God's Steadfast Nature
There’s an idea that David uses continually to describe God’s character: steadfast. God is steadfast in His love for His people. He’s steadfast in His protection of His people. He’s steadfast in His discipline of His people. Over and over, God proves Himself to be consistently God, and David understands that. So in times of trouble, David reaches out for God as a solid rock in the middle of a raging river, knowing that that rock will consistently support him as he fights the current. In the 89th Psalm, David exalts God for His steadfast love and faithfulness, His strength of arm among the nations, and His righteousness. David understood something about God that was said by many but lived by precious few: God’s character doesn’t change and our lives should reflect that. Man's Impatience So, when Ahab—a king of Israel during the period where Israel and Judah were divided and not a part of David’s line—makes moves on a man named Naboth’s vineyard, he is rebuked harshly by Elijah. Elijah promises that the wrath of God will be visited upon Ahab in the same manner that Ahab’s—through Jezebel—was upon Naboth. Jezebel orchestrated Naboth’s death by maneuvering him to a place of prominence at a feast to be publicly maligned and subsequently killed by mob voilence. And the reason? Naboth’s family had a vineyard adjacent to Ahab’s property, and Ahab wanted to purchase it. What began as a conversation about giving—absolutely fair—trade to one of us subjects quickly became a smash and grab ending in Ahab taking possession of the vineyard by default after the death of Naboth. Here was the king of Israel throwing a temper tantrum because his neighbor didn’t want to play ball, and Jezebel was quick to use violence and manipulation to satiate her husband’s impatient wants. Practicing Patience James suggests a different tact. In an accusation laid at the feet of Israel, the brother of Jesus likens Her to a rich man abusing the laborers in his fields in the last days. While the rich man lays aside riches in his storehouses he withholds the wages owed to his workers. By Her impatience and selfishness, Israel has slaughtered the only One who could save Her—and James points out that He did not resist. Where he goes with this, though, is not a treatise on being generous to one’s neighbor or to mourn one’s sin. Instead, he lands on patience. He encourages his readers to be patient as a farmer would with his crops. In the same way a farmer cannot hurry the growth cycle his crops—he isn’t God, after all—a follower of Christ must practice patience and reliance on God’s provision and timing. Then he hammers home an idea that many of us know but precious few of us live out: as image bearers of God we must clothe ourselves in His character. And what character trait does James latch onto for this? Steadfastness. James encourages his people to remain steadfast and to lean into the compassion and mercy of God. He takes the time to point out the huge gap between impatience and emulating God's character in our lives. The moment we begin to lose our reliance on God's character, we subvert and denigrate our identity as image bearers. So what are some examples of the steadfastness of God in your life? What chapters in your story are overtaken by selfish impatience? Where is God calling you to be steadfast? Let’s talk about it! Sound off in the comments below or send me a message. Sincerely, Chaz
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While Bealer's The Myth of Balance is a quick read to be sure, the principle that he drives home is invaluable for pastors: if you don't plan for exceptions to your schedule they will rule you, your ministry, and your family. While that might sound like a "DUH!" statement, the way that Bealer suggests dealing with these exceptions is quite ingenious when kept to. However, he loses points for dragging the concept out across 60+ pages when the same could have been done in a tight article. But hey, he's gotta eat! Have you come across a productivity hack that works well in your ministry and family lives? Drop me a line and let's talk about it! Key InsightsBalance Isn’t Real
Sincerely, Chaz For me, followthrough follows accountability. So if I commit to posting about the books that I'm reading I'm more likely to continue to read them. I'd read Sustainable Youth Ministry in college, but I hadn't picked it back up since. I'm embarrassed to say that I merely skimmed it then and I've paid the price for not taking it seriously. This is a phenomenal book for youth pastors who feel stuck and for search committees looking to replace the stuck pastor they canned. There's no sense in re-writing the book, so below are some of the key insights that I personally took away from the book. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it! You can learn more about Mark DeVries by checking out ministryarchitects.com Fair warning: if you don't like analogies and metaphors, it might not be for you.. Have you read something recently that has impacted you? Let me know about it! Leave a comment below or contact me: I'm looking for more books this year! Key InsightsTo Gamble or Invest
Sincerely,
Chaz |
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