Robert & Kay Camenisch encouraging and equipping relationships

What Are You Grieving?

Grief has many faces. The sudden loss of a loved one causes a deep wound and a void that can’t be filled. In contrast, the loss of my mother through fifteen years of Alzheimer’s was a slow, agonizing grief, a heartache that slowly grew deeper until her passing brought relief, mixed with deep loss.

Some grief goes unrecognized, presenting as despair or hopelessness. Life is fine; family is fine; all is well in your little circle. But your heart grows heavy when you hear the news. The world around you doesn’t seem fine at all, and, like Alzheimer’s, it seems to keep getting worse.

That heavy heart is a form of grief.

There is reason to sorrow as immorality increases, hate, violence, and murder abound, God is rejected, and Jesus is mocked at home and abroad. Grief is appropriate.

I want to talk about that kind of grief. Not the kind when a loved one is lost.

Merriam Webster defines grief as a “deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement”

We grieve at the decline in culture, but we shouldn’t be surprised. God warned us it would happen.

Paul told Timothy, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:1-5a).

We see that manifested in many forms. We are in perilous times, times of self-seeking, self-serving, and self-gratification.

Ezra lived in similar times in the pagan Persian Empire. About sixty years after some Israelites had completed the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, Ezra led another remnant back from captivity, so he could draw God’s children back to the Lord.

He found that the “people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations [of local pagan tribes]. For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is mixed with the peoples of those lands” (Ezr. 9:1-2).

In response, Ezra tore his clothes, pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat in ashes until evening. He was overwhelmed with grief (Ezra 9:3)

But Ezra was not grieved over the condition of the world. He was concerned about the children of God. They befriended their neighbors upon their return, and then intermarried with them (in disobedience to God), adopting their pagan customs.

It isn’t surprising that unbelievers rejected God and disobeyed Him, walked in immorality, and sacrificed to idols. That didn’t trouble Ezra. What pierced his heart and led him to despair was that the sons of God looked just like the world around them. They were contaminated.

What would Ezra do if he returned today? Would the church look different from the world?

I believe he’d find that many in the church do grieve over the conditions of the culture. There is much hand-wringing and hopelessness as Christians become the objects of derision and attacks.

But, are we concerned over our world changing into one that is unfriendly to us and to our view of life?

Or are we grieved because the body of Christ has embraced the world, thus becoming contaminated and unclean?

Jude knew we would face such. He warned of a time of ungodly lusts and mocking.

But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 1:17-18

Jude goes on to exhort believers, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21).

Times are perilous. Grief is appropriate. But, if we’re looking out for our own welfare, how are we different from the world?

We’ve been warned and encouraged. Rather than grieving, we need to be building up our faith, praying, as well as seeking the Lord’s love, mercy, and strength to stand.

Ezra prayed deep prayers of confession and repentance for the nation (Ezra 9:5-15). We too need to repent, and to pray for the kingdom of God to come—in His church and on earth.

What do you believe God grieves for today? His church, or the world?

He desires that all be saved, but He’s not surprised by the evil of the world. His grief is for His body. (Mark 6:34)

Use your grief for good. First get right with Him, then He will give grace to stand and will hear your prayers.

 

 

 

Where Are All My Children?

Yesterday, we celebrated the life of a 95-year-old mother of eight children. Her final words were, “Where are all my children?”

She loved her children, so her words weren’t surprising because it was typical of her when she was in better health. She enjoyed having her children near. When I filled in for them and sat with her in the nursing home, she always asked where her children were.

What stood out to me at the funeral service was that I heard those words as if from the mouth of God. It was like the Lord was asking, “Where are all my children?”

Ms. Lydia loved her children, but it doesn’t compare to the perfect, pure love that our God has for His children.

Why would He ask, “Where are my children?” After all, church doors still open on Sundays, and you can still find sermons on the TV and over the internet. Besides, God knows everything. He knows where we are.

But, do we know where we are? Maybe He wanted us to consider the question.

One time when Jesus was teaching, parents brought children to Him, but the disciples rebuked the parents and tried to send them away so He wouldn’t be interrupted. “But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God” (Lk. 18:16).

Children gathered around Jesus’ knees is a picture of how our heavenly Father wants us to gather around Him. He desires a close, intimate relationship. Going to church every Sunday is not enough to experience that closeness. Not even if we teach Sunday School and sing in the choir.

Our Father wants to be first in our lives. He is God. He is to be preeminent. First.

Our problem is that we are easily distracted by life. By responsibilities and pleasures, triumphs and struggles. Things we see and do—as well as things of the world around us—capture our attention. Before we realize it, those things move into first place. They separate us from God.

However, the things that happen within us may be a bigger problem. Unforgiveness creates a strong barrier between us and God. In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matt. 6:14-15). If God doesn’t forgive us, we can’t draw near to Him, making our worship meaningless.

Likewise, if we are embracing sin, while identifying as a Christian and trying to appear spiritual, we fool ourselves if we think we draw near to God. The Lord knows our heart and “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5b).

Other things that separate us from God include bitterness and anger, immorality, greed, gossip, slander, evil speaking, judging, pride, and even independence.

Anything that we elevate above God or that seeks to redefine who He is separates us from Him. We admire an independent, “self-made” person, but if our independence leads us to think we don’t need God in any and every situation, we’re denying Him, what He has done for us, and what He wants to do through us.

Our enemy, our culture, and our fallen nature all make it easy to fall into one of these traps that separates us from God. When that happens, we blend in with those of the world, lost in the commotion.

Then, our heavenly Father asks, “Where are all My children, the ones I love?” He bids us come to Him to be cleansed from our sin.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17).

“Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth” (Ps. 34:11-16).

“Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Indeed we do come to You, for You are the LORD our God” (Jer. 3:22).

“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations” (Ps. 100:2-5).

Where are all God’s children? More importantly, where am I, and where are you?