Happy New Year!

"Question of the Week" will return next Friday, with a look at this query:

"Is it true that Christians 'can't' sin?"

May your 2011 have a solid foundation upon Jesus Christ, the Rock.

Image source: billycoffey.blogspot.com

Choosing What to See

This post is part of a blog carnival hosted by Peter Pollock. You're invited to visit his site and see what others are saying about today's theme: Reflection.

"The way we choose to see the world
creates the world we see."
~ Barry Kaufman

photo courtesy of Kelly Sauer

When looking at clear water or glass, do you see the surface image or into the depth?

We are created to appreciate beauty. When we look no further than superficial beauty—if distortion or ugliness prevents us from looking deeper—we miss true beauty. We know this simple truth, yet how often are we too busy or distracted to look beyond what we see first?

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But one who fears the LORD shall be praised.
~ Proverbs 31:30 (author)


When facing a mirror, do you focus on yourself, what is behind, or what is ahead?

There is a time to examine the image we present and alter it as needed. There is a time to glance backwards and make ourselves aware of what affects us. But gazing long at the past or at Self provides a limited view that can only hinder us from moving forward with others.

Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
~ Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV)


When giving a matter serious thought, what single factor most shapes your perspective?

In the movie "City Slickers," Jack Palance's character, Curly, says the secret of life is just one thing—and each person must find that one thing. What is your one thing, that first comes to mind when you are happy, sad, worried? What one thing you look at is shaping who you are?

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
~ 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

Lord, as we look back on the year behind, as we look to the year ahead, please allow us to see ourselves, our circumstances, and Your Son as You do. In every reflection, may we see You.

Comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments, or e-mail me ~ buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

My God

"Did time stand still?
Did everything that hath breath hold it?"
~ Sandra Heska King

More than two millennia ago, as birth pangs came upon a young virgin, did any of her forefather David's words of suffering come into her mind?

I am poured out like water ...
My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me.
My strength is dried up ...
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
~ Psalms 22:14-15

Could she know that the same psalm prophesied the experience of her Son?

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? ....
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet ...
They look and stare at Me.
~ Psalms 22:1,16-18

Thirty-three years later, when Mary watched Her Son's agony as His Father turned away, did she know that His thoughts included His mother's comforts and His trust in God?

But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts.
I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother's womb You have been My God.
~ Psalms 22:9-10

We unite with one another to celebrate the Word of God becoming flesh, and we call to mind that God subjected Himself to the whole of human experience as one of us.

My God, my God, thank You for the gift of Jesus, Your Word in warm, loving flesh. Thank You for rescue from the dust of death. Thank You for never forsaking me.

Comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments, or e-mail me ~ buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Question of the Week: What is The Christ?

Some of the [Christmas] words have been worn out. Can you put “glory,” “joy,” “Messiah / Christ,” etc. in today’s vernacular?
~ Don Kimrey

A wonderful Q&A theme for the Advent season is to revisit biblical definitions of these words. We'll insert the quintessential Christmas word “peace” for "etc.," and spread the answer out over four posts:

December 3: Glory
December 10: Joy / Rejoice
December 17: Peace
December 24: Messiah / Christ

: : :

"Annunciation" by Henry Ossawa Tanner
Image source: canvasreplicas.com

The Greek word "christ" and Hebrew word "messiah" both mean "anointed one."

The biblical word "anoint" refers to the pouring oil on a person. Olive oil was used as fuel for light. It was also poured on people as a cosmetic, to give skin and face the shine of health. Various herbs and spices in oil were used for food enhancement, for perfume, and for healing.

Anointing with oil was also a ritual, signifying that a person was set apart to serve God as His king, priest, or prophet, and often empowered by the Lord’s Holy Spirit. Persons were occasionally called "anointed" without ritual pouring of oil, when God appointed them for a special purpose.

Thus "anointed" also indicates the Holy Spirit and His power being poured out upon a person.

Long before the birth of Jesus, God promised He would send His Christ—THE Anointed One, God Himself in human flesh—to fill the three roles of King, Priest, Prophet. The great significance of Jesus’ mother Mary being a virgin is that Jesus' biological Father is God. The Holy Spirit did not simply empower Jesus as a Man, but impregnated His mother with a Person already divine:

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin ... "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS... The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God..." Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word."
~ Luke 1:26,31,35,38 (NKJV; also see Matthew 1:18-23)

By consenting for the Holy Spirit to come upon her, Mary accepted God's Word and thereby received His seed—"seed" meaning both offspring and God's Word. Jesus grew within her until the day she birthed Him and He became manifest to others.

This wonder celebrated at Christmas—Almighty God dwelling upon the earth by His Spirit having union with a human to reproduce the life of His Son—is an everyday miracle. Because the Lord's Anointed One came as conquering King to defeat death, came as Priest to offer Himself as sacrifice for sin, and came as Prophet with God's Word for us (His seed), we receive the same invitation that Mary did.

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
~ Acts 2:38 (NKJV)

We can accept God's Word and humbly offer ourselves as servants to God, yield to the power of Most High God entering our human flesh, and then reproduce the life of Jesus so that God might be manifest to the world.

Christians are not merely Christ-followers. We are Christ-bearers and anointed ones, set apart to God and empowered by His poured out Holy Spirit, so that we might burn as the light of Christ, shine with spiritual health, heal and be healed, and be the perfume of Christ.

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.
~ 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NKJV)

: : :

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see comments posted there click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com

© 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Darkness and Light

"Dark Lunar Eclipse" (at full moon)
Photo credit: Martin Pugh; Image source: apod.nasa.gov

God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
~ 1 John 1:5-6 (NKJV)

Today's winter solstice brings to the northern hemisphere more hours of darkness than any other day of the year. An overnight lunar eclipse further dimmed the moonlight, and clouds obscured even starlight, plunging the sky into full darkness.

Jesus observed that some people love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, but that lovers of truth are drawn to light—they are drawn to the Light of Jesus. (John 3:19-21)

The apostle John says much of Jesus—God Himself—as Light, and also as Life and as Love. John does not write in shadows, but draws sharp lines of separation between these definitions of Jesus, and the darkness, death, and hatred which define the devil. To choose the latter categorically excludes fellowship with the former.

Fellowship might be defined as time spent hearing and sharing what is in our hearts with one another. Fellowship with God means spending time in His presence, hearing and sharing with each other—through talking with Him and reading His Word, and through fellowship and love with His people.

Lunar Eclipse, as seen over Michigan
December 21, 2010, 1:50 am EST
(full eclipse obscured by clouds)

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
~ 1 John 2:9-10 (NKJV)

Darkness, death, and the devil take many forms and threaten in many ways. But they must shrink back when we have fellowship with God.

Darkness cannot prevail in the presence of Light.
Death cannot prevail in the presence of Life.
The devil cannot prevail in the presence of Love.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
~ John 8:12 (NKJV)

Father in Heaven, thank You for the great gift of your Son, in Whom You have given us Light, Life and Love. Whatever darkness surrounds us, please draw our attention to Your prevailing Light.

Comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments, or e-mail me ~ buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Question of the Week: What is Peace?

Some of the [Christmas] words have been worn out. Can you put “glory,” “joy,” “Messiah / Christ,” etc. in today’s vernacular?
~ Don Kimrey

A wonderful Q&A theme for the Advent season is to revisit biblical definitions of these words. We'll insert the quintessential Christmas word “peace” for "etc.," and spread the answer out over four posts:

December 3: Glory
December 10: Joy / Rejoice
December 17: Peace
December 24: Messiah / Christ

: : :



Here is one Hebrew word easily translated: shâlôm.

Peace.

This Hebrew masculine noun is rooted in a verb that means to be safe and well; to make complete or to be completed.

True peace is holistic; that is, it takes in the whole person. Anyone who otherwise lives in health and ease, yet experiences gnawing hunger pangs in body, mind, heart, or soul, is not at peace.

If we look to the Bible for how to find peace, we discover that not only does peace affect the whole person, it is obtained in a Person:

You will keep in perfect peace,
The one fixed upon You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in YHWH forever,
For YAH—YHWH—is the Rock of Ages [everlasting strength].
~ Isaiah 26:3-4 (author)

We see here why peace eludes us. We think we can find peace in prosperity, in vigor of health, in relationship with another human. These things can bring a measure of peace, especially when we recognize them as gifts from God.

But they are all temporal. Prosperity is maintained by no small effort. Health and vigor are under constant attack from lifestyle, environment, and age. Every human relationship will eventually fail us, since every other human is as flawed as ourselves.

YHWH (also Yahweh, Jehovah, the LORD) is the Rock of Ages—eternal, everlasting strength. He does not change. His love never fails.

The more we are fixed on temporal things, the more ways we experience disappointment in their failing us. The more we are fixed upon YHWH, and establish Him as the solid foundation of our lives, the more peace we find amid the failures of all that is temporal.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
~ Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

A closing thought about peace is this: just as lack of peace in one part of the body affects the whole person, lack of peace in one part of Christ’s body of believers affects the whole. Indeed, lack of peace in one part of humanity affects the whole.

2010 draws to a close on a world without peace. While each of us might work toward peace in our corner of the globe, we remember—in this expectant season of Christmas—that peace cannot be complete until The Prince of Peace again walks the earth, as He promised He would.

: : :

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see comments posted there click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com

© 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: flickr.com

Hearing the Lord Sing

This post is part of a blog carnival hosted by Peter Pollock. You're invited to visit his site and see what others are saying about today's theme: Rejoice.



"The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
~ Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

Can a newborn know the fierce love of the parent who rejoices over it?

The child will learn love and share love, multiplying the rejoicing. And on the day when one rejoices over one's own child, that love is perhaps finally understood.

Such is the love and rejoicing of our God over us. We can't quite comprehend the extent of His love, nor can we love Him as much. We don't always see ourselves or our circumstances as something to rejoice over. Yet whether or not we choose to join Him in the rejoicing—if we're even able—He does indeed rejoice over us.

We shall one day hear clearly His songs of rejoicing over us. For now, we simply offer to Him our songs of praise, worship, woe, brokenness—and rejoicing.

In the stillness, we may perchance hear the faint echo of His song even now.

"Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you."
~ John 16:22 (NKJV)

© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: best-norman-rockwell-art.com

Question of the Week: What is Joy / Rejoicing?

Some of the [Christmas] words have been worn out. Can you put “glory,” “joy,” “Messiah / Christ,” etc. in today’s vernacular?
~ Don Kimrey

A wonderful Q&A theme for the Advent season is to revisit biblical definitions of these words. We'll insert the quintessential Christmas word “peace” for "etc.," and spread the answer out over four posts:

December 3: Glory
December 10: Joy / Rejoice
December 17: Peace
December 24: Messiah / Christ

: : :

Image source: denverbroncos.com

The Finnish language has three dozen different words for snow. Some of us understand the difference between Colorado champagne powder, Michigan sleet, and springtime mashed potato snow—any of which may be a foreign concept to the Floridian.

The Bible has over two dozen Hebrew words and about a dozen Greek words used in 69 different ways to express joy and rejoicing, with an astounding variety of concepts. Three basic points that the Bible makes about joy and rejoicing are these:
• rejoicing actively shares unrestrained joy
• joy is commonly connected to labor or sorrow
• lasting joy springs from the Lord’s goodness

Some Hebrew & Greek words used to describe rejoicing include ideas of exult, cheer, make merry, gush, burst out, laugh, congratulate, celebrate, gleam, be bright, skip, jump, leap, dance, twirl, spin, spring, stomp, shout, boast, sing, scream, clamor, toss the head, enjoin, hurry eagerly.

Perhaps the clearest example of biblical-style rejoicing in our culture is watching sports fans, particularly at season’s finale. Otherwise staid and placid humans go into fanatical frenzy and embrace strangers when their team overcomes all others. I well remember being in the Denver crowd which threw a parade for the Broncos in 1978. After a thirteen losing seasons, we didn’t seem to mind that our team returned from Super Bowl XII as the NFL’s Number Two.

The Bible often describes the most intense joy following the most intense sorrow. Among Jesus’ last words before His cruel death were these:

"Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you."
~ John 16:20-22 (NKJV)

I have never known a time when so many Christians are struggling through so many intense difficulties. Amid affliction, how do we produce the spiritual fruit of joy (Greek chara—delight, cheerfulness)?

We keep our hearts mindful of the blessings we do have by continually expressing thanks to God. We express love, because we know God's love. We remind ourselves often that of all the good things we might ask from God, He already offers us His greatest gift: His Son Jesus.

Now when [the shepherds] had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child... Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
~ Luke 2:17,20 (NKJV)

If you're able, picture the shepherds high-fiving and hugging one another, then jamming cell phone lines and putting Twitter & Facebook "over capacity" in the excitement to share their joy.

: : :

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see comments posted there click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com

© 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Security

September 11, 2001, 9:03:04 a.m.
Flight 175 Strikes the South Tower

Photo credit: Spencer Platt / Getty Images
Image source: life.com

Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
~ Psalms 127:1 (NKJV)

Walls of defense which humans erect, whether visible or invisible, are no more than illusion. Security is found in only the Lord.

© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Inevitable Triumph

Today's post is dedicated to the memory of all who lost their lives and risked their lives in defense of freedom during World War II.

USS Arizona
Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941
From the National Archives

"With confidence in our armed forces—
with the unbounding determination of our people—
we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God."
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

This last weekend, our worship ministries orchestra, choir, and drama team presented an adaption of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" for two nights. The presentation featured an apartment set on one half of the stage and an 1941 radio studio on the other half. Our musical had its moments of comedy, top-quality soloists, and big band era music.

The climatic scene was when news is received of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and a father hears over the radio that his son's battleship—the USS Arizona—has just been completely destroyed. We did our best to honor history, our veterans, and our Lord. We all prayed that a message of hope amid tragedy, available through life in Christ, is what people would take home with them.

Though our worship ministry team practiced faithfully, we were aware that our performance did not achieve perfection. But it's unlikely that the audience noticed the numerous minor flaws. I believe we presented excellence, and that is what will be remembered. Though we wish to do well for the sake of the team, the greater goal is that our offering is pleasing to the Lord, however imperfect.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
~ Psalms 19:14 (NKJV)

Evil thoughts pass through the heart. David did not pray for the Lord's acceptance of his thoughts, but of his meditation and spoken words.

This prayer is not as difficult as it looks. Whatever wrong thoughts may come to us, we must determine not to make them our heart's meditation, nor allow them to escape as spoken words.

God knows we're not perfect. He doesn't ask us to be. He asks us to strive for excellence. He asks us to give Him our best offering, flaws and all, keeping in mind how He loves and accepts His children. He has promised to not remember our sins, and He has promised to remember us. For He has (Isaiah 49:15-16) inscribed us on the palms of His nail-scarred hands.

In Jesus, we have inevitable triumph.

Comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

No Longer a Slave

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
~ Galatians 4:7 (NKJV)

If one views captivity as natural, freedom from slavery will not be desired, nor will liberty be valued even when offered as a free gift.

© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Question of the Week: What is Glory?

Some of the [Christmas] words have been worn out. Can you put "glory," "joy," "Messiah / Christ," etc. in today’s vernacular?
~ Don Kimrey

A wonderful Q&A theme for the Advent season is to revisit biblical definitions of these words. We'll insert the quintessential Christmas word "peace" for "etc.," and spread the answers out over four posts:

December 3: Glory
December 10: Joy / Rejoice
December 17: Peace
December 24: Messiah / Christ

: : :

Photo courtesy of Sandra Heska King

Glory

The Bible uses no fewer than nine Hebrew and four Greek words which are translated "glory" in English. Both noun and verb forms of those words include familiar concepts such as splendor, majesty, grandeur, and especially dazzling light. But they also take in much more than the inherent beauty we commonly associate with glory.

The Bible's words for glory include praise, or boasting, as in the phrase "give glory." Some of the original language words' literal meanings include "ample" or "swell up"—because glory is always something huge. When we give glory, we are boasting in a showy way; we are magnifying God, or making Him bigger in the eyes of others.

Yet glory is even more than size. We think of it as abstract, but it has substance. The most common word for glory (Hebrew kâbôd) literally means "weight." However else we think of dazzling light and glory, we do not think of it as heavy. On the contrary, we attribute heaviness to the burden of suffering and affliction.

But the two usually go together. The greater the weight of affliction borne with faith, the greater the glory we give to God—and the greater the glory we lay up for ourselves. This is the concept described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:17:

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Jesus exemplified this principle on behalf of us all. Yet He sought glory for only His Father, rather than for Himself, trusting that the Father would one day share that glory with His Son. It is this weight of glory—bound up in the weight of suffering—which we shall one day share with God.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
~ Hebrews 2:9-10 (NKJV)

In the Old Testament, the presence of God was occasionally visible in His shekinah glory, or His visible glory. At Jesus birth, the glory of the Lord again became visible: God became man to manifest the dazzling light of His love; His shekinah glory shone around the angels who heralded His presence; and their message carried the weight of the cross and all its suffering, bound up in the name "Savior."

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
~ Luke 2:11 (NKJV)

: : :

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see comments posted there click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com

© 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Intercourse of Fellowship

This post is part of a blog carnival hostessed by Bridget Chumbley. You're invited to visit her at "One Word at a Time" and see what others are saying about today's theme: Fellowship.

And the LORD God said,
"It is not good that man should be alone ..."
~ Genesis 2:18 (NKJV)

It’s said that a small child’s greatest fear is abandonment. We understand that one of the most subtle yet devastating forms of torture is to inflict solitary confinement on a person. The human spirit can rise above nearly any shared suffering—but it withers in the vacuum of loneliness.

So God created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.
~ Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)

The Bible speaks of fellowship with the Greek nouns metochē ("hold amid"; participation; intercourse) and koinōnia (social intercourse; communion). The latter word can include the meaning of completeness.

The Lord spoke the animals into existence. But the Creator's fellowship with people began by forming man with His hands, and then intimately breathing His life into this creature made in His own image.

Our human attributes unique to God's image include a free will which discerns morality and the ability to communicate logic. We are not simply social, as many animals are, but our souls are bound up with one another in communion. We are incomplete without one another, because we are made in the image of a God who created us for fellowship.

And they heard the sound of the LORD God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day ...
~ Genesis 3:8 (NKJV)

We share with our Creator the need for fellowship.

If God simply wanted worshipers, He needed only the angels. Yet there is something about a perfect God which seeks completeness through communion with puny humans—something which seeks to love and be loved.

We enjoy social intercourse with our Maker through His Word in the Bible, through His Holy Spirit in prayer, and through fellowship with His body of believers. Such intercourse is only a foreshadowing of the union we shall one day share with one another and with Him.

God says,
"Who draws near to Me an inch,
I will draw near to him an ell; *
and whoso walks to meet Me,
I will leap to meet him."
~ Eastern Proverb

[*ell is the length from elbow to middle finger's tip]

Lord of Heaven and Earth, who are we that You should desire our love? How great is Your love for us! May we delight to spend our days learning to love You.

I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: larsoninstitute.com

Four-Day Holiday

Note: there will be no "Question of the Week" tomorrow. May your Thanksgiving celebration be filled with the receiving and giving of blessing! ~ Anne

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts.
No Americans have been more impoverished than these
who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving."
- H. U. Westermayer

"When you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days ... and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days... It shall be a statute forever in your generations."
~ Leviticus 23:39-41 (NKJV)

After the harvest, during the weeklong Feast of Ingathering (also called "Tabernacles" or "Sukkot"), the Israelites weren't compelled to give thanks. Perhaps the Lord simply set the stage with the intention that the people would spontaneously give thanks if given opportunity.

Our nation has officially declared a day for giving thanks, which has become an annual four-day holiday. Our founders haven't compelled us to give thanks, but simply provided the opportunity with the intent that we do so, and thereby procure continued blessing.

Amid the feasting and football and shopping—amid suffering and adversity and remembrance of deceased loved ones—may we remember with thanks the Giver of all our blessings. May this be an occasion to refresh the frequency and manner with which we thank our generous God.



Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
~ Psalms 107:15 / :21 / :31 (NKJV)

I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Artwork image, "First Thanksgiving" by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863–1930)
source: commons.wikimedia.org
Image source for cornucopia unavailable

God's Need

"Be persuaded, timid soul,
that He has loved you too much to cease loving you."
~ François de la Fenelon

Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So the father divided his property between them..."
~ Luke 15:11-12 (ISV)

Though this beloved parable has its application for evangelism, it also mirrors two kinds of Christians. The older son is evidently quite capable, has access to his father’s wealth, and does many righteous works. He sees himself as an asset to his father. But he calls his obedience "slavery" or "bondage" (Greek douleuō). His heart has long been distant from his father.

The younger son knows his father’s goodness. His brother’s achievement is painfully obvious. How can he measure up? The feeling of unworthiness surely started long before he first slept with prostitutes and then later with pigs. He is finally forced to confront his inability, destitution bred by squandered wealth, and many wicked deeds.

Both sons measure themselves by capability, resources, and works. Both believe their father uses the same standard. Neither lived a life of closeness to his father, though the father obviously desired it all along.

"So he got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him affectionately."
~ Luke 15:20 (ISV)

I’ve visited the place of both sons. There was a time when I had learned so many amazing things about God and His gifts to me that I thought I'd become an asset to God and could start coasting. When later confronted by how deeply-entrenched my sin is, I regarded myself as unfit to do or give anything worthwhile to God, and therefore unworthy to draw too closely to Him.

The Lord doesn’t regard us as assets or liabilities. He looks past what we have and sees who we are. Having been transfused with His Son’s blood, we've become our Father’s daughters and sons.

We can offer God nothing with our capability, resources, or works. He has sufficient might to create the universe, owns everything in it, and already did His greatest work at Calvary.

But we do have one thing outside the Lord's control and dominion. And He needs it.

Because God is Love, He needs relationship—He needs our freely given love.

God names Himself Father rather than Master. He asks us for relationship rather than service. Even if we encounter His occasional discipline or displeasure, mutual love prevails over all.

If ever at a loss for how to express love for God, a good place to start is giving Him thanks.

: : :

Note: This Thursday, for Thanksgiving, I’ll share with both saved and unsaved women at the local county jail a similar message about feelings of unworthiness and how to draw closer to God by giving Him thanks. I’d be most grateful if you’d take just a moment right now and ask the Lord to use my words in their lives.

I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: southern-orthodoxy.blogspot.com

Question of the Week: Can Marital Sex be Sinful? Part III

Is pornography adultery?
~ Anonymous
Am I obligated to sleep with a spouse who I do not think loves me anymore and is just using me for sex?
~ Anonymous


These were submitted as two separate questions. Both might receive a simple 'yes' based on Matthew 5:28 and 1 Corinthians 7:4-5. But addressing sin in context of marital sex deserves far more depth, and three posts are planned to offer some answers:

Part I: Sexual Immorality, Unique Sin
Part II: Sex Drive, Unique Motivation
Part III: Sexual Contrasts, Unique Solution

: : :

SEXUAL CONTRASTS, UNIQUE SOLUTION

"In a relationship conflict,
crying is often a woman's response to feeling unloved,
and anger is often a man's response to feeling disrespected."
~ Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
Love and Respect Ministries, Inc.

Let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
~ Ephesians 5:33 (NKJV)

The same contrasts between a man and woman which cause differences also have potential to bring distinction to their relationship.

The entire fifth chapter of Ephesians weaves back and forth in discussion of union between the believer with the Spirit, between a man and wife, between Christ and His bride. Paul blurs the lines throughout the section, so that all he says may be applied to marriages both spiritual and human. He ends on the emphatic point of love and respect—Greek agapaō and phobeō.

This verb phobeō (from which we derive the noun "phobia") is translated "fear" every other time it appears in the Bible. There is only one reason to justify the deviation of most translations, which render this verb as "respect" rather than "fear" in this exceptional verse.

Here, phobeō is coupled with love.

Men must be respected by their wives, or they will not feel loved. If a man thinks his wife does not convey respect—whether in her assessment of his judgments and capabilities, or by her words spoken to him and about him—he will not feel loved, and he will have difficulty conveying love to her. She may even think she intends respect, but what will matter to him is what he perceives.

Likewise, regardless of how a man actually feels about his wife, a woman who feels unloved will not only be utterly crushed, but will also have some difficulty showing her husband respect in a way which is meaningful to him.

Few things are as vulnerable as a man’s ego and a woman's heart.

The bedroom has more potential than anywhere else as a place for love and respect to be displayed or denied. Here, where a man and woman are most vulnerable and exposed, a marriage may be bonded or broken.

The man who wants a wife to respect his judgment and capabilities anywhere else will first demonstrate them here. When he unlocks her emotions with his love and tenderness, he finds the key to her passions and responsiveness.

If a woman struggles to show respect to a husband she feels unworthy of it, even that must be communicated with respect. If she would invite him to love her unconditionally, she will respect him unconditionally.

The soul of a man's ego and a woman's heart are where they are most easily injured—or where they find most exquisite delight.

When sin and immorality and injury persist via sex, without repentance, marriage breaks down.

When love and respect flourish via marital sex, they will likely bloom throughout the marriage—with her as his most passionate champion, him as her most devoted lover.

: : :

For more on love and respect, see "For Guys Only."

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see additional comments containing ongoing dialogue, click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com

© 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Currency of Joy

This post is part of a blog carnival hostessed by Bridget Chumbley. You're invited to visit her at "One Word at a Time" and see what others are saying about today's theme: Gratitude.

Image source: photobucket.com

"What we take for granted is never ours
until we have bought it by pain.
A thing is worth just what it costs."
~ Oswald Chambers

Desperate people come to a place where they are driven either by despair to give up, or by resolve to persevere beyond all reason and apparent ability.

When King David hit bottom, he believed in God's promise to never give up on him. From a place of abject despair, he did not give up on God. Though he had committed adultery and murder, David had the audacity to ask the Lord for joy and edification:

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me with a generous spirit.
~ Psalms 51:12 (author)

In asking God to restore his joy, David asks for the spirit with which to take hold of it—a spirit of generosity, or noble liberality, toward God.

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully... God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you ...
~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NKJV)

Generosity comes easily from abundance. But in time of scarcity, generosity comes by sacrifice and great cost.

Generous expressions of gratitude to God for His blessings are fitting in times of abundance and easily sown. When thanksgiving and praise become a sacrifice—given from poverty, in famine of joy—it is not as easy to sow with a liberal hand. Yet if there will ever be a bountiful harvest, there must be bountiful sowing, even from a place of scarcity.

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
~ Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

Gratitude is the currency with which joy is purchased. Joy eludes the ungrateful heart of complaint and discontent. The heart willing to sow gratitude with a generous spirit in time of famine will again reap abundant joy. In any economy, value is determined by the price one is willing to pay to obtain what one seeks.

To be desperate for joy offers a choice. Either give up, or pay out the currency of joy. It is tendered with gratitude, however high the price.

I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When You said, "Seek My face,"
My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."
~ Psalms 27:6-8 (NKJV)

"Discontent is a sin that is its own punishment ...
It is a sin that is its own parent.
It arises not from the condition, but from the mind.
As we find Paul contented in a prison,
so Ahab discontent in a palace."
~ Matthew Henry

My thanks to Ginny at "Make a Difference to One" for the Matthew Henry quote.
I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Question of the Week: Can Marital Sex be Sinful? Part II

Is pornography adultery?
~ Anonymous
Am I obligated to sleep with a spouse who I do not think loves me anymore and is just using me for sex?
~ Anonymous


These were submitted as two separate questions. Both might receive a simple 'yes' based on Matthew 5:28 and 1 Corinthians 7:4-5. But addressing sin in context of marital sex deserves far more depth, and three posts are planned to offer some answers:

Part I: Sexual Immorality, Unique Sin
Part II: Sex Drive, Unique Motivation
Part III: Sexual Contrasts, Unique Solution

: : :

PART II: SEX DRIVE, UNIQUE MOTIVATION

"In real love you want the other person's good.
In romantic love, you want the other person."
~ Margaret Chase Smith

Once upon a time, in a world without sin, the Creator gave woman to man as a companion. In all creation, she alone was like him, and yet she was wholly different. Their ideal lives had nothing to challenge unconditional love for each other.

Then sin came into the picture. Agonizing toil and labor would now consume both the man and woman in their respective occupations, and newfound self-centeredness would forevermore put their relationship in continual jeopardy.

Little might compel a man and woman to unite if the Creator did not also give the man a fight-to-the-death sex drive and the woman a drive for relationship ("your desire shall be for your husband"—Genesis 3:16). While there is no doubt that men were also created for relationship, and women were also created to enjoy sex, it's generally understood that most men are more driven toward physical satisfaction and most women are more driven toward emotional satisfaction. *

Ideally, each partner prompts the other to find both kinds of satisfaction in sexual intimacy—the Creator's super glue to permanently bond together two otherwise ill-fitting creatures in the institution of marriage.

Super glue is interesting stuff. It is reputed to create a bond stronger than the materials it unites. It forms that bond with incredible speed. And if not used with sufficient care, it will bond things not meant to be bonded, or otherwise cause damage.

The same is true of sexual intimacy. Blog host Russell Holloway noted in his comment last week that sex has recreational and procreational components, but is most importantly a form of communication. Sexual intimacy creates a unique vulnerability and opens channels of communication in marriage which can strengthen it as nothing else. If intimacy includes immorality, sexual intimacy can also injure a marriage as nothing else.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
~ 1 Corinthians 7:4-5 (NKJV)

It’s been said that women learn to fake pleasure and men learn to fake relationship.

Dishonesty and vulnerability are a dangerous mix.

Faking might seem preferable to facing how weak the marriage is. Indulgence of sexual immorality might look like a way to revive the sexual bond of marriage. But sin can never deliver on what it promises. What it does always deliver is consequences greater than its fleeting pleasure.

Not-faking might seem an adequate excuse to avoid sexual intimacy. But frustrated desire—whether a man's physical desire or a woman's emotional desire—makes a person vulnerable to seeking some manner of satisfaction outside of marriage, and is a recipe for marriage failure.

God’s Spirit provides another, better option, to be examined next week.

~ ~ ~

* Paul mentions that for the sake of God's kingdom, the Holy Spirit gives some people a gift to appreciate celibacy (1 Corinthians 7:7-9;32-34).

: : :

For more on the consequences of sexual immorality, see "For Beauty, If She is Listening."

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see additional comments containing ongoing dialogue, click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com.

© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: homepages.ius.edu

Pity or Compassion?

To the best of my memory, I've never asked anyone for permission to repost a blog article. But this stands out as one of the best posts I've read. Ever. Today I share a worthy repeat from Connecting to Impact.

: : :

PITY OR COMPASSION?
by Jason Stasyszen

There’s a show on History (you know, used to be the History Channel) called American Pickers. Now, I honestly don’t watch it all the time, but it is very entertaining.

I mean, just listen to the premise: two guys drive around in a van combing through barns, garages, and warehouses looking for treasures in a sea of hoarded items.

Okay, it doesn’t sound that amazing, but what makes it so great are the two guys who are so passionate and excited about what they’re looking for. They never know what they’ll find or even what they’re looking for entirely, but they love the thrill of finding that special treasure and bargaining with the owner to part with it.

I’ve decided I want to be more like this–but about people. I think there’s too much pity in the world and not enough compassion. We pity people for their hard childhood, their presently hard circumstances, their poor decisions… That’s not even mentioning that we often pity ourselves for much the same reasons.

These guys are passionate about seeing things not as they are currently or even what they were used for 50-100 years ago. It’s all about how these items can be cleaned up, repurposed, and made useful again. Their risks don’t always pay off, but it never dampens their enthusiasm.

Pity can’t do that. Pity won’t do that–because pity won’t even try.

God didn’t send us Jesus because He pitied us, but because He was passionate about us. Jesus didn’t heal, forgive, restore, and deliver out of pity, but because He had compassion and it always moved Him to change their lives. The more they hung around Him, the more their lives changed.

Likewise, Jesus isn’t building a Church that will pity the poor, blinded, broken, and desperate. We need to be passionate about how God sees them and us, never settling for a lesser vision.

→ Pity says “Don’t expect too much. We know it’s been really hard.”

→ Compassion says, “Get up! Take up your mat and walk.”

→ Pity says “I’ll just try to make you comfortable down there.”

→ Compassion says “There’s no reason you can’t come up here!”

Don’t get me wrong, I can’t change anyone and I won’t try. God has to do that, but He has a way of using those with hearts after Him. We get to be conduits of grace.

I’m tired of pitying a broken world full of hurting people. I want God’s compassion alive inside me to go out and find the treasures on the street corners, the grocery stores, the office buildings–and I want to allow God to touch my eyes so that I can see them the way God does.

I hope somebody’s with me today! What do you think? Care to add others to the list of pity says/compassion says?

: : :

Jason received some great responses over at his blog. My favorite comment was this, from Sandra Heska King:

"Pity is wallowing in the shallows with someone. Compassion is pulling them with you into the deep."

To see more comments, and to share your thoughts with Jason, click here

© 2010 by Connecting to Impact all rights reserved. Used by permission of Jason Stasyszen, pictured here with wife Andrea. Thanks again, Jason!

Question of the Week: Can Marital Sex be Sinful? Part I

1. Is pornography adultery?
~ Anonymous
2. Am I obligated to sleep with a spouse who I do not think loves me anymore and is just using me for sex?
~ Anonymous

These were submitted as two separate questions. Both might receive a simple 'yes' based on Matthew 5:28 and 1 Corinthians 7:4-5. But addressing sin in context of marital sex deserves far more depth, and three posts are planned to offer some answers:

Part I: Sexual Immorality, Unique Sin
Part II: Sex Drive, Unique Motivation
Part III: Sexual Contrasts, Unique Solution

: : :

PART I: SEXUAL IMMORALITY, UNIQUE SIN

"What makes pornography so addictive
is that more than anything else in a lost man's life,
it makes him feel like a man
without ever requiring a thing of him."
~ John Eldredge, from Wild at Heart

(To provide full explanations, today's post includes full biblical texts rather than the usual links.)

Jesus unequivocally defined lust as the sin of adultery. Perhaps He anticipated an argument that lust is inescapable—a person can’t help where the eye looks and what is then compelled of the hand—because He went on to address such rationale. Here is the complete text:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."
~ Matthew 5:27-30 (NKJV)

The context of sexual immorality continues into the verses which immediately follow:

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."
~ Matthew 5:31-32 (NKJV)

Thoroughly despicable to the Jews, adultery carried the death penalty. Jesus pointed out that a divorced woman was compelled to seek another man for support, and He declared a man who commits divorce as guilty of complicity to resulting adultery—unless his wife gave him sufficient grounds for divorce. Jesus didn’t specify grounds for divorce as adultery (Greek moicheia). He instead spoke of sexual immorality (Greek porneia), a broader sin which includes adultery. Jesus affirms permanency of marriage—and how intolerable sexual immorality in marriage is.

Paul describes sexual immorality as a unique sin because of the way sex unites one person, body and soul, to another. He uses this principle to point out that God's Spirit unites Himself to our bodies, and our bodies are to honor that Spirit:

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "The two," He says, "shall become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
~ 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (NKJV)

We generally think of pornography as a visual temptation which indulges men to lust. But pornography can include images, audio, or text, whether explicit or evocative. It may tempt a man or a woman, married or single. It may tempt indulgence of physical lust or emotional lust. Pornography sabotages marriage, both present and future, and cannot be separated from the lust which violates the commandment, "You shall not commit adultery."

Such lust is only one aspect of sexual immorality, which violates a higher commandment. Because it degrades our bodies, which serve as dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, sexual immorality sabotages efforts to love the Lord our God with all our soul, heart, mind, body.

: : :

For more on defining sin, see "Is It Wrong?"

For more on divorce and the sanctity of marriage, see "What is Marriage?"

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see additional comments containing ongoing dialogue, click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com.

© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Confessions

This post is part of a blog carnival hosted by Bridget Chumbley at her site "One Word at a Time." You're invited to see what others are saying about today's theme: Reconciliation.

"Find the Lord before you need Him."
~ Randy Travis

Please don't hold it against me if I confess that I genuinely like math. It is objective, absolute, and reliable. In a fallen world, math holds true. I notice symmetry in art and architecture, in poetry and even prose, whether overt, subtle, or hidden. I had to quit Sudoku when it became addictive.

And I enjoy old-fashioned checkbook reconciliation, neatly reconciling my manual entries with the bank to the penny.

Years ago we had fewer dollars, so account balances were closely watched. But now, unless a large expense necessitates knowing our exact balance, I simply stay aware of roughly how much money is available rather than keep a running balance. So checkbook reconciliation done every month or two also determines if we have as much money as I think we do.

It is quite rare, but I also confess to occasionally receiving a Transfer Notice from the bank, when I've become distracted and had a skewed perception of our balance. I'm seriously annoyed with myself if that happens. But we've never had problems (thank You thank You THANK YOU, Lord!) because we maintain a savings cushion, however thin it gets.

"Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance..."
Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
~ Isaiah 55:2,6 (NKJV)

I don't like making this next confession: I reached a point of trying to get away with roughing it in my spiritual life. Jesus and I connected 25 years ago, and I've stayed faithful to maintain my spiritual life, replenishing my cushion of spiritual strength so that it rarely got anywhere close to beaten down. I attached myself to my Father's leg like a toddler in a crowd or a storm.

Then I got sloppy. I'd like to think I didn't take my Father for granted. Perhaps asking for conviction and then repenting became routine, and I wasn't going as deep. I know I got distracted. I started out by holding onto my Father, then gradually started to just maintain an awareness of His whereabouts to grab onto Him if something big necessitated it.

When the big storm did hit, I realized I wasn't exactly where I thought. My Father hadn't moved, and I managed to grab onto the solid, absolute, and reliable Rock which has always supported me. But I hadn't adequately replenished the spiritual cushion I'd been drawing from. I landed on that Rock with a painful thud. I hadn't accurately perceived my spiritual condition.

You will keep in perfect peace,
The one fixed upon You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
For YAH, the LORD, is the Rock of Ages.
~ Isaiah 26:3-4 (author)

Jesus reconciled us to the Father with His blood. Reconciliation is also a matter of being fixed upon the Lord, daily taking account of our closeness to Him, and asking how His assessment compares. Getting distracted or sloppy results in skewed perceptions of our spiritual condition. The time to find the right place with the Lord is most definitely before you most need Him.

Lord, I love You more than I can express and less than is adequate. I shudder to think of how I've taken You for granted. Please let me not grow complacent. Please give me strength and desire to follow hard after You every day of my life, without growing weary.

I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: lakesfcu.com

Question of the Week: What About Job?

I wonder about the whole showdown with Job ...
~ Wendy Paine Miller

Set in the post-flood era, the book of Job evokes a picture of chess game between God and the devil, in which humans are pawns with wills of their own.

This book offers fascinating depictions of our God's personality, the devil, heavenly sparring, human suffering, philosophy, creationism, and far more—fodder for an entire book series. We'll peek at just three points.


RESPONSE TO SUFFERING

Job represents epitome of suffering in every area of life, regardless of doing what's right.

Job holds the honor of Billy Graham and the riches of Bill Gates. Then he loses all—family, wealth, health, reputation. What he has left brings him only grief—an embittered wife's nagging, three accusatory "friends," and a despised life.

Job sowed goodness and reaps adversity.

Though he will be rebuked for calling God to account and complaining "not fair," Job's response to suffering itself has inspired humanity throughout the ages:

...[Job] fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
~ Job 1:20-22 (NKJV)


RESPONSE TO THE DEVIL

Job's wife provokes her husband using the exact words spoken in Heaven by God and the devil. (Compare Job 2:3 and 2:5 with Job 2:9.) We may deduce that her share in Job's losses has brought bitterness, making her vulnerable to accepting the devil's suggestions, which in turn enables the devil to use her as his mouthpiece.

God desires to be praised. The devil desires to see God cursed.

Job will curse his life. He will question God. He will complain at length, which is dangerously close to cursing God. Yet Job sets an example of rebuking the devil's words:

[Job] said to [his wife], "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
~ Job 2:10 (NKJV)


RESPONSE TO GOD

Job curses his birth, cries "not fair," and seeks and audience with God to question Him. God gives Job an audience, but turns the questions on him with a reference to "children of pride."

Job is treated to a raw display of the Lord's power in lightning storm, tornado, and the possibly present behemoth and leviathan (likely a dinosaur and dragon).

Job already feared God. Now he is terrified. Realizing Whom he attempted to call into account, Job recants, calls himself vile, and repents. He thought he wanted God to justify His actions. But now Job justifies having trust in Almighty God's purposes, though we cannot comprehend them:

"I know that You can do everything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You...
I have uttered what I did not understand,
Things too wonderful [incomprehensible] for me, which I did not know."
~ Job 42:1-3 (NKJV)

: : :

This post originally appeared at Bullets & Butterflies. To see comments posted there click here.

What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com.

© 2010 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Image source: armchairtravelogue.blogspot.com