Watch Your Back!

I recently had a dream in which my husband and I were asleep in the bedroom of the house we moved from several years ago. Suddenly a loud commotion by the front door startled us from sound slumber, and we rushed out to see what had happened.

A gang of teenagers wielding knives were strutting through our foyer. Our son, who is now grown, but appeared to be about 12 years old in the dream, stood by apologetically. 

“I thought I recognized them from school, so I let them in,” he said sheepishly.

“Get out of here before we call the police,” my husband commanded the angry teens. 

“We’re just here to tell you, watch your back!” the ringleader threatened before skulking out with the others. 

Surprisingly, I was not frightened by this confrontation, but rather puzzled as to its meaning. Nonetheless, we decided to leave the house for the time being, so our family checked into a nearby hotel.

Upon reaching our room, there was a message that we had been entered into a prize drawing held in the hotel ballroom, and that we had won a takeout meal. So we went down to the lobby and checked with the manager, who asked if we had received the flowers that someone had attempted to deliver to us. We said that we hadn’t, but asked her about the food we had won, and she brought it to us in several shopping bags. 

Since it was already very late, we decided to take the food to the car so that we could enjoy it once we returned home the next day. But as I opened the car door and crawled in to position the bags on the seat, the door of the car parked next to us in the garage opened and a middle-aged, silver-haired man in a well-tailored business suit was pointing a gun at me.

“Hand over the food,” he said calmly but sternly. Of course I did so, shocked that an apparently wealthy and distinguished man would use a weapon to demand a bag of food, and thankful that he appeared to have no designs on my wallet or my life. 

“Watch your back!” he uttered before closing the door of his Lexus and driving away. 

As I awakened from the dream and contemplated its warning, I was struck by the very benign outcomes of what could have been horrific, life-changing tragedies, and also by the unexpected sources of the threats. 

It had been my son who had unwisely opened the door to a gang of intruders, having been deceived into thinking they were his classmates. Thankfully, in real life, my son is a wise, responsible, thoughtful, and caring young man. I believe that his uncharacteristic behavior in the dream was a warning that sometimes those close to us can unwittingly endanger us, even with the best of intentions. 

It reminded me that as the coronavirus pandemic progresses, we all need to take responsibility for one another, and not to be duped into thinking that the virus is harmless or even a hoax. We have all dealt with colds or other respiratory infections at one time or another, and our familiarity with these relatively minor disruptions to our daily life may allow us to let down our guard to the greater danger, and even mortality, of COVID-19 infection. 

No one likes being on lockdown, or refraining from hugs and even handshakes, social distancing, or wearing masks, particularly if we feel we are in good health, but in these perilous times, loving one another requires these measures. Studies have shown that people infected with COVID-19 can spread it to others even before they have any symptoms, and that the virus may even be most infectious during this time.

In the dream, my son’s welcoming gesture of hospitality led to an imminent threat to our family’s safety. In reality, many COVID-19 outbreaks have started in social gatherings and even in churches, where doors were opened with the best of intentions. I recently heard of a church that had carefully reopened with seats 6 feet apart and social distancing measures, which were undone by a loving, elderly saint who embraced everyone as they came through the door! 

Yet despite the potentially explosive situation in the dream of an armed crowd gathered in our entryway, the danger was quickly defused by my husband invoking the police, which I believe was a reference to God’s appointed and anointed authority figures here on earth (Romans 13:1-7), and by extension, to the protection of God Himself (Isaiah 41:10). 

Like all mankind under the curse of sin (Genesis 3:16-19), those in authority battle their demons (Romans 7:14-25), and some give way to Satan’s temptation for sin to reign in their lives and manifest as evil toward others (Romans 6:12). Yet God has appointed them for a reason, and it is His role, not ours, to carry out judgment (Romans 2; Ecclesiastes 12:14). 

Knowing that He is in control, even and especially when we seem to be in imminent danger, gives us peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the onlyWay to Heaven (John 14:6). 

The ensuing events in the dream seemed to be a series of acts of bad judgment – leaving our home unprotected in the middle of the night; venturing forth from the security of the hotel room to claim a “prize” of takeout food; not realizing that it would spoil anyway if not refrigerated; and taking it to the car in an unsecured garage at an hour when criminals could easily be lurking about. 

And yet God once again showed His hand of protection and mercy by allowing me to escape being shot simply by handing over the food I wouldn’t be able to use anyway. Each potentially fatal threat in the dream resulted in no harm to me or to my family, but only in the warning, “Watch your back.” 

I believe the message of the dream is one of avoiding errors of bad judgment by being sober and vigilant, for our enemy the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). It is true that no harm can befall us unless God allows it for our good and His glory (Job 1:10; Romans 8:28), and yet we are not to test Him by deliberately stepping into harm’s way (Deuteronomy 6:16). 

Even knowing that an angel would rescue Him, Jesus refused to follow Satan’s instruction to jump off the highest point of the temple (Matthew 4:5-7). We would not run in front of a moving vehicle just to give God an opportunity to show His strength and His love by saving us. Rather, Scripture says that the prudent see danger coming and hide themselves, but the foolish ignore it and are punished (Proverbs 22:3; 27:12). 

There are times when following God’s will requires not only trust in His protection, but a willingness to lay down one’s life for his friends (John 15:13), as Jesus epitomized when He died on the cross to pay for all our sins so that we could be allowed into Heaven (1 John 3:16). Soldiers who risk their life for their country, health care workers in the frontline of the pandemic, and Christian martyrs who die to spread the Gospel, are human examples of this type of agape love. They deserve our utmost gratitude, praise, honor and respect. 

Yet placing our personal freedoms ahead of public safety during the coronavirus pandemic seems to be a very different type of choice and of risk. By choosing to participate in large gatherings, not social distancing, and not wearing masks we may be endangering not only ourselves, but those in our community (ultimately, the world!) and those we claim to love. 

While it may not be a popular decision, as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15), which at this time we believe includes not putting others in harm’s way, to the extent possible. We will not test Him, and yet we have faith that He Himself will watch our back! He is our Commander and Rear Guard (Joshua 6:9,13) Who goes before us and behind us and Who encompasses us with His loving power (Psalm 5:12; 32:7; 139). 

He has equipped His children with the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), including the shield of faith, the breastplate of righteousness, the girdle of truth, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. No armor to protect our back is needed, for He Himself is there, guiding and guarding us wherever we go!   

© 2020 Laurie Collett

Why Does God Allow Us to Suffer?

The extraordinary events of recent times -- pandemic, financial crisis, global civil unrest, famine, drought, and severe weather -- all fan the flames of collective and individual suffering. How can a good God allow His children to suffer?

 

Yet Jesus is always there to hear and answer the prayers of His children, and He always does so in the best possible way, motivated by perfect love and enabled by infinite power and wisdom. This is often difficult to understand when we are praying earnestly and in His will, and yet He is allowing us to suffer, for one of several reasons, as part of His perfect plan.

If our suffering is a consequence of our sin, God may use this as part of the chastening process, as a loving Father disciplines His children to shape their character and behavior (Proverbs 13:24; Hebrews 12:6; Revelation 3:19). Yet not all our suffering is the result of our personal sin (John 9:1-3). Once we are saved by placing our faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven, physical or emotional pain unrelated to our own sin helps to make us more like Jesus Christ. 

As born-again Christians (John 3:3-8), we can identify with His suffering for us as He approached the cross, and on the cross, even though He was blameless, pure and holy (Philippians 3:8-10). The prophet Isaiah foretold that Jesus, the promised Messiah, would be a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Although He was wounded and punished to save us, we despised and rejected Him (Isaiah 53:1-12). 

God the Father did not answer the prayer of Jesus to remove the cup of suffering from Him if it were possible, yet He sent an angel to strengthen and comfort Jesus as He submitted to His Father’s perfect will (Luke 22:42-45). Jesus understands our suffering, gives us mercy and grace in trouble, and helps us in time of need (Hebrews 2:9-18). 

We should not be surprised when God allows to go through trials, as these strengthen our faith, refining it as gold is refined by the fire and resulting in praise, honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns (1 Peter 1:5-7; 2:20) and we stand before His judgment seat. As we share in suffering as Christ did, through fiery trials of persecution or other trouble, we are promised joy when He returns. If we suffer according to God’s will, we can trust Him to keep our souls and to enable us to continue His perfect plan for us. Not only is He our faithful Creator, but also our Redeemer and Sustainer (1 Peter 4:12-19). 

God may permit us to experience loss – of health, wealth, power, cherished dreams, and even of loved ones – to strengthen our faith in and dependence on Him (Job 1). If we ignore His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12) and His more urgent calls, and if we quench and grieve His Spirit living in our heart (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30), it may take disaster to bring us to our knees and to call out to Him in distress (Psalm 34:18). He receives our broken spirit and heart as cherished sacrifices to Him, allowing Him to restore us (Psalm 51:17). 

Even when we are submitting to His will, God may allow painful experiences to afflict us so that we gain wisdom and compassion to counsel others going through similar trials (2 Corinthians 1:7; Colossians 3:12). His light within us shines the brightest when we are in the darkest of circumstances. Job refused to renounce his God even when he had lost nearly everything he once held dear (Job 23:10-12). 

The apostle Paul found the peace that passes all human understanding and perpetual joy in the Lord (Philippians 4:4,7) when he had undergone countless hardships and was imprisoned in a miserable jail cell (2 Corinthians 11:24-30). He was able to thrive in all circumstances because of His intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, Who provided for all his needs (Philippians 4:12-13;19). Paul teaches us to receive that peace by handing our anxieties over to Him in prayer with thanksgiving and praise (Philippians 4:6-7). 

God’s grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in our weakness, so we have reason to rejoice in our shortcomings (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). We can even rejoice in our sufferings, as our perseverance through trials builds our character and gives us the sure hope of God’s love through His Spirit that lives within every believer (Romans 5:3-5). No matter how dark is the night of our sorrow, He promises that joy will come in the morning and that He will turn our mourning into joyful dancing (Psalm 30:5-12).

Once we begin to try to appreciate the limitless depths of God’s love, wisdom, and power, and to trust His grace and mercy (Psalm 119:76-77) to always work all circumstances together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28), we can begin to find the emotional and physical healing we so desperately need (Psalm 147:3). 

Praise God that His compassion and mercy are unfailing, faithful, and new every morning, always giving us new hope and a fresh start, no matter what our circumstances (Lamentations 3:19-26).

 

 

© 2016 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

Pentecost: Filling of the Holy Spirit

This Sunday, the church calendar commemorates Pentecost, when Christ's disciples were indwelled by the Holy Spirit. In these perilous times in which we now live, may all believers yield to the Spirit so that His light shines through us to illuminate the darkness!

In Scripture, cleansing water (1 John 5:6,8) and burning oil may each symbolize the Holy Spirit, Who has qualities of Living Water (Jeremiah 17:13; John 4; 7:38) as well as of holy fire (Isaiah 10:17). John the Baptist practiced baptism by water as the forerunner to Christ’s baptism by the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:36). John’s baptism by water was an act of repentance for sin, but Christ’s baptism with the Holy Ghost was compared to fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).

Christ’s shed blood washed believers clean of all sins (Revelation 1:5). After Christ’s completed work on the cross and His resurrection, the Holy Spirit, like cloven tongues of fire, landed on the disciples at the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The resulting filling by the Spirit allowed the disciples to speak in languages other than their native tongue, for the purpose of spreading the Gospel message to people of all nations.

The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25) suggests that only those virgins with oil burning in their lamps – those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit – will be admitted to the marriage supper, representing the Rapture to meet the Bridegroom in the air.

To be indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we must be born again, first by water (the physical birth) and then by the Spirit (John 3:5-8). This requires cleansing from our sins through our repentance and God’s forgiveness due to the substitutionary death of His Son (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). We must place our faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Cornthians 15:1-4) as our only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). As we realize, and continue to learn more and more about, Who He is, our hearts will burn within us (Luke 24:32), and we will be on fire for the Lord.

Water is sometimes called the universal solvent, because its cleansing action dissolves impurities and flushes them away. In contrast, oil tends to adhere to small particles, keeping them in contact with the skin or other surface. First we shower and then we apply perfumed body oil or beauty cream – it wouldn’t make much sense to reverse the order!

Similarly, we need the cleansing action of the Living Waters before the oil in our Spirit-filled lamps can burn brightly with a sweet fragrance. God dealt with Jerusalem and His chosen people in a similar sequence – first He cleansed them with water, and then He anointed them with oil (Ezekiel 16:9).

We see a moving example of cleansing and anointing in Luke 7 (38-48), in the sinful woman who wept at Jesus’s feet, washing them with her tears. No doubt her tears were shed in Godly sorrow, in repentance for her sins, as were the tears of David (Psalm 6:60;119:136) and Jeremiah (9:1,18; Lamentations 3:48). First her tears cleansed His feet from the dust and grime of the dirty roads, symbolizing the sins of the world, for Jesus Himself had no sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Then she wiped His feet with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with precious ointment. The oil in ointment allows it to preserve and convey perfume, spices and other costly substances. This woman stored her ointment in a precious alabaster box, which may have represented her dowry or all her worldly treasure. Yet she broke open the box and bestowed all the ointment lavishly on Jesus without considering the cost, because her heart was ignited by the Holy Spirit with passion to serve Him.

In a rainy parking lot, we may see oil drops floating on the wet pavement, causing a striking, rainbow-hued, swirling pattern known as a fractal. The light would not reflect in this jewel-toned design were the oil not aligned in a thin film, buoyed up by the water beneath. Similarly, the light and beauty of the Holy Spirit are not visible unless carried afloat by the Living Water indwelling each believer.

Cleansing, purification and anointing, as symbolized by water and oil, are essential to true worship. Oil and water in Scripture also reflect God’s provision, blessing, power, and judgment. May currents of living water flow forth from each of us, supporting the oil of the Spirit to reflect His brilliant light!

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Edited and reposted from the archives

After Life: Legacy of the Fallen

Photo by Robert Lawton 2006

On Memorial Day, the United States honors the ultimate sacrifice of our military who lost their lives defending our nation. After their life has passed, we remember their legacy, long after they have passed into eternity.

 

The concept of afterlife differs among various religions. To the born-again Christian (John 3:3-8) who has trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), it is the promise of abundant, eternal life with Him and our loved ones in Him (John 3:16; 10:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We will forever enjoy His light and love in our glorified bodies that will never die, age, sin, or experience sickness, pain, or sorrow (1 Corinthians 15:35-58).

 

He is even now preparing a special mansion for each of us (John 14:1-3) in an unimaginably beautiful City with streets of gold and gates of pearl (Revelation 21:2, 10-27). His rule and reign will be marked by perfect justice, peace and love (Isaiah 9:6). Each of us who trusted Him will have a position of some responsibility based on works we did for Him on earth, if we did them with the right motive of gratitude and love for Him (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

 

But when our earthly life comes to an end, and Christ takes us home to be with Him, the words “after life” also take on a second meaning. The United States holiday of Veterans Day honors and thanks our military for their faithful service in protecting our nation and the freedoms it represents. On Memorial Day, we especially remember those military who paid the ultimate price for our freedom by laying down their lives for us. 

 

The after life of these veterans who died protecting us includes that legacy of the greatest love of all – sacrificing one’s own earthly life for the sake of others (John 15:13). Their love speaks to us even from the grave, just as the righteousness and obedience of Abel still speak to us millennia after his death (Hebrews 11:4), What will be our legacy for those we leave behind? What will remain of us here on earth, and what impact will it have? 

 

Many are concerned about their financial legacy, and certainly it is important to provide for those dependent on our income, to the extent we can. Even if our loved ones are grown and self-sufficient, we may take pleasure in leaving them an inheritance. They may use that gift not only as a reminder of our love, but perhaps to carry on a work we started, whether it be giving to the church, to missions, or to further God’s kingdom in other ways. 

 

Even more important than our financial legacy is the impact we had on others, for good or for bad, during this life. Did we lead people to the Lord through our witness, lifestyle, and love? Or did we give them an excuse to reject Him because of our hypocrisy, indifference, or hate? 

 

Did we encourage the brethren and those in church leadership (Romans 13:1-8; 1 Corinthians 9:1-18) by kind words and deeds, sharing Scripture verses relevant to their trials, and thanking and praising them for their service? Or did we discourage them by being the first to complain and the last to volunteer, give, or even show up? 

 

What kind of example were we to our children and to young people who followed after us? Did we nurture them in God’s Word, ways, and love, or take out our own frustrations and anger on them? (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21) Did we show them the importance of Bible reading, prayer, church, and obedience to God’s laws in our own lives (Proverbs 22:6; Psalm 119:105), or did we ask them to do as we say, not as we do? Did we just drop them off at church while we pursued interests that were more important to us, or did we even take them to church at all? 

 

What we do in this life determines the quality of the after life we leave behind – the footprint, for good or for evil, affecting our descendants. Timothy, the apostle Paul’s protégé, followed the sincere faith instilled in him by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5). I was blessed to be raised in part by a Godly grandmother who was a great role model of faith, giving, love, and prayer, reminding me of the Proverbs 31 woman. 

 

We can gift our children and grandchildren with a spiritual inheritance of God’s mercy and righteousness (Psalm 103:17-18). If we obey God and trust in His Son, He will preserve our Godly legacy for our children’s benefit (Joshua 14:9). We cannot ensure that our descendants make a personal decision to follow Christ, but we are promised that if we train them in His ways, they will not turn from them in their old age (Proverbs 22:6). 

 

In the book of Acts, Luke tells us about Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, a sister in the faith who was beloved by all because of her good deeds and charitable giving. Her ministry consisted of using her God-given talents of sewing and clothing design to fashion coats and other garments for the widows. When she died, all those who loved her wept and sent for Peter, who prayed and raised her from the dead! (Acts 9:36-42). 

 

By virtue of her industry and charity during her life, Tabitha’s after life was one of thankful remembrance by all those she had helped, for she had been a faithful steward (1 Corinthians 4:2). But God answers prayers exceedingly abundantly (Ephesians 3:20) beyond what we could ever imagine or think! In this case, He answered Peter’s prayer by raising Tabitha from the dead, actually giving her a second life on earth after the life she had already lived! 

 

Even better, Tabitha’s legacy, or after life, continued, because many who heard of this miracle came to trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior! So Tabitha’s after life was not only her legacy of giving and caring, and not only her restoration to earthly life, but her eternal reward she enjoyed by playing a part in leading others to the Lord! 

 

The apostle Paul tells us that any Gospel seeds we sow in the lives of those who ultimately trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will not only change their eternal destiny, but will bless us with the eternal reward of the soulwinner’s crown, or crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19). Those who are saved will in turn sow seeds in the lives of others, which may be a part of our after life long after we no longer walk this earth. 

 

What will be our after life? May His light shine through us during our earthly life (Matthew 5:16), so that our after life blesses not only those who knew us, but all those who feel the ripples of love emanating from our spiritual legacy! 

 

© 2017 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives