Year: 2020

A Beautiful Headdress Instead of Ashes

My relationship with my wife is one of the greatest blessings in my life — possibly only second to the grace and mercy God himself has shown me through Christ Jesus. She has been with me through the lowest lows, and celebrates with me on the mountaintops as well. She knows all of my weaknesses and chooses to love me for them, not grumble, nag, criticize, manipulate or demand — and I genuinely seek to do the same.

I know that with the wrong person that being married can be a hell to which being single seems the only escape. And I know that the loneliness of being single can be a hell to which being married seems the only escape. But that is an endless cycle of disappointment because we are looking for another person of flesh and blood to fulfill our wants, needs, and purpose. When Mandee Fowler Ballinger and I were chasing the wrong things and had no firm foundation in our own lives giving us purpose, direction and value — we were “looking for more” when single and even still “looking for more” when married — and we hurt each other instead of building each other up. So it wasn’t just “finding the right wife/husband”.

Once we truly surrendered our lives to walk in a different way — a life of gratitude for what Christ Jesus has done for us — a life of accepting forgiveness and laying down guilt and shame — a life of offering forgiveness, love and sacrificial service to others laying down bitterness, expectations and demands on others — with a just, fair and faithful God ruling our household instead of us warring to rule over each other — we now know how beautifully two people can truly “live as one”.

My encouragement to you is that it wasn’t “learning a bunch of rules/tricks” or having to “find the right match”. The same person that was your fiercest enemy can become your closest friend when Jesus steps in and you hand it over.

So please don’t think that I’m bragging about “getting it right”. I’m telling you that I’ve been stupid. That I’ve done stupid things that ruined relationships and that ruined reputations and that broke trust. I’ve proven myself to be selfish, mean, cruel and demanding at times. I’ve overlooked being sweet, loving and caring at times. But even with all of my “getting it wrong”, my ex-wife has the beautiful life she deserves — and somehow I have a wonderful marriage that I neither deserve or could have hoped for.

I’m saying that no matter how many times you have gotten it wrong “on your own” — He has a way of turning ashes into diamonds.

I’m reminded of a verse in one of my favorite Psalms:

to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that he may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:3 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.61.3.ESV

Can we see the match — set ablaze quite in the same way that one who is living out Psalm 61 should be ablaze — not as a key to unlock the chains and shackles ourselves — not even as the source of the light ourselves (since we are what is being consumed in the light giving process).

The flame of the fire itself is the key.

Thank you Jesus!

As Nurses Carry Little Children

This morning, as I woke up early to start my day with quiet time with the Lord, I opened the Bible app on my phone and saw that a friend had highlighted some verses late last night:

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91:11‭-‬12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.91.11-12.ESV

And as I started my morning contemplating being “Rooted in the Word”, I immediately remembered that Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness with this very same verse:

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
Matthew 4:5‭-‬7 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.4.5-7.ESV

Today is a beautiful morning in our house as we celebrate my wife’s birthday. And as she and I prayed together this morning and I thanked God for her as one of the most amazingly good gifts that come down from heaven, and as I wondered how He could do such an amazing work in us to truly make us “one flesh” and build a marriage of love and unity, we could both see how the angels have guarded us in our ways — just like this Psalm foretells of “those who dwelleth in the secret place of the most high”.

I love Spurgeon’s commentary on this Psalm, and if we have time,  it will do our spirit good to read it and consider “those who live in close fellowship with the Lord”:

https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=spur&b=19&c=91

It seems that today I am reminded as I am thankful for my wife and close companion in life on her birthday — that I am even more thankful for the faithful friend and beloved Lord who walks with me even more closely and even more intimately.

Spurgeon explains of such blessings described in verse 1 of this Psalm:

“The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God. Every child of God looks towards the inner sanctuary and the mercyseat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence. Those who through rich grace obtain unusual and continuous communion with God, so as to abide in Christ and Christ in them, become possessors of rare and special benefits, which are missed by those who follow afar off, and grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Into the secret place those only come who know the love of God in Christ Jesus, and those only dwell there to whom to live is Christ.” – Charles M. Spurgeon

While also humbly reminding us of our own weaknesses in this particular verse of note — reminding us that we do not walk perfectly as Christ did, but that we stumble at times and must be tended to by the angels:

“They, that is the angels, God’s own angels, shall cheerfully become our servants. They shall bear thee up in their hands; as nurses carry little children, with careful love, so shall those glorious spirits bear up each individual believer. Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone; even minor ills they ward off. It is most desirable that we should not stumble, but as the way is rough, it is most gracious on the Lord’s part to send his servants to bear us up above the loose pebbles. If we cannot have the way smoothed it answers every purpose if we have angels to bear us up in their hands. Since the greatest ills may arise out of little accidents, it shows the wisdom of the Lord that from the smaller evils we are protected.” – Charles M. Spurgeon

Why Me Lord?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James 1:2‭-‬6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jas.1.2-6.ESV

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 15:31‭-‬33 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.15.31-33.ESV

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord , whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Psalm 56:8‭-‬11 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.56.8-11.ESV

Instead of asking “Why me Lord?” as a question of why we are facing trial, suffering, or correction… What if we asked “Why me Lord?” in the manner of this song:

https://youtu.be/PNDZYN-fJhQ

Let’s remember ands be encouraged that He is God of both the hills and valleys:

Rejoicing with a Loud Voice

And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Luke 19:36‭-‬40 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.19.36-40.ESV

In my walk, I get to visit many churches and different denominations and different peoples who are gathering to worship Jesus. And some are more reverent and quiet in their worship, and some are more active and loud. I think that it is easy for people who have been raised in either tradition (reverent/quiet or active/loud) to understand most comfortably their own style. But when we see people who genuinely love the Lord and can’t help but rejoice and praise and worship Him, we can see the beauty in their differences and not just judge by our own expectations.

Even an outwardly reverent worship with congregation and choir in perfect timing and harmony and controlled volume that recently does not diverge from the written musical notes and lyrics — should on the inside be spiritually worshipping with full abandon of heart and self to glorify God. And even an outwardly active and loud worship with freedom to clap, shout, dance, cry out, and improvise with the music and tune — should on the inside be reverently focused on Christ alone as receiving all glory and honor.

The Pharisees here weren’t just wrong for wanting to quiet the worship of the disciples so that it was more orderly ands in line with their own traditions. They were wrong because they couldn’t see or understand the True Worship that was flowing out of the disciples in ways that stretched beyond their own traditions.

I wonder if Jesus bringing attention to the “stones” would immediately remind these religious men both of scriptures about stony hearts and of stones laid upon an altar in special places as a remembrance of mighty things the Lord has done. And how many times when we have grown weary and cold and stony in our lives, has the Lord shown up and done wonderful things so that we could lay aside those stones as a marker along our path of something mighty and wonderful the Lord has done in us and through us?

We have much to rejoice this morning, friends. And whether we are up before the rest of the house giving God the first of our day and rejoicing quietly and reverently — or alone in our vehicle praising the Lord loudly and fervently — lets praise Him in spirit and in truth in the innermost places knowing that He is truly worthy of more honor and praise than even the best ashes that we could bring — and that lasting down our stones to walk with Him in fullness of life is the worship He desires.

God bless!