Good News Sense

I dated a young woman who was a teacher. Her father was a pastor, and they had a some times contentious relationship, or so it appeared to me. She was very clear, back then, that she was a teacher. Her identity was her calling and profession. The irony is that, a few years later, she was no longer teaching. I’ve often wondered how she identifies herself today.

Who are you? How do you identify yourself? Are you a homemaker, an engineer, a student, a mechanic, a beachcomber, or a politician? Do you have a job but think of yourself as a skier, swimmer, painter, football player, or participant in some other hobby or sport? Are you a mom, a grandfather, uncle, or wife? Do you define yourself by a role or relationship? Is your identity tied up in a work or activity?

I don’t like labels much, as I’ve written previously, especially when they are misused to ridicule or scorn a person’s opinions instead of responding to them. Of course, we need some way to explain what we do and think. Ultimately, words are labels, and our very ability to communicate depends on them.

Many like my friend and others suffer from self-doubt or perhaps even self-hatred. They are convinced that they need some way to conceal or improve the person they regard as flawed or inadequate. Experiences in early life often scar us with labels like ugly, stupid, “just like your father,” or “bad girl!” It is easy to think we are incapable or unlovable. The result is a person who strives to overcome a sense of inherent inadequacy, seeks to earn lost love and affection, or simply lives a defeated life.

A person may claim an identity we hope we have proven to be true or assert something almost as a wish. The more loudly a person makes a certain claim the more he or she may doubt it inside. For believers, the knowledge that God knows “the truth” only adds to the paradox, producing more shame and guilt.

Who are you really? The truth ought to be supremely encouraging, but only if we know and accept it. God created each of us (Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart), and He doesn’t do bad work. Despite our sin, he loves us, not just collectively, but each of us; like any good parent, our heavenly father loves each of his sons and daughters. Like any human child, we carry his likeness, more than the most persistent human characteristic.

I’ve always thought people with meaningful names were blessed; names like Rose or Grace that mean something beautiful, and those like Joshua, David or Michael represent great characters from the Bible. I wonder how people with strange names feel about themselves? My name means “famous spear” although it was the name of some famous kings (I kind of like the variant  “Hrothgar!” but it seems to be used for odd people in movies and books. I’ve always likes that I was often the only “Roger” in most places I have lived, worked, or gone to church. The point is that I am Roger. A name represents who I am, and that is all I need.

In the end, my name comes from God.  The new name he gives may be something brand new and unique and yet related somehow to our identify in this life, perhaps incorporating the name we already have.  He won’t scrap our lives and start over; this life has value in his eyes, despite our failings and limitations.  The name we have is our most precious identity; it is how we say, “I am me.  I am special.  God made me, gifted me, and gives me purpose.  He saved me.  He loves me.”  We need no other identity.

Is God good? Many people have asked that question, usually when they have experienced some loss or tragedy. If God were good, wouldn’t life always be pleasant without any suffering? Since people suffer, God must not be good, some say. Christians might not agree often live disconnected from God because they cannot reconcile their pain with their understanding of God.

Leon Wood was a Hebrew and Old Testament professor in seminary, a respected scholar and author. He was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, following a summer at an archaeological dig, the fall I began learning Hebrew. By fall of the next year, he had retired but offered a small independent study in Daniel at his home. It was a unique opportunity to spend time with a great man, but only 2 of us did so. I think we gained far more than we anticipated.

Dr. Wood was slowly losing the ability to control the muscles of his body. Our coming to his home gave his wife a bit of respite; she often left to run errands or just take a breather from his full time care. At the outset of the class, he was already unable to walk, and at the end he could use only one finger to operate a toggle switch to use a page-turner, call his wife, or adjust the mike setup through their stereo. It was tragic to watch him deteriorate before our eyes. Yet I’m not sure we often thought of that.

I remember one time, near the end of the class, when their receiver was picking up radio chatter from workers in the area. Dr. Wood could barely breathe since his diaphragm was already paralyzed; he could only use his shoulder muscles to take in air so laboriously that it was painful to watch. Yet, we all broke out laughing at the absurdity of the system he depended upon to amplify his weak voice blessing us with the details of some local business.

That might have seemed inappropriate, somehow, if not for Dr. Woods’ own attitude. In the midst of his final days on earth, totally incapable of caring for himself, this once vigorous, tennis-playing man, barely able to breathe, always began in prayer with these words, “Our God who is good and only does goodness…”

He was able to do what far too few of us so-called believers will; he looked beyond his circumstances, however unpleasant and difficult, and still saw the truth: God is good. God never fails to do good. Our limited minds cannot fathom the depth of his Mind. We ought not to think we can judge him or his actions by our personal, narrow expectation. God sees beyond time, where our sufferings are but for a moment. They do not argue against the reality of God’s goodness.

Dr. Woods’ correct and godly perception of reality forever changed me. I sometimes feel unworthy of God’s goodness, but I never question it. I may not enjoy the present moment or moments, but I still believe they “all work together for good” because that is God’s plan that he assures will be done. I may wish my life could move along a different path, less filled with obstacles and hardships, but I do not doubt what I’ll find at the end of the course, a place where Dr. Wood and the hosts of other faithful saints gather to worship the one whose goodness we will all recognize and praise forever.  That is goodness worth waiting for!

If you watch, listen to, or read the news regularly, then it is likely you have gained a pessimistic sense of the future. Bad news sells, and bad news is mostly what we get. Worse, we get biased news, heavily slanted, in most cases, against the spiritual heritage and values we treasure. Not real progress, secular progressives seek a future free of God, godly values, and individual freedom, except for themselves perhaps. For such reporters, much of what they see is bad if it hinders their vision of the future.

Immersion in a relentless drone of negativity makes it hard not to accept their assertions. An example might be gay rights. Their view is that preventing people from living as they choose is discrimination and a violation of civil rights. If they could only enjoy all the privileges that heterosexuals enjoy, they could be happy. However, if homosexual behavior is a sin problem, as the Bible teaches, then they will never achieve their goal of happiness, even if they get the legal protections and acceptance they desire. Indeed, many heterosexuals and homosexuals have the same problem, a desire to live faithlessly and enjoy themselves apart from marriage. Legitimized immoral behavior through access to legal marriage has been rejected by virtually all civilized cultures throughout history.

Yet, the barrage of negativity and anti-Christian rhetoric assails us unceasingly. How can we fail to be discouraged? Our very way of life, more than threatened, seems on the verge of disappearing into a world that we don’t recognize and in which we wouldn’t belong. Moreover, recent economic troubles and government solutions that creep toward socialism and away from capitalism threaten our both our freedom and our very livelihoods. Is it any wonder that people despair for the future?

Our President-elect campaigned on hope, but since his election, he hasn’t been using that word. I’d like to believe he meant more than “I hope you will vote for me.” Many of his supporters have been rather unquestioning in their acceptance of his promises, even when they were rather vague. Frankly, I put little faith in the promises of men, especially when they’re seeking votes or money. I might say that I hope he becomes a better President than I expect, but that is a rather vapid use of the word.

Against all that, is true hope even possible? The answer is yes! No matter what men and women think or say, God is God. His promises remain, and He keeps His promises. His word even identified the doubt we see and sometimes feel, years ago in II Peter 3:3, 4, “(I)n the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this “coming” he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning…’ ”

Peter continues in verse nine with this encouragement, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The Lord is keeping his own timetable and accomplishing His purposes. Our response, in verses 11 and 12, “(W)hat kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” He suggests we look ahead, hopefully, and live right. The temptation is to give up and live like our unbelieving neighbors; many believers already do. The more we slip into their attitudes and their immorality, the more we will find ourselves filled with doubt, as well as guilt.

God has our eternal future covered, but the principles of living he has given us may powerfully alter the more immediate future as well. The application of Biblical principles created what we call Western Civilization; it is the true source of human dignity, compassionate activities from medicine to homes for orphaned children, individual freedom, and prosperity derived from the hard work of people living freely, often honoring God in all their endeavors. The way of life that secular progressives are bent on changing can be restored by the same manner in which it was created, with the diligent influence of God’s people.

The good news is that God’s ways are better and He will indeed fulfill His promises. However grim things may appear to be, no matter how gloomy the news may seem, the future is bright. If we don’t give up, we may even discover that we have a positive impact on the near future. The world’s ways aren’t better, their “values” are not superior, and our ways, our God’s way, will indeed lead to joy and contentment that they cannot find without Him. That’s my good news sense for today.

Our Wonderful Opportunity

A Sonnet to Our Father’s Love by J. Roger Wilson, December, 1994

Proud we are, and self-assured, too much, perhaps, to dream,

Refusing, as the years pass by, to keep our hopes alive,

And, doubting that our God might give beyond the human scheme;

Yet, He might bless, if we’d request what we cannot achieve.

Yes, He has told us He is able to exceed our best,

Our bold ideas, brightest vision, God’s plans may surpass;

Upon our knees, in prayer submit, we in His grace to rest,

Receive, we may, divine largesse, gifts we can’t amass.

Dare we risk, e’en to request, more than our certain need?

Relying on Him’s hard enough. How could we beg for more?

Even children learn the limits. Ask for more? Indeed

And yet, our God, in love or grace, is neither stern nor poor.

My friend, our loving Father loves to bless abundantly;

So, shared with Him our fantasies become reality.

I still dream, imagine all sorts of possible futures. I like houses and love to imagine owning a big, classic home, a place where I could help others, entertain, tutor, and counsel. I see professional buildings, even warehouses, and imagine facilities and creative housing. I imagine spending millions of dollars, after I hear some contest or award. What’s the point? It’s just that I can’t out-imagine God. Maybe I, and you, need to learn to give those dreams back to Him. After all, He loves us!

Do you remember Paul’s benediction in Ephesians 3:30-31?  “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” His ability is far greater than whatever we may dare to ask, even greater than what we can dream up, in order that what he makes possible will glorify him among his people and ultimately to all.

I just finished reading Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge.  He suggests that men need a battle to win and an adventure to live, and for many of us, our dreams are the starting point for the challege that every man needs (The are also the quest into which he may bring the fair maiden of his story. To face the challenge, win the battle, and succeed in his adventure, he will need to heal the deep injuries he has suffered, even before the quest began.  For me, this is the first promise of healing that I accept as assured for all who come (Many who are sick or injured do not receive complete healing, not even the Apostle Paul).

When I wrote this sonnet, 15 years ago, I was confident that the idea was true and valid. Today, I recognize two elements that were missing then.  First, I did not fully comprehend the greatness of God’s design of humans made in his image, filled with both imagination and creative abilities to make those dreams into reality.  Second, I did not recognize the full scope of redemption not merely to forgive a person’s sin but to remedy deep wounds that hinder the pursuit of a person’s calling.  God made us in his image, forgives and cleanses us from sin and guilt, gifts us to fulfill our creative calling, and heals us so that we may confidently pursue the grand quest that is life lived abundantly.  That is gloriously great news!