There are days when winter deceives.
She paints her eyes with bright yellow sunbeams
And sweetly smiles as dark clouds recede from skies.
“What a delightful day!” one thinks,
As her docile breath stirs and flows
Through deep green fieldgrass glinting beneath sunny eyes.
But alas, the spells are broken when the window opens.
The docile wind is keen-edged knives
Coughed out from a blue, ice-iron sky.
The sunbeams are gaudy mascara
Caked thick and sticky over winter’s hard lines.
All is thus revealed a chimera,
And winterwife’s embrace reveals a cold shoulder.
You realize the truth when you reach out to hold her:
That the beauteous get-up is a masquerade
Hiding the hard cold which has supplanted warm days.

The thing which God has created in marriage – namely, an earthly relationship which glorifies and illustrates His unyielding love and commitment to His bride the Church, while simultaneously providing the most heavenly peaks of joy and contentment for us in this life – in a single act accomplishes the glory of God and our satisfaction.

And as I write this and consider it further, the thought recurs that God has intended this from the beginning. When creating man, God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Gen. 2:18) When taking that in the same mouthful as Paul in Ephesians 5 declaring that the love of husband and wife is the visual medium/illustration of Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:22-32), one must realize that God’s ultimate intention to keep man from the “not good”-ness of being alone is with His own presence! God created the marriage relationship in order to build a flesh-and-bone picture of His intentions for HIS relationship with man. And what blessings marriage brings! What contentment and overwhelming love! What comfort and encouragement!

Marriage is meant to reflect God’s relationship with His people. God created marriage because it was not good for man to be alone. Thus, we can imagine God saying, “It is not good for man to be alone, and so I will send my Son to bring man into an eternal closeness with me, that he never be alone – on earth nor in heaven.”

And now, the fervency of God’s desire that man not be alone is most fully beheld in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. What God foreshadowed in marriage was realized in Jesus. What God painted in the love of husband-wife came to life in the person of Jesus. God in heaven, the architect of the stars and the author of existence, cares about the temporal and physical lives of man. In order that man might not be alone in this world which He created, God created a wife for him. And now, in the life and death of Jesus, in order that man might not be alone in this world nor in eternity to come, God has made mankind to be His own bride.

Jesus came in the flesh, because we are flesh. The husband came in like form to His bride. And in this way the temporal and the eternal meet! The lonesomeness of our present lives in the flesh is not lost on God, and so He sent someone to us in the likeness of our flesh. And in that One whom He sent is held the hope of eternal love; the perfection of God’s intention to keep man from being alone.

This is why Paul speaks of man’s ability to remain single for the sake of the gospel (See 1 Corinthians 7): the basic need of mankind to be in relationship, to be not alone, is satisfied in the person of Jesus. The Eternal One descended to us in our likeness, and before leaving proclaimed in all His truthful authority, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age!” (Matthew 28:20)

“It is not good for man to be alone,” God said. So, He created marriage to give us joy and comfort in this life.

“It is not good for man to be alone,” God said. So, He sent Jesus to be made like us, and die for us, in order that He might walk with us all the days of our lives, and we might be with Him all the days of eternity.

God does not want you to be alone. This is why marriage exists: God cares about your joy. And ultimately, this is why Jesus came: so that you might not be alone, neither now nor in eternity.

He is good.

I do believe that there is more to this life than simply living.

There is more meaning to be had than simply enjoying the comforts of familiarity and family.

There is more.

And this more-ness is contained in a single word: hope.
It is a hope of substance, not theory. It is a hope of inexorable reality, not wispy ethereality. It is the hope of a sure word, unchangeable in nature, unbreakable in promise, eternal in longevity, limitless in strength to accomplish the proposed purposes.

This hope is not the many-headed hydra. This hope is not confined to the mythical Mount Olympus. It is no flying horse, and it is not some silly imagined romance with sparkly-faced vampires.

It is a hope, not of thought or intention, but of flesh and blood – tangible and true. We might sooner doubt the pebble beneath our feet, or the rain on our faces, than doubt the fulfillment of this hope. Only if the universe should cease to exist could we doubt this hope. Only if the eternal pillars upholding the existence of all things are shattered and brought to ruin – only then might we have cause to falter in our expectation.

“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become high priest forever…” (Hebrews 6:17-20)

“…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5:2-4)

God cannot lie, and He has set forth Jesus as our eternal priest. Jesus entered the presence of God on our behalf, and stands eternally to intercede for us. As Paul again says, “Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34)

Our hope is as sure as the life and existence of Jesus. The only circumstance which could nullify or negate the promises we have been given for eternal life and joy would be this: that Jesus Himself, the second person of the eternal Triune Godhead, ceased to exist. As long as Jesus exists, our hope will exist! As long as Jesus lives, our hope is sure!

What do you hope in? Where does your hope lie, friend? Do you have eternal, unchanging hope?

My hope is sure. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, that what I yearn for will come. Jesus will return. I will spend eternity in endless days of delight.

My hope will come. It is sure. Is yours?

After being shuttled from the airport back to my car, throwing my stuff in, settling into the driver’s seat for the 3-hour drive, and turning the key, the noise which emitted from beneath my vehicle was otherworldly. Ever been to a tractor pull? Yea, it sounded like that. And generally, a highway vehicle should not sound like a suped-up tractor pulling a 15-ton sled.

So, I rumbled down the road a bit until I found a suitable place to pull over, alerting everyone in the Nashville metro area to my presence with the melodious sounds of a gargoyle colossus issuing from my undercarriage. I hopped out and crawled under to take a look, and almost immediately saw that there was a large gap in a section of pipe which looked to have been newly sawn off. Alas, my vehicle had become a statistic in the epidemic upswing of catalytic converter theft since the price of platinum has gone up.

So, I found a nearby hotel and booked a room for the night. I spent a little time thanking the Lord for His blessings to me, not least of all for the means to get a hotel room so I didn’t find it necessary to sleep in the car. I asked that He continue His blessings the next day (today) by helping me work things out with the car. I slept peacefully.

Breakfast was procured at Cracker Barrel next door, during which time I started making phone calls to auto-part shops and such, seeing what there was available. At the same time, I was getting Facebook posts, texts, and phonecalls from brothers and sisters in the Lord who had heard of my little predicament, and were calling to either express concern or offer help.

I had no less than half a dozen people offer to help me in some way, whether it was connecting me with acquaintances in Nashville or offering advice on car repair options. There were several times that many who expressed concern and offered prayer.

A nearby auto parts store had a universal adapter which could fit what I needed, and right next door to them was a muffler shop. Grace and blessing, right there. I bought the part and took it to the shop, and waited. The owner of the shop laughed with me about the ridiculous noise coming out of the vehicle, and was a great help. However, when we put the car up on the rack and took a closer look at the damage, it became apparent that – because of the way the pipe had been cut – it wasn’t really feasible to use the part I had bought. I would need the whole section of muffler pipe instead, and it would take at least another day to get the part and do the work to put it on.

Well, that would seem like a bummer, but the Lord was still acting on my behalf. A generous brother in my church called spontaneously and offered to drive down to Nashville with a trailer to bring me and the Rodeo back to New Castle. AND, the shop owner offered to get the necessary part for me at dealer-cost ($100+ in savings).

Therefore, in light of today’s events, I must charge you to recognize and rejoice in the amazing love of God for His people. It’s not even close to the end of the day, and just as I requested last night He has provided for me in a dozen different ways. I am well taken care of. A few thoughts on as I consider the day’s events:

My joy/contentment is not tied to my personal plans. —  I had planned to be back in Kentucky by now, working on the significant To-Do list which I’ve racked up on my break. If my joy and peace were tied to that plan, then my joy and peace would be broken when the plans were broken. BUT, because my joy and contentment are tied to Christ, they are not threatened in the least when plans are broken. In fact, it is exciting to consider the possibilities of the day and what God might have in store. Thus, because my joy is in Jesus, this breaking of my personal plans actually gives me greater joy, because I believe Proverbs 16:9 and therefore believe that Jesus is the reason I am here today. If this is where Jesus wants me, I am joyful. My broken plans have not produced anger or resentment, but increased contentment — all because I am tied to Christ. Don’t you want to be able to say that your joy is not threatened by broken plans?

My joy is not tied to my personal property. — It’s nice to have a vehicle. It’s a great blessing to be able to get around from place to place. But it’s just a thing. My car it simply the predecessor to a pile of dust, because that’s what it will turn into one day. I like having a car, but my joy and satisfaction is not tied to my vehicle. Thus, when someone slides up under that bad boy and cuts it to pieces, I’m still joyful. Furthermore, when I have to shell out hundreds of dollars unexpectedly to stay here for a night, buy an expensive piece of metal and pay for someone to bolt it in place – I’m still joyful. Why? Because my joy is not tied to my personal property – neither a car or money. In fact, my joy has INCREASED through having to part with this money. Why? Because I see the tremendous generosity of God in providing it for me in the first place. If He had not provided, I wouldn’t have it to shell out. That makes my heart overflow in thankfulness to the Lord, which = more joy. Don’t you want to be able to say that your joy is not threatened by broken/lost property?

It is good to be part of the body of Christ. — My brothers and sisters in Christ immediately began expressing concern and offering help. Is this not why the Lord puts us into fellowship with other believers? We become the manifestation of Jesus to each other (and to the world). The prayers for aid were answered by my Lord when He moved His Spirit in the hearts of His people to do what HE would do if He were flesh and blood on this earth. That is an AMAZING thought. The Spirit of God moves the people of God to perform the actions of Jesus. It is good to be part of that body.

There’s so much more I could say, but I’ll simply end with this: Jesus is good and His love satisfies me. He has brought me here today in order that I might experience Him. My joy is full, and my heart is satisfied.

My earnest, pleading prayer is that it would be the same for you! Give yourself to Christ, and see if He does not satisfy you. Anchor your contentment to the Rock of Ages, who does not move. Why delight in things that can be stolen or taken?

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

““Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Be blessed, my friend!

The top 5 posts this year, in order:

1. 2011′s Book Blurbs
2. Oh to Grace How Great A Debtor
3. The Heart of the Gospel – Christ’s Work
4. God WILL DEFINITELY place more on you than you can handle
5. Need a Prayer Answered? A Simple How-To

There is more meaning to be had than simply enjoying the comforts of familiarity and family.

There is more.

And this more-ness is contained in a single word: hope.
It is a hope of substance, not theory. It is a hope of inexorable reality, not wispy ethereality. It is the hope of a sure word, unchangeable in nature, unbreakable in promise, eternal in longevity, limitless in strength to accomplish the proposed purposes.

It is a hope, not of thought or intention, but of flesh and blood – tangible and true. We might sooner doubt the pebble beneath our feet, or the rain on our faces, than doubt the fulfillment of this hope. Only if the universe should cease to exist could we doubt this hope. Only if the eternal pillars upholding the existence of all things are shattered and brought to ruin – only then might we have cause to falter in our expectation.

“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become high priest forever…” (Hebrews 6:17-20)

“…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5:2-4)

God cannot lie, and He has set forth Jesus as our eternal priest. Jesus entered the presence of God on our behalf, and stands eternally to intercede for us. As Paul again says, “Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34)

Our hope is as sure as the life and existence of Jesus. The only circumstance which could nullify or negate the promises we have been given for eternal life and joy would be this: that Jesus Himself, the second person of the eternal Triune Godhead, ceased to exist. As long as Jesus exists, our hope will exist! As long as Jesus lives, our hope is sure!

What do you hope in? Where does your hope lie, friend? Do you have eternal, unchanging hope?

My hope is sure. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, that what I yearn for will come. Jesus will return. I will spend eternity in endless days of delight.

My hope will come. It is sure. Is yours?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

            Solomon makes it quite clear in these words that the wisdom collected in the following writings is not mere practical advice. Any person might observe things about life which do and do not cause harm, which are or are not profitable. Any person might recognize that there are some habits and actions which lead to pain, and some which lead to well-being. That, however, is not what to book of Proverbs is. Over and against those who interpret this piece of wisdom literature as simply practical observations on what is and is not good judgment, I will argue that this is a deeply covenantal book. The wisdom contained herein does not issue from godless observation, nor could it. Solomon boldly states in the opening sentences of his collected sayings that what follows is based upon, rooted in, and anchored by his reverence for the Lord God of Israel. Thus, again, this is covenantal wisdom, and does not come apart from recognition of the Lord for who He is. I will show how Jesus is the fulfillment of the wisdom presented in the book of Proverbs.

Lions, Covenants, and Christ

            The parents gasped in horror as they turned and saw that their gregarious toddler was happily stumbling towards the bars of the lion cage, having crawled under the barrier which kept zoo guests out of reach. Even more horrifying, the lion was crouching near the bars with a look of hungry anticipation. The boy’s father made a desperate dash, leaping over the barrier and snatching his son up just as the lion’s paw swept powerfully between the bars and through the air where the boy had been a millisecond before. It does no good to scold the boy for his unwise wanderings, because the child, having no knowledge of what a lion is or what one is like, had no fear of the beast. Likewise, those who have no knowledge of the Lion of Judah have no fear of Him, utterly lacking wisdom. The Lord is not feared by those who do not know Him. Thus, one cannot have the “…fear of the Lord…” when one does not know who He is, what He has done, and what He requires of us.

Graciously, the Almighty Lion has revealed Himself to us. We know from His word that creation itself declares the glory of God; that His attributes can be clearly seen in what has been made[1]. However, our sin-maimed souls cannot see and perceive who God is even when we observe creation. Therefore, in His great mercy, the Lordly Lion has revealed Himself to His people in a special way. He chose a people for Himself and made a covenant with them, saying, “You will be my people, and I will be your God.”[2] This is the context within which God has revealed Himself: within the covenant with His people.

To the nation of Israel He gave the law, showing His attributes of holiness; that He is worthy of our fear and reverence. He spoke to the people through the prophets, leading them in the path of His choosing. He revealed Himself through miracles, prophecies, kings and angels – all so that His people would know Him. Speaking through the prophet Hosea, He shows this intent clearly: “I will betroth you to myself in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.”[3] The very purpose for God’s election of His people is in order that they might know Him.

Moreover, God has not left us with the often amorphous and difficult to understand self-revelation in the covenant with Israel. He conveys His intention to do this in Jeremiah 31: “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel at that time…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts…No longer will a man teach His neighbor, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” Just a verse before, the Lord declares that this covenant will be new, and unlike the old covenant He made with His people. This new covenant is founded on and mediated by Jesus Christ[4].

Hence, the clearest revelation of God is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ within the new covenant. To tie this back to Proverbs: we cannot fear the Lord without knowing the Lord, and we can only know the Lord in how He has revealed Himself to us, and the new covenant in Jesus Christ is the clearest revelation of God. To have the covenantal wisdom of Proverbs, we must fear the Lord. In order to fear the Lord, we must know the Lord. In order to know the Lord, we must know Jesus and be members of the new covenant. Jesus, therefore, is the aim and fulfillment of the wisdom displayed in the book of Proverbs.

Echoes and Fulfillment

            We can see the future echoes, the dim rays of the all-wise Son throughout the book, but particularly in the first several chapters. Since space is limited, we’ll look at just one passage wherein we can see patterns which Jesus filled up and made vibrantly tangible.

Proverbs 1:20-33 offers our first glimpse at the future Christ. Wisdom cries out in the streets to the simple and the scoffers in verses 20-22, just as Jesus walked the streets and roads of Judea and Samaria and proclaimed the kingdom. “Jesus said, ‘Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also, for that is why I have come.’”[5] Jesus preached in the towns and villages, to crowds large and small, to Pharisees, fishermen, prostitutes, tax collectors and all who desired to listen.

Wisdom continues in verse 23, giving a glorious promise for those who heed the reproof and knowledge of wisdom: “…I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.” This promise from wisdom is a lesser type of the promise and fulfillment of what Jesus has done. Jesus says in Luke 11:13, “…how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”, and later in Luke 24:49 He tells His disciples, “…stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Jesus speaks of the same thing in these passages, as we see in Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…”. Jesus makes a better promise, and then more fully and finally follows through with that promise. Jesus’ death on the cross on our behalf paved the way for the Spirit to be poured out on us, as Paul reminds us in Ephesians: “In [Jesus] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…”[6]

However, continuing in 1:24-32, wisdom gives a severe warning: that terror and calamity will come upon those who spurn the teachings of wisdom; that there will be no answers to their cries for help, because they did not choose to fear the Lord. In the same way, only more surely and clearly, Jesus gives a dire warning of judgment to those who will not listen to His message: “Whoever believe in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him,” because God “has given [Jesus] the authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.”[7]

And finally, wisdom re-iterates the promise of verse 23 again in chapter 1, verse 33: “…but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” This is deeply reminiscent of Jesus’ words towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount, as He tells the parable about the wise and foolish builders. “Whoever listens to these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house of the rock…”[8] In Proverbs 1, wisdom urges us to listen in order that we might dwell secure. In Matthew 7, Jesus says that if we listen to and obey Him, we will dwell securely on the rock “without dread of disaster” from the storm, as a wise man. Wisdom says, “Listen to me and you will be wise, safe from disaster.” Jesus says, “Listen to and obey me and you will be wise, safe from the storm.”

The ministry of Jesus echoes and fulfills the ministry of wisdom in calling out to the simple. Wisdom’s promise that the spirit will be poured out on those who listen is fulfilled and carried out fully by Jesus, who sends the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of inheritance for those who believe in Him. Wisdom warns of disaster and calamity should we refuse her teachings, and Jesus – with devastating authority – warns of eternal disaster and judgment should we refuse His teachings. And to follow the dire warnings of judgment, wisdom gently gives renewed promises of security and peace, which Jesus – again with glorious authority – also promises to accomplish.

Conclusion: Know and Fear the Lord Jesus

            Solomon roots the wisdom of Proverbs in the covenant of God’s self-revelation to His people: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” God has revealed Himself in the covenants with His people as the Almighty Lion of Judah to be feared. Most fully and finally, He has revealed Himself in the new covenant through Jesus – the Lion became the Lamb. The echoes and patterns set down in the book of Proverbs resonate with swelling melodies in the words of Jesus. What was seen darkly through a glass in Proverbs is clarified and personified in Jesus. Wisdom has been fulfilled. Promises have been fulfilled. Warnings have been fulfilled.       Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. The meek Lamb spoke with the authority of the Lion’s roar, and the eternal Lion’s wisdom was revealed and fulfilled in the life of the Lamb. So, with Paul, my prayer is that we might “…know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”[9]

“Let there be light” broke the deeps
of pre-creation dark,
and shone down on the glorious deeds
of the eternal Father.
The air itself and all creation
was washed in golden breath,
and pulsing waves of joy unabated
soaked every hill and leaf.

What woe, then, was that awful day
when life was diminished in beauty!
Our parents rebelled against God and traded
light for the wisdom of fruit.

But extravagance must spill over,
infinite love must flood.
And the Lord of all creation showed
His extravagant love thus:
He sent His only begotten Son
as light and life for us!

The shadows of a broken world,
the wrath-inducing depths
were in a moment crushed and hurled
away, as the newborn wept.
Stature and wisdom both increased,
and then he spoke the words:
“I am the way and truth! Believe
and gain life eternal.
I am the light of the world.
Those who are at my side
walk not in darkness anymore
but have the light of life.”

The shining rays of glory grew
as He walked toward the cross;
by each whip stroke, with thorny crown
proving love’s great cost.
And as He hung, pierced and slain
for our iniquitous plight,
salvation’s light poured from His veins
and overthrew the night!
Thus echoed the beginning as God proclaimed:
“Through Jesus let there be light.”

Immanuel! God has come!
The Light of Life is shining!
Oh trust in Him! Believe the dawn,
and leave your sinful pining.

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds. Psalm 73:23-28

I’ll pose to you the same questions I’m asking myself this morning.

Can you say to the Lord – “I am always with you…”?
Do you so consistently commune with the Lord in prayer and the Word that this would be true? Is Jesus so present in your thoughts and heart that you are always with Him?

Does the counsel of the Lord guide you in all your thoughts, actions & words?
The first question should be: Do you know the counsel of the Lord? Do you make a habit of learning the mind and heart of God through His word? If you do not know His counsel, how can you be guided by it? At the crossroads of decision or when wisdom is needed, do you first seek the Lord’s counsel through His Word?

Have you trusted so fully in the Lord that you can say “I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge…”?
Where is your safe place? Where is your place of comfort? From whom do you seek and find most comfort? Is it the Lord? Is He your refuge, or do you seek safety and comfort and peace from somewhere/something/someone else?

Do you tell of the deeds of the Lord to others?
This applies to both His deeds recorded in Scripture and His deeds in your life. When is the last time you told someone the deeds of God on behalf of Israel? The deeds of Christ on the cross? The deeds of the Father in your own life?

Do you find it good to be near God?
Is your heart filled with joy when you draw near to Him? Do you look for opportunities to be near God? Do you draw near to Him in His Word and prayer? Do you draw near to Him together with His people? If the rest of the world were to judge the goodness of God by your outwardly observable desire to be near Him, what would they conclude?

And lastly, the big one: Can you truthfully say, “Earth has nothing I desire besides you”?
What a revealing question! In the vast catalog of all the things of this earth and this life, is there ANYTHING which I desire above Jesus? Do I desire comfort more than Him? Do I desire safety more than Him? Do I desire a spouse more than Him? Do I desire family more than Him? Do I desire wealth and fame more than Him? Do I desire to protect my personal dignity more than I desire Him? Of all possible options, what do you desire most? Is it Jesus, or something besides Him? Be honest. Look at your actions to gain a glimpse at the truth.

Now, may the God of all delights take you by the hand and lead you. May you find daily nourishment in His Word, and thus be guided steadfastly with His counsel. May the Sovereign Lord be your refuge and strength, the One to whom you run in every moment of trial, and may others hear of His deeds from your mouth. And lastly, may your hearts desires be so fully met in Jesus that you desire nothing more than the goodness of being near to Him. 

But I am overcome in this moment with a broken-hearted love for the nations, and with a love for the gospel, and with a desire to bring the gospel to those in dark nations. Visions of children who will grow old without ever hearing about Jesus crush my heart. Thoughts of men and women created in the image of God who live every moment in danger of an eternity separated from God – because they do not know the Savior who I know – these thoughts anguish my soul.

I am weeping.

Oh God, send workers into the harvest! Lord Jesus, send your people into the fields! Send your Spirit among those who are saved and break their hearts with joy in Christ, and break their hearts with sadness for those who do not know Him. Jesus, satisfy the hearts of your people – satisfy them so completely that they would be willing to leave all other things behind in order to go to the harvest fields. Lord Jesus, fill your people so fully that they would JOYFULLY forsake homes, businesses, family, familiarity, finances, and anything else in order to follow you to the glorious task of harvesting souls. Father, send out the fishers of men; send out the hunters of souls. Strengthen your people in order that they might go to dark places and find those who are not yet your people.

And Jesus, I know that you have placed me here. Father, I rejoice in the glorious task which you have given me here in this place. I know that, in this moment and until you release me, my calling is here with this people in this place…but oh God, send me! Lord, if there are no others, send me! Great God of Heaven – here am I, send me! Gladly will I give up the comforts you have blessed me with. Gladly will I go. And gladly do I stay, Father. Oh God, I am in your hands to dispose of as you will. Use me as you see fit. Send me where you desire, and let the gospel always be on my lips! Blessed be your name, o Lord.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness, and when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” Matthew 9:35-38