all our needs.

1)      God’s love is not missing.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  His love is always available for everyone and at any time.

2)      God provision is not missing.  II Peter 1:3 tells us, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  We can think of several things that we need.  However, many of those “needs” are simply “want” items.  The scripture further notes, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

3)      God’s purpose is not missing.  “Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people” (I John 2:2).  God took the debt of sin that you and I owed and provided His one and only son, Jesus, to die on the cross on our behalf to pay the penalty of our sin.  Romans 5:8 continues, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

What should we do when something is missing?   We should remember all the things that God provides for us which are not missing.  In addition, we should recall that:

1)      God wants our focus to be on Jesus.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”  The easiest thing for us to do is to focus on the wrong thing.  When our emphasis is on what is missing we forget the thing that is most important.

2)      God wants us to be thankful in all things.  I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  Whether things are in place as usual, whether they are different, or even permanently or temporarily missing we should be thankful.

Noise or Sound

Have you ever noticed the tremendous amount of noise that surrounds you every day?  At home you may hear the noise of your washing machine, refrigerator, furnace, freezer or clothes dryer.  At work you may hear the noise of people talking, cars buzzing by, telephones ringing, or airplanes flying overhead.  In your quiet time you may even hear the noise of a ticking clock, a noise already suggested, or the noise of nothing at all.

The most common use of the word “noise” is an unwanted sound or it may be described as a sound that is loud, unpleasant, unexpected, or undesired.  The word “noise” seems to be quite different than the word “sound” because it is something that is more specific and distinctive.  For example, when I hear the sound of a honking horn it may be a sound that is warning me about something that I need to heed.  However, if the sound of the horn continues it becomes an annoying noise and something that is unwanted.

When have you last listened for a sound and were grateful to God for it?  Maybe it was the sound of a bird chirping, the sound of a baby crying, the sound of music when expressed in worship to God, or the sound of someone saying “thank you.”

It is interesting that the word “noise” occurs 20 times in my electronic New International Version of the Bible while the word “sound” occurs 125 times.  If there is to be meaning and understanding from a sound, that sound must be distinct.  The Bible reminds us, “If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8).  Sometimes we are so busy with our activities that noise is ever-present and we neglect hearing the sounds that are quiet and meaningful.

The prophet Elijah discovered God’s voice in quietness.  “After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12).  Where are you when it comes to noise and sounds?  Is the noise getting the best of you, or are you listening for sounds that cause you to express praise to God?  What about your quiet time?  Are you spending time in the presence of God where you are able to hear the sound of His gentle whisper that causes you to respond to Him in a meaningful way?

Great Delight

What is it that brings great delight to you?  As I began to reflect on things that bring me pleasure, enjoyment, a sense of satisfaction, and delight summertime came to my mind.  In the summer I enjoy being out-of-doors – walking by a lake or a brook, feeling the cool breeze blowing across my brow, observing ducks and geese swimming in the water, admiring beautiful flowers, and enjoying the warmth of the sun.  My electronic New International Version of the Bible tells me that the word “delight” is used 69 times in Scripture.  Looking through those verses I discovered some interesting things about delight.

 1)      We should take delight in God Himself.  The Scripture says, (a) “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).  (b) “Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God” (Job 22:26).

 2)      We should delight in God’s Word.  The Bible tells us to take delight in a number of things.  (a) Decrees – “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word” (Psalm 119:16).  (b) Statutes – “Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors” (Psalm 119:24).  (c) Laws – “Blessed is the one … whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). (d) God’s Words – “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty” (Jeremiah 15:16).  Whatever Scripture is named it brings delight to those who are thirsty for God or in need of His comfort and care. 

3)      We should delight in what God does for us.  Usually the things that God does for us are called blessings.  This kind of delight may be the result of:  (a) God’s Deliverance – “Then Hannah prayed and said: ‘My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high.  My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance” (I Samuel 2:1).  (b) The Salvation He offers – “Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation” (Psalm 35:9).  (c) His Wonderful Works – “Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them” (Psalm 111:2).  (d) The righteousness that He offers – “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation    and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10).  Indeed, we are recipients of God’s manifold blessings.

 4)      We should rejoice because God delights in us. 

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).  This verse tells us several things about God and His relationship with us.  (a) His Presence – He is “with you.”  What a great comfort this is any time, but particularly in our time of great need.  (b) His Provision – He is “mighty to save.”  God has fantastic power to take care of us in every way, even spiritually.  (c) His Pleasure – “He will take great delight in you.”  Note that not only can we be delighted in God, but God takes “great delight” – in us as well.  (d) His Peace – “He will quiet you with his love.” God’s peace speaks of the great calmness that He gives us even when we are stressed out.  (e) His Party (celebration) – “He will rejoice over you with singing.”  When it comes to you and me, God is in the business of rejoicing.  Just think.  God delights in you.  Isn’t that amazing!  Take time right now to think about the wonderful things God has done for you.  Make a note of at least three of those things and take time today to thank God for them.

What God Requires

If someone were to ask you, “Does God require anything of you?” you would probably answer “no.”  Most likely your answer would be based on the fact that you live in America and as a U.S. citizen you have freedom to do as you like.  However, apart from that you may be surprised to know that the correct answer to this question should be “yes.”  God does require something of us.  Those people who call themselves "Christian" so effortlessly think about all the good things that God does for them. However, they so easily forget that God might require something of them.  Here is what the Scripture says. “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask (require) of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

This verse contains five excellent attitudes and actions that God required of the Children of Israel.  These requirements are the same things that God wants from everyone.  Let’s examine these five requirements more carefully.

1)    “To Fear the Lord.”  To fear God is to have a deep respect, reverence, and awe for who He is and for His divine power and authority.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 reminds everyone to, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

2)    “To Walk in in obedience to God.”  To walk in God’s ways is to live uprightly by being obedient to what pleases God and by living the way He wants us to live.  Jeremiah made the decision for the people and himself when he said, “We will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us for we will obey the Lord our God” (Jeremiah 42:6).

3)    “To Love God.”  To love God is to do all one can to desire Him above everything else and to intimately know Him by making Him the highest priority in life. Mark 12:30 makes loving God clear when it says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

4)    “To Serve the Lord.”  To serve God is to demonstrate by our actions that we acknowledge Him wholeheartedly and allow everything we do – how we live, what we think, and what we say – to be an act of service to God.  In Luke 4:8 Jesus reminded Satan of the focus of service when he said, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your god and serve him only."

5)    “Observe the Lord’s commands.”  To keep God’s commands is to not only understand what those commands are, but to completely obey everything that God has decreed.  It was God who told Moses, “Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him” (Deuteronomy 8:6).

So, how are you doing with what God requires of you?  As you look at these five requirements which one is easiest for you to carry out?  Which one is hardest for you to do?  I challenge you to ask yourself the following questions about each requirement. (1)   Do I constantly fear God?  (2) Is the way I am living pleasing to God?  (3)  Is it my deepest desire to intimately know God? (4)  How am I demonstrating my service to God?  (5) Do I delight to obey what God says?