A Beautiful Inheritance

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Pete

Maybe not the best word to use to describe the dynamic, but I do feel a little schizophrenic reading Psalm 16 this morning. I read it as a song of David and I enter into the songwriter’s world. But then, because I recognize parts of this psalm as being quoted in Acts (2:25-33) referring to Jesus, I know that this is a Messianic psalm . . . a prophetic song concerning the Lord. And that causes me to read the psalm a little differently . . . the application taking on different meaning and nuance . . . providing insight into thoughts and experiences of the Savior. And so, as I read and re-read the song, I’m flopping back and forth. What’s the primary meaning of this verse? . . . what’s the secondary meaning? . . . can that apply to me? . . . does that only apply to Christ? Hence, the “schizophrenia” I’m referring to. But what a blessed schizophrenia!

You read Psalm 16 and you get twice the bang for your buck. On the one hand, it is my story as one who has known the God who preserves me, the One in whom I take refuge (v.1). I too bless the Lord who gives me counsel through His inspired word (v.7) . . . I also, by His grace, know what it is to purpose to set Him before me and know the stability of God being so close that it’s like He’s at my right hand (v.8). And, therefore, I know too the gladness of heart from being in Him who alone is my security (v.9). I can also anticipate the final destination of the path of life He has set before me . . . the fullness of joy that will be known in His presence . . . the pleasures evermore that are my inheritance at His right hand (v.11).

On the other hand, I imagine Jesus singing this song . . . that He is the One doing the application . . . and I’m moved with awe, wonder, and gratitude for the depths to which the Creator entered His creation’s world. That He is the One looking to the Father in absolute trust . . . the Son finding in the Father the refuge that would be necessary to whether the storm of Gethsemane. That He would bless the Father for the counsel provided through the Spirit that He might fulfill His desire to come and do the Father’s will. I hear the thoughts of Jesus He hangs on the cross . . . feeling the ebb of life flowing out of Him . . . knowing that He will shortly give up His life . . . assured that His Father would not abandon His soul to Sheol or let His Holy One see corruption (v.10). Imagining that, even as He cries, “It is finished” from the cross, that He knows deep within, “I’ll be back!”

And so it goes . . . back and forth . . . forth and back . . . I see me then I see Him . . . I see Him then I see me. But perhaps the most blessed of meditations comes as I hover over verse 6 . . .

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.   (Psalm 16:6 ESV)

A beautiful inheritance. True for me . . . true for the Savior.

The place where I am, whatever that place, can be a pleasant place because of that which is to come. Whatever my situation I can be content because He is sufficient and because that which lies before, my inheritance, is beautiful. O, to pause and consider the glory that is promised the child of God. Heaven awaits. I have a beautiful inheritance!

But Jesus also has a beautiful inheritance. And because of it, He could endure the shame of the cross for the joy that lay before Him (Heb. 12:2). Though His “lines” would pass through the barrenness of being forsaken of God, He would see it as a “pleasant place” because of the inheritance awaiting Him . . . His beautiful, blood bought bride . . . the church. He would foresees the day when He presents her to Himself “in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). And, through saving grace, I’m part of that blessed bride of Christ.

A beautiful inheritance. Is it that which awaits me? Or, is it that which awaits Christ . . . of which I am part? It’s both! . . . I’m kind of liking this kind of schizophrenia.

To Him be all glory and praise . . .

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Grace and a Promise

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Pete

As our pastor pointed out a couple of weeks ago, Jacob had a way of finding himself “between a rock and a hard place.” Plan A isn’t really all that good, Plan B’s not much better. Can’t stay . . . but going looks fraught with issues, as well. Time to leave the land of his uncle Laban and return to the land of his father, Isaac. He had lost favor with Laban . . . and Laban’s sons are seeing their inheritance go up in smoke as Jacob’s flocks increased. Getting a little tense around there. But going home might not be so good either. There awaited the brother whose birthright Jacob had extorted and whose blessing he had scammed. How would Esau react to his return? A rock and a hard place.

But God said, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you” (Gen. 31:3). And so Jacob packed up and went.

But as you read Genesis 32 . . . as Jacob resides in no man’s land, having left the land of Laban but not yet back in the land of Esau . . . the tension mounts. Jacob sends messengers to Esau to give him a heads up . . . “Hey! Guess who’s back?” And the messengers return, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him” (32:6). Yikes! This can’t be good! Esau and four hundred of his closest friends were coming! Jacob’s not thinking a “welcome home” party . . . he’s thinking more like a raiding party.

So what do you do? Even though you know you can’t stay. Even though you’re pretty sure God said, Go. What’s seems to be in front of you is looking just as uncertain, or worse, than what you left behind you. How do you keep on keepin’ on?

Grace and a promise. You remember God’s grace . . . you cling to God’s promise.

As Jacob’s mind races as to how to best mitigate the imagined worst case scenario, he does the only really concrete thing he can do . . . he prays. And as he humbles himself before the Lord, clarity comes as it has never come before. Jacob, the schemer . . . Jacob, the guy who makes things happen . . . Jacob, the “self-made man” acknowledges that all he is and has is by the unmerited favor of His God.

I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that You have shown to Your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.
(Genesis 32:10 ESV)

And Jacob comes to the same realization that Isaac Watts would have millennia later . . . ” ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” Recognizing the always present favor of God . . . acknowledging His unmerited steadfast love and abiding faithfulness . . . remembering His grace . . . it has a way of compelling one forward.

And then, Jacob remembers the promise.

But You said, “I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.”    (Genesis 32:12 ESV)

And Jacob believes the promise . . . by faith, he clings to what God has said . . . the land before him, by God’s sovereign determination, is to be his land. And so, he keeps going.

Grace and a promise.  And our God.  The God who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us as the source of abundant grace, and the surety of His unfailing promise. I guess that’s how we keep on keepin’ on.

Amen?

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The Throne

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Pete

Not what I expected. As I turned to my reading in Matthew this morning . . . as I continued to read Jesus’ sermon on the mount . . . as I anticipated more “commands to obey” . . . as I got ready for more high standards demonstrating my need for the transforming work of the Spirit by God’s overflowing grace . . . what jumped out at me isn’t what I expected. It was the throne.

Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.” But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  
(Matthew 5:33-35 ESV)

Making a false oath or, to swear falsely, has never been acceptable in God’s economy. The Mosaic Law contained several prohibitions against invoking God as your witness that the lie you were telling was really the truth (Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2, Deut. 23:21). Apparently the Jews tried to get around this by substituting “heaven,” “earth,” or “Jerusalem” as the basis for their oath. Still making false promises . . . just not using God’s name explicitly.

But Jesus, as He does again and again in His teaching on the mount, raises the standards and removes any “wiggle room.” Referring to Isaiah 66:1, Jesus reminds His listeners that to swear by earth, was to swear by God’s footstool. That to swear by Jerusalem, was to take an oath founded on the city of God, the place where His house was built. And that, to swear by heaven, was to make a pledge based on the throne of God.

Jesus connects the dots to reveal sin and call His followers to a higher standard, “Do not take an oath . . . let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (5:36-37). And in connecting these dots, I’m reminded of the high and holy habitation of my God.

Many thoughts can come to mind when we think of heaven. Our reward, the outcome of our perseverance here on earth. A reunion, the coming together, however that works, with those who have “gone before.” An eternal respite, where tears, pain, and sorrow are no more. But as true as these things are, perhaps the first thing that should come to mind is that heaven is the throne of God.

First and foremost, it is the place of His habitation. That God dwells there in all His holiness, majesty, and glory is, in fact, what makes heaven, heaven.

Images from Revelation 4 and 5 flow to mind. The first thing John sees when the Spirit transports him into heaven is the throne and Him who sat on it. In those two chapters, the throne is mentioned 15 or 16 times. The throne is the center piece of heaven . . . heaven exists to house the throne. The colors, the sounds, the array of elders and angels are all centered on the throne and “Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty.” And in the midst of the throne is the Lamb (Rev.5:6) having opened the way to the throne room by His blood. Beside the throne is our great High Priest (Heb. 8:1), ever making intercession for His people (Heb. 7:25).

Heaven is His throne. O’ what glorious anticipation . . . to one day be ushered into the throne room.

Amen?

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The Sixth Sense

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Pete

He had become a sensual man. Not sensual as in erotic, but sensual as in he relied upon and was driven by his senses. What he could see, what he could feel and taste and smell, what he could hear, that’s what he counted on. Instead of spending his life attuning a spiritual discernment, he settled for dependence on the five associated with his flesh. And as his flesh aged . . . as his body broke down . . . so did that which he had come to rely on. In the end, what would have saved Isaac and his house a lot of trouble, was the sixth sense.

Before the boys were born, Isaac was a praying man (Genesis 25:21). Before their birth, he and his wife knew communion with the Lord and the Lord revealed to them that “the older shall serve the younger” (25:23). But it seems that, over time, Isaac’s “sixth sense,” his interaction with the things of God, had became dull . . . eventually, it seems, flat-lining. Though God had appeared to Isaac (26:2-4) and affirmed the promise that was his through his father, Abraham, perhaps it was his success that drew Isaac’s heart away from that which would be and, instead, fixated on that which was . . . that which he could see, hear, feel, smell, and TASTE . . . major emphasis on taste!

He loved to eat . . . especially wild game . . . any wonder that Esau the hunter, the older son, became his favorite (25:28). Not only could Esau catch ’em . . . the boy could cook ’em! Isaac melted at the thought of eating at Chez Esau’s.  As he listened to the sounds from the kitchen where Esau prepared the meal, he anticipated gazing on the glory of the presentation of the meal on the plate.  He could imagine the aroma of the game prepared with Esau’s secret sauce.  He knew that feeling that first bite in his mouth would send a shiver down his back. And then . . . then the taste buds would explode. Mmmm . . . mmmm . . . good!

Ok . . . maybe not. But you get the idea. Isaac had become a man who was driven by his appetite . . . and, as a result, lost his connection with the Divine.

As a result, he determined to bless the older rather the younger, though God had revealed otherwise. As a result, Rebekah and Jacob schemed to trick the old man into giving the younger son the blessing that was his anyways. And because he had only his five senses to guide him . . . and because he was an old man and those senses were breaking down . . . he was a prime target for the deception (Genesis 27).

He had lost his sight and had to rely on his other four senses. Though he could hear, that too was failing and he didn’t trust his hearing.  And so, even though the voice sounded like Jacob’s, he couldn’t be sure it wasn’t Esau and would have to go to his other senses to determine who had come asking for the blessing. The goat hair on Jacob’s arms sure felt consistent with Esau’s hairiness . . . and when he drew Jacob near to himself, because Jacob was wearing Esau’s clothes, he sure smelled like his brother the hunter. But it was the meal that sealed the deal. It was “that taste” . . . mmmm, mmmm, good! . . . which told the old man to go ahead and give the schemer the blessing.

How sad! That which he had relied upon to lead him through life, the capabilities of the flesh, were failing and, thus, were failing him. Had he instead cultivated his walk with the LORD . . . had he chosen to develop his sixth sense, a spiritual discernment founded on the word of God and fine tuned by the Spirit of God, this son of promise who had started so well would not have finished so poorly.

O’ to be led by the Spirit . . . and not by the flesh . . . that we might know the ways of God . . . and not be deceived by the ways of men.

By His grace . . . for His glory . . .

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Converted

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Pete

I don’t hear, or read, the word “converted” used much anymore. Rarely, when giving their testimony, will someone say, “I was converted at such and such an age” or, “My conversion was brought about this and that.” We talk about “being saved” or, “coming to Christ” . . . but rarely do we talk about being converted. But if you pause and think about it . . . what a good word . . . what a great description of what’s happened. It has the idea of turning from something, to something . . . of once believing one thing, and now believing something else . . . of having lived in a certain context, only to now be living within a different context. And if anybody knew what it was to be converted it was those priests who, in the days of the early church, became believers.

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.    (Acts 6:7 ESV)

If there was any group that had been openly opposed to Christ during His earthly ministry, it was the priests. Between them and the Pharisees, they had fought Jesus at almost every turn. Their leaders eventually conspiring to falsely accuse Him, try Him, and execute Him. We know that opposition by the religious caste in Jerusalem continued as Jesus disciples started preaching His resurrection and salvation through His name. But, as was I was reminded by a note in my Bible, the gospel is intended for all peoples . . . even the enemies of the gospel. After all, it’s while all of us were enemies that we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son (Rom. 5:10). And as is evident, the gospel is the power of God for salvation for all who believe . . . even for priests who believe.

And what first drew my attention to this observation is the way salvation is referred to . . . that is, “the priests became obedient to the faith.” The Holy Spirit could have moved the author of Acts to say they “believed’ . . . or “repented” . . . or were “saved” . . . or were “added to the number of disciples.” Instead he is inspired to note the fruit of their belief as the evidence of their conversion.

Those who had once been obedient to the Law now became obedient to the faith. Those who believed, now lived differently. Those who were born again, now aligned themselves to a different law . . . the law of Moses giving way to the law of the Spirit . . . the law which brought about sin and death replaced with the law of life which brought liberty and freedom. Those who had once pursued righteous works as a means to earn God’s favor, now responded to God’s unmerited favor with offerings of Spirit empowered works from a place of imputed righteousness.

They were converted.

What they believed transformed how they lived. Who they followed altered how they acted.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.   (2Corinthians 5:17 ESV)

Converted . . . it might be somewhat of an “out of vogue” word . . . but it’s great Biblical truth.

Praise God for the power of the gospel to convert people . . . to Him be all glory.

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Playing Church

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Pete

I think if I was writing the book of Acts I would have just skipped this part. Things are on a role . . . gospel’s being preached . . . people are believing the word, being born again, and becoming part of the body of Christ. The church is growing . . . the momentum is growing . . . so why be a “Debbie Downer?” But it is included . . . God-breathed . . . the writer inspired and led of the Holy Spirit to include the incident as part of Holy Writ. And I think, at it’s essence, it’s a warning about playing church.

It’s the story of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira. The story of the church’s first infection with hypocrisy. Community is growing . . . people are selling what they have and giving to those who don’t have . . . some, like Barnabas, are being noticed for their sacrificial acts of kindness (Acts 4:34-37). Enter Anania and Sapphira . . . enter the James 1:14-15 dynamic . . .

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.   (James 1:14-15 ESV)

Their “own desire” was to be noticed like the others. Their “own desire” was to be regarded as “good church members” like some of their brothers and sisters in Christ were. And, their “own desire” was to do so at as low a cost as possible.

It was their land to sell or not to sell. Once sold, the money was theirs to give or not to give. Once they decided to give, how much or how little was completely up to them. And, the fact is, they did give a portion of it to the Church Body. Equally true, though, is that they determined to misrepresent how much they had given in order to gain a little of fame within the Family.

And so, they decided to play church.  And so, they lied. And though they thought they were just putting up a facade before their brother and sisters, they actually lied to the Holy Spirit (5:3) . . . they lied to God (5:4). The deed that they contrived in their heart (5:4) . . . their desire, as James says, conceived and gave birth . . . Satan filling their heart to lie (5:3). And when the sin had fully grown . . . the Head of the Church determine to make it fully known . . . and it, quite literally, brought forth death.

And I think it’s a warning. A warning of how easy the “James dynamic” can come into play in the heart of a believer. How we need to nip those desires in the bud. When the temptation arises . . . the enticement starts to surface . . . how we need to say, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” . . . and not let the seed of temptation birth into sin.

And it’s a warning about trying to “play the part” in the Body. While we are to pursue the kingdom . . . to walk in a manner worthy of calling . . . we don’t need to be something we’re not. Each of us are “His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand” (Eph. 2:10) and those “good works” differ . . . our giftings and callings are different . . . we don’t need to “play the part,” we need to play our part.

I’m kind of thankful this form of “church discipline” was unique to the birthing of the church . . . but I’m also reminded of the dynamics and destructiveness of sin . . . and the danger of playing church.

That I might recognize the birthing of sin in my own heart and, by the Spirit within me, put it down. That I might recognize any temptation to pretend to be something I’m not in the church and, because of His grace, seek only to be who He has called me to be.

For His glory alone . . .

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Great Grace!

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Pete

Reading the opening chapters of Acts you can sense the growing momentum of the early church. As the body of Christ is birthed . . . as it, through the apostles, bears witness of the resurrection of Christ . . . as it grows in number . . . and as it is formed into a practical, authentic community, you just sense that there was an energy in the midst of these early believers. And at the center of it all . . . sustaining it all . . . was great grace.

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
(Acts 4:32-33 ESV)

Whether it’s believing . . . or belonging . . . or giving . . . or serving . . . or preaching with great power . . . it was all fueled by great grace.

God’s favor upon God’s people.

We’ve introduced a new song to our church body over the past few weeks . . . Matt Redman’s “Your Grace Finds Me.” The song concludes with the anthem-like chorus, “So I’m breathing in Your grace . . . And breathing out Your praise . . . I’m breathing in Your grace, Forever!” Isn’t that the response of the fresh realization that when all is said in done, we swim in an ocean of unmerited favor?

Isn’t “great grace” the truth we need to never stray far from . . . whether we think we’re doing pretty good or know we’re messing up? Isn’t that the foundational reality that, when grasped, causes us to set our minds on things above . . . when we realize that whatever our circumstance, whether we think we’re winning or losing, that we know that great grace is upon us . . . that His grace finds us?

As I hover over “great grace” . . . as I meditate on the great grace that hovers over me . . . few words come to mind (or to fingers) . . . instead, there is just a sense of awe and wonder. A desire to reflect and respond with thanksgiving and worship.

If you’ve got a few minutes . . . check out Matt Redman’s “Your Grace Finds Me” by clicking here.

Great grace! Great, great God!

Amen?

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Angels Came

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Pete

One of those passages that is so easy to skim over. Yeah . . . yeah . . . been there, read that. I’m talking about the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4. Pretty familiar account . . . I know who wins. Three times Jesus is tempted . . . three times the devil is repelled by the Living Word of God with the written word of God . . . game, set, match . . . lets move on. But not this morning. For some reason verse 11 put a halt on things . . . and I’m wondering about the implications of the fact that “angels came.”

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to Him.   (Matthew 4:11 ESV)

Now, I know that angels are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14). But here we’re not talking about inheritors of salvation but about the Author of Salvation. And I wonder what kind of shape Jesus the man was in when the devil finally departed.

What was the condition of Him who had fasted and subjected Himself to the wilderness for those 40 days and 40 nights before encountering the serpent? To be sure, Jesus would have been physically spent from the deprivation of food as well as weathering the elements.

But, beyond that, what was the toll from His encounter with Satan? Was it just a “war of words” between the two, or was there more? When it says that “the devil took Him” (4:5, 8), did the dark embodiment of sin actually manhandle the holy Son of God? Did the roaring lion who goes about seeking to devour someone (1Peter 5:8) lay hands on the Lamb of God? And if so, I can’t imagine that the serpent would have gently transported the One who would bruise his heel as he set Him on the pinnacle of the temple or took Him to that high mountain overlooking the kingdoms of the world.

What was it for the Holy Son of God to subject Himself to the enemy of His kingdom? What was His condition that it was necessary that angels came?

I’m thinking the answers to the questions are less important than realizing afresh the depths of experience and suffering the Savior endured that He might be the pure, undefiled sacrifice for my sin. That because He won, through His substitutionary death for me, I win too.

The speculation of what happened in the wilderness is just that, speculation . . . but what I do know is that “because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 2:18) . . . and that “we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).

Angels came . . . and ministered to the Son of God. For sure they fed Him . . . I’m guessing that they may have brought some heavenly electrolyte drink . . . but was there more . . . were there wounds to tend to? I don’t know.

But I am reminded this morning of the depths my Lord went to in order to secure and sustain my salvation.

And so, like those angels, I too come . . . not too minister to Him . . . but to worship Him . . .

To Him be all glory . . .

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God of My Righteousness

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Pete

You sense that David was getting some bad press. Not just people gossiping about David’s flaws . . . but out and out lies targeted at his reputation by his enemies. They sought to turn his honor into shame . . . they made up things to make him look bad. And while it caused David some distress . . . who wouldn’t be distressed? . . . at the end of the day, he knew relief from the Lord . . . a joy in his heart . . . a peace that allowed him to sleep well at night . . . all because he knew the Lord was the “God of my righteousness.”

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
   You have given me relief when I was in distress.
   Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! . . .
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
   for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.    (Psalm 4:1, 8 ESV)

If David had to rely on his own righteousness in order to defend himself . . . if it truly was about his track record . . . then even this man after God’s own heart was done. He’d have more than enough reason to fret and be discouraged . . . and his enemies would have more than enough ammunition to accuse him with. But David, before the gospel was even called the gospel, knew the good news that God was, as Spurgeon says, “the author, the witness, the maintainer, the judge, and the rewarder of my righteousness.”

David’s righteousness was found in God alone. Only by God’s grace . . . only through the future provision of David’s descendant, Jesus . . . could David confidently claim a righteousness not His own . . . the righteousness of God Himself.

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.    (2Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

Having then this assurance of God’s unmerited cloak of righteousness upon him, David could rest despite his accusers’ claims. He could rest because God would be the maintainer of his righteousness. Through abiding communion . . . by means of God’s sanctifying Spirit . . . David’s boast would continue to be solely in the gracious work of God in his life. By whatever manner his heart was stirred to seek the Lord . . . to whatever degree he understood the things of God . . . he would remember that it was only due to the favor shown him by the One who called him out of the sheep’s pasture . . . only in the power of the One who enabled him to slay a giant . . . only due to the Him who in Sovereign grace sets apart the godly for Himself (v.3).

And so David would know joy and peace as he remembered that the God of his righteousness is the righteous God . . . He who judges with perfect judgment . . . He who rewards with just rewards.

I’m not aware of anyone slandering me today . . . though there is this repetitive whisper of an accuser who points out my flaws and failures, very real flaws and failures. But I also “hear” another voice . . . the voice of God’s Spirit . . . through the truth of God’s word . . . reminding me that He is my assurance . . . that He is my defense . . . that He is “the author, the witness, the maintainer, the judge, and the rewarder of my righteousness.”

To Him be all glory . . .

He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”    (1Corinthians 1:30-31 ESV)

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Worth It

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Pete

There seems to be a direct cause and effect. The actions of one man on earth having an impact on the heart of the one and only God of heaven. And it makes me think how valued is worship by the Lord. As if God says that, despite man’s fickleness and failure . . . although it might just be easier to wind the whole creation thing down, . . . that there is something so precious in sincere worship offered by faith, that God’s says, in essence, everything else I have to put up with is worth it.

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.”    (Genesis 8:20-21 ESV)

It’s the “then” and “when” of these verses that’s got me thinking . . .

“Then” . . . after Noah had found favor in they eyes of the Lord (8:8) . . . after, in faith, he had obeyed God in building the ark and gathering its passengers . . . after God, in His saving power, shut the door of the boat, securing Noah and his family against the coming flood . . . after the land had dried out and Noah walked again on terra firma . . . then, Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered up sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise.

A man responds by faith, is saved by God, and so he worships. Seems like the appropriate response to me. And what never ceases to amaze me about the meager offerings of men is that they are a “pleasing aroma” to our God. The NKJV says it was a “soothing aroma” . . . the idea being of the sacrifice’s quieting effect upon God . . . its sweet smell bringing a pleasure to the God of Creation that, in a sense, I think, moves Him to pause and relish the response of faith. Sweet, sweet, worship!

And that brings me to the “when.” When God sees Noah, an object of grace, build the altar . . . as He watches Noah take of that which is a very rare commodity, some of the clean animals, and offer them as burnt offerings . . . as God observes Noah, I imagine, lower his head, bow his heart, maybe even go facedown . . . as God breathes in deeply the scent of worship arising from the face of a newly rescued earth . . . when that happens, then God determines in Himself, “Never again.”

There seems to be a cause and effect here. Though the nature of man’s heart has not changed . . . though Adam’s legacy still remains . . . though Noah is just a few glasses of wine from knowing again the depths of sin’s infection . . . there is at that moment, when Noah builds an altar and God smells a sweet aroma, something which moves God to say, “It’s worth it.”

The failure is worth it to see the faith. The refining is worth it in order to see the response. The war with the flesh is worth it to see the worship in spirit.

How much does our God delight in our worship? I’m thinking a lot!

Don’t fully understand it . . . but something within me says that God’s delight in receiving our offerings of thanksgiving, praise, and worship are such that they move Him to continued patience and grace so that He might, from time to time, inhale deeply of our sweet smelling sacrifices.

Worth it.

To Him be all glory . . .

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