This Life and the Next; June 29, 2024

Posted on June 30, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 30:11-12 You turned my wailing into dancing;
    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

The heading for this Psalm says, “A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.” However, David wasn’t alive when the temple was built. That said, he was very involved in preparing the finances and materials for the temple, and it seems entirely reasonable that he would have written this Psalm at that time for it to be used once the temple was completed. That indicates that it was written in his old age, which shows that gifting is operative throughout a person’s life. These two verses were set to music early in the Charismatic Movement, I believe, and I have sung them a lot in both English and Japanese. The Psalm as a whole alludes to various problems David had, but not specifically. For all of his writing about “going down to the pit,” in verse 9 and various other Psalms, I think David had a strong conviction that his connection to God would not end with his physical death, and that is reflected in the very last line of this Psalm. At the time he wrote this, David didn’t know of the Son of God who would come to die for his sins, but I’m sure everything fell into place once he got to heaven. Jesus said clearly, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Everyone who is saved, from Adam to the end of the world, is saved by the atoning work of Christ on the cross, even if they didn’t know about it in this life. That creates all sorts of questions about people today who die in total ignorance of the Gospel, and frankly, those questions are beyond our “mental horsepower” and authority to answer definitively. Paul said in Romans 2 that everyone will be judged according to their personal response to God. That certainly doesn’t mean Universalism, “everyone gets saved,” but it does mean that we have to release each person to God.

I certainly didn’t expect to get into this issue when I started writing this morning! However, it’s an inescapable one. This morning I read a Facebook post that told how a 25-year-old young man died in his sleep, to the total shock of the family he was visiting. There was no indication of foul play or drugs, so current indications are that it was an unrecognized medical issue. I have no knowledge of his spiritual status, but the point is driven home that none of us knows how long we have here. Having already outlived my father by over 11 years, if I were to go today people would be surprised, since I am in good health, but they wouldn’t say, “So young!” I have complete assurance of my salvation by grace through faith, and I am to spend my time actively seeking and doing the “good works” God has prepared for me to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) In that, I am to be filled with praise and gratitude to God, as David was here, sharing the Gospel with all who will receive it, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the experience I had of discovering someone who had died, though he wasn’t in this house. Thank You that I have assurance that he knew Christ as his Savior and Lord, and that I will see him again before God’s throne. There are so many more around me about whom I don’t have that assurance. Help me be fully available and useful to You in bringing them to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Dancing; June 28, 2024

Posted on June 29, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
    and with my song I praise him.

David knew how to thank God! That is a lesson anyone should be able to get by reading through the Psalms. In the verse ahead of this we see that he had been given assurance that God had heard his prayer, and this is his response. We don’t know how he was given that assurance, whether by external events or simply by hearing the Lord in his heart, but that’s not a major issue. When we are aware of God acting on our behalf, however that comes about, we should express thanks to Him. The NIV does a better job of matching the Japanese here than the ESV does. The ESV says “exults,” where the NIV says “leaps for joy,” and the Japanese says “dances for joy.” We aren’t to hold back in expressing our thanks to God! A young man who was in this church as a child over 20 years ago is currently in a Christian dance troop, and they have recently toured Europe. I think he knows a lot about dancing for joy before the Lord! Like almost everything else good, dancing can be and has been appropriated and polluted by the devil, but that’s no reason to cede it to him. Just watching children will teach you that we are designed to move to music, and squelching that can do a lot of harm. We are to submit our whole selves to God, specifically including our bodies, and dancing can and should be an expression of that.

At one point in my youth I considered going into ballet, since I have always had unusually flexible hips, but I never studied dance. The closest I came was in being one of the “dance chorus” in a production of Finian’s Rainbow in college. However, I have always liked to move to music, and I am often in motion during the praise and worship time in our services. I anticipate that dance will very much be a part of our joy in heaven! However, as in everything else, I am to be careful that the focus is on the Lord, and not just on my pleasure. At 75, my dance moves are far less extravagant than they once were, but I know that in heaven all limitations will be removed, and I look forward to that!

Father, I ask You to continue to grow me in thanking You accurately, in worshiping in spirit and in truth. May my whole life be an expression of thanks and praise to You, because You are certainly worthy of all that and more. Thank You. Praise God!

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Patience; June 27, 2024

Posted on June 28, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Using a new Bible that I deliberately haven’t underlined, this Psalm caught me a little bit off guard. It’s actually one of my favorites, and I think in my previous Bible every bit of it is underlined in one color or another. Several parts of it have been set to music, this last verse by a friend of mine, Makoto Iwabuchi. The lyrics in Japanese are precisely the translation I use, unaltered in any way, but to match my friend’s music I translated it this way: “Be strong and wait for God; take heart, and wait for Him. Know that the Lord your God will answer, so be strong and wait for Him.” That doesn’t directly match any English Bible translation I’m aware of, but I don’t think it does any violence to what the Lord said through David. The thought is an important one. We don’t like to wait! Particularly in today’s “microwave society,” patience is in short supply. I have a friend who says he doesn’t like food that takes longer to prepare than to eat! Actually, he delights to eat my wife’s cooking, which often violates that rule, but his statement is a clear expression of the modern attitude. God doesn’t operate like that! Peter’s statement on the subject is as accurate as it is famous: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8) We have trouble with that, no matter how well we have that verse memorized! There are times when God acts quickly, even from our perspective, and times when He wants us to do likewise, but getting with His schedule and pace can be a real test of faith. We need to be willing to move as fast as He says to, and at the same time release the results into His hands. We might well not see the fruit of our labors in this life, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t sure!

This couldn’t be any more applicable and personal than it is to me. Japan is notorious as a “graveyard of missionaries,” yet I am the second generation in my family to be stationed here. This church just had its 40th Anniversary Celebration, yet I rejoiced that we needed all 15 cups I prepared for Communion this past Sunday! I have known of ministers in some places who would give up if they couldn’t get 20 people in a year. Such people certainly don’t last in Japan! The Lord told me several years ago to rest, relax, and rejoice. I’m still learning how to do that fully, but that seems like the epitome of patience to me. I tend to get possessive of “my time,” but that too needs to be given to the Lord. I was recently reminded of the significance of 40 years in the history of Israel, with Moses having had three major 40-year periods in his life. I will be delighted if this church has now cleared its “wilderness period” and is now about to enter the “promised land!” However, that’s something I have to leave in God’s hands, because I clearly can’t make it happen on my own.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the privilege of interacting with younger believers and ministers. The news last night from one of my spiritual children that he thinks his wife is very close to committing to Christ is joyful indeed! Help me recognize Your appointments and be faithful in meeting them, so that Your will may be done in and through me on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Trusting God’s Love; June 26, 2024

Posted on June 27, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 26:2 Test me, Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind.

This is a very dangerous prayer, but it is one of faith. David was probably a bit over-confident when he prayed it, but his heart was in the right place nonetheless. Psalm 139:23 says essentially the same thing with a little less pride, and it has been set to music several times. The point is, we don’t know ourselves fully or perfectly, but God does, and He loves us anyway. He takes us through various experiences so that we will learn more about ourselves and about Him, and in the process commit ourselves more fully to Him. It is when we react badly to the discoveries we make that they become dangerous. It is when our commitment is to God in the first place that trials become blessings, because they open our eyes to God and to ourselves as things really are, and there’s nothing bad about that. It is when we try to keep up pretenses in spite of all God shows us that we suffer the most damage. We need to say, “God, thank You for showing me this weakness in me. Help me repent in truth, to see genuine change so as to become more like Your Son, for Your glory.” If we will do that, every trial will become a step closer to Him, and that is wonderful indeed.

I have written many times about when God, for a brief moment, showed me a mirror to see the state of my own soul. I totally collapsed, but that was an entirely appropriate response, because I had been walking in blind, stupid pride. God has showed me things about myself since that have again humbled me, and I am grateful. I was thankfully raised with an awareness of God’s love that enabled me to understand that my actions couldn’t shake that love, they just impac­ted my ability to receive it. I don’t want anything to stand between me and God’s love! That’s why Paul could write both that we are more than conquerors, regardless of our circumstances, (Romans 8:37-39) and also that that he could rejoice in all sorts of negative circumstances, because they gave opportunity for God’s power to be manifested. (2 Corinthians 12:10) Japan has a long tradition of “public face” and “true self,” but I must not be that way. I am to be honest with myself, with God, and with all the people around me, because God has already dealt with the worst that is in me through the cross of Christ. I am to let Him wash all that away to bring out all that He has created me to be, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how You keep working on me, chipping or grinding away the rough spots. Help me cooperate with that process and not resent it, so that I may grow at the speed You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Guidance; June 25, 2024

Posted on June 26, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 25:8-9 Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
 He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.

I got the immediate impression that this was an acrostic poem, with each verse starting with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and when I checked, I was right. That doesn’t mean it isn’t inspired, but rather that David was choosing to exercise his gifting focusing on God. These two verses actually express important truth. The first is that God teaches sinners, and not just “good” people. We tend to expect God to not have anything to do with sinners, but if that were the case, He would have abandoned mankind a long time ago! The second point is that God teaches sinners precisely because He is good and righteous. He doesn’t avoid us because we are not good and righteous, He wants us to become like Him, so He teaches us how to do that. However, for us to receive that instruction we have to be humble, and that is the third major truth here. Some translations render that as “poor,” but I think “humble” fits better. It is very much in line with the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If we think we are self-sufficient, that we don’t need God, then we aren’t going to listen to Him. That’s the very definition of foolishness! As both Psalm 111:10 and Proverbs 9:10 proclaim, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” One definition of “the fear of the Lord” is simply knowing that we are nothing without Him. It is when we grasp the reality that even the atoms that comprise us wouldn’t stay together without His will that we get serious about listening to Him, desiring that He show us the way we should go. That doesn’t violate free will, because we are actually capable of ignoring God and even actively rebelling against Him, but doing so guarantees an eternity cut off from Him, and that is more horrible than words can express.

I am frequently reminded that I have walked in pride more than I like to remember. That reminding is part of God’s mercy toward me! I have coasted on the gifts God has given me, as though I had somehow generated them myself, and that has been foolish indeed. I need to rejoice in my dependence on God, and that He is utterly dependable. I am to rejoice in the privilege of teaching others about God, so that they too may open their hearts to Him to walk in fellowship with Him. I am never to think that I have all the answers, but I am to remember that He indeed has all the answers, whether or not I need to know them! I very much like to know stuff, and to be the “answer man,” but I’ve got to remember my extreme limitations and be at peace with that, learning all that God wants to teach me but never trying to be “the authority” on my own. That takes conscious choice on my part, but God can enable me to do it.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me let Your Spirit be my “input filter,” so that my mind and heart may be filled with You to the point of pushing out everything that doesn’t agree with You, so that I may be an accurate representation of Your character to those around me, drawing them to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Language; June 24, 2024

Posted on June 25, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 9:13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me!
    Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death.

Nuances of translation are interesting. The NIV and the Japanese both speak of “mercy” here, but the ESV, which is the English in the bilingual Bible I got most recently, says “gracious.” However, in the rest of the verse, the ESV agrees more closely with the Japanese than the NIV does, saying “See my affliction from those who hate me.” I think this shows the value of reading multiple translations. Even those who are proficient in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic probably don’t have a perfect grasp of the nuances at the time a given passage was written. After all, many English words have changed meaning greatly over the years. For example, when St. James Cathedral in London was first built, the king, being given a tour, said it was “awful!” Today, we would say, “awesome.” The point to remember is that the Bible is very rich and deep, and we need the guidance of the Author when we read it. Language itself is a fascinating study, but most of the time we take it for granted. That’s one of the many attractions of heaven. Every Near Death Experience I’ve heard or read, including from my wife, says that communication there is perfect, with no question of language. I find myself curious about the many things that are easier to say in one language than another, but the answer to that question can wait. For right now, we need to let the Holy Spirit guide us into the meaning we need to receive.

Growing up bilingual with two extremely different languages, English and Japanese, this issue has always interested me. One of my motives for changing from a Chemistry major to an English major in college was my sharp awareness of the importance of language in interpersonal communication. That awareness was inescapable for a Japan MK in East Tennessee! I found I communicated very well with some MKs from Argentina, simply because we were all aware of the limitations of English! As I have written before, I am greatly en­riched by doing my daily devotions in two languages. The bilingual Bible I used for many years was NIV and Shinkaiyaku, but that is now much the worse for wear (Ephesians completely falls out) so a few months ago I bought a new Bible. Not only is the English ESV, the Shinkaiyaku translation was updated a couple of years ago (it’s now in the 3rd edition) so various places in that aren’t what I’m used to either. Occasionally that doesn’t sit well, with preference for what I’m more used to, but often it stimulates my thinking, and that’s good. My Scripture memory is quite an amalgam, particularly in English, where it goes from KJV to The Message! As I’ve already said, I need to let the Holy Spirit speak it into my spirit, so that His meaning may change me as I need it, transforming me into the likeness of Christ for the glory of the Father.

Father, thank You indeed for the linguistic abilities You’ve given me, and for how they enrich me. May I use them to bless others, expressing Your love and grace to draw them to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Physical Issues; June 23, 2024

Posted on June 24, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
    heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

I think the older a person gets, the closer to home this verse be­comes! Different translations render this as “My bones are troubled” or, “My bones are fearful,” but advancing age certainly seems to bring structural issues to a majority of people. As someone has said, you get pains in places you didn’t know you had places! That actually is a blessing, because it frees you from the youthful illusion of invincibility. Even the healthiest, strongest person is actually totally dependent on their Creator, but they aren’t likely to realize it until they encounter health issues of one sort or another. Paul referred to our physical bodies as tents, and said that “While we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened.” (2 Corinthians 5:4) Most people over 50 can identify with that! However, the more we focus on our Lord, who is the true Source of everything we need, the more peace and joy we have regardless of our circumstances. That’s why Jesus famously told us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) The quicker we learn that we ourselves aren’t the be-all and end-all of everything, the better off we are.

I have been blessed with good health for most of my life, but my wife has had enough medical issues that I’ve seen medical professionals be taken aback by the list. Back surgeries and Parkinson’s Disease, a number of relatively minor issues, and to top it off (pun intended) brain surgery. At this point, I thought of her immediately when I read this verse, because she can have pain in areas that make her hesitant to do things necessary for her daily life. I used to have sympathy but not empathy, but recently I’ve been having issues with my right hip and the like. Doing some electrical work for a friend recently, I was reminded that the last time I did that I was in my 50s! However, I am grateful for the mobility I have, and seek to be faithful in maintaining the physical equipment with which I have been supplied. It is a comfort to know that we won’t be stuck in these bodies forever!

Father, thank You for Your grace, and for Your perfect plan. Thank You for the pains that remind us to be intentional in our dependence on You. Help us make the use that You intend of all that You supply, physically and financially and otherwise, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Righteousness; June 22, 2024

Posted on June 23, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 5:8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight before me.

I have written repeatedly on verse 3, in reference to morning devotions, but this verse is even more famous, having been beautifully set to music. The Japanese is slightly more graphic than the English, expanding “enemies” to “people who lie in wait for me.” This is certainly a verse Donald Trump should quote at this point! The thing is, we all have enemies, those who lie in wait to trip us up, but they aren’t necessarily visible. The devil and his demons desire nothing but evil for us, and there are plenty of them. C. S. Lewis’ famous book, The Screwtape Letters, though fictional, is very instructional at this point. We aren’t to take the interaction between Screwtape, a demon slightly up in the bureaucracy, and his underling Wormwood literally, but Lewis had real insight into some of the tricks that are used to make even believers ineffective. We need to be on our guard, as Peter said, (1 Peter 5:8) but not in fear, remembering that the Holy Spirit in us is greater than the devil and his forces. (1 John 4:4) We do, however, need to remember that the moment we depend on ourselves and our own abilities we lay ourselves open to all sorts of attacks. As Isaiah noted, “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) We are “right” only to the degree we agree with and conform to God and His standards. That’s why we need to pray this verse!

I have done more than my share of thinking I was right, simply because I was me. God’s the only one who is that way! Like everyone, I think, I like to justify myself, my decisions and my actions, but as I just said, God is the standard, not me. I am to be discerning, toward myself and toward others, but not judgmental. I am to repent and call others to repentance, but not condemn, because Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6) I am to seek God’s guidance at every turn, just as in this verse, so that I may progress as He intends. I feel sure that when I look back on my life from heaven, it will look much straighter than it felt at the time!

Father, thank You for Your guidance, and for Your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21) My I indeed walk in all You have made me to be in Christ Jesus my Lord, so that I may be fully available and useful to You for however You desire to use me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Knowing God; June 21, 2024

Posted on June 22, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.

Even in this short Psalm there were several verses that spoke to me, but I’ll limit myself to this one for the moment. The benefits of knowing, of having a personal relationship with, your Creator are past counting. David had that, and the world is far richer for his having expressed it in poetic form. Not everyone is gifted as a poet, but we all have the potential of knowing God as David did, and even better, because we know about His Son Jesus, and can be filled with His Spirit. That doesn’t mean that everything is instantly easy; Jesus was very clear on that point. (John 16:33) However, it does mean that we have access to the things the human soul longs for, but often misunderstands. We try to satisfy ourselves with wealth and pleasure and personal power, but as the verse ahead of this says, what God offers is even better! As Jesus said, it is when we get our priorities straight that we are lined up to receive the abundance God desires to pour out on us. (Matthew 6:33) Getting back to this verse, I have read countless articles on the dangers of sleep deprivation, and how modern society fights to keep us from getting the sleep we need. When our hearts are tuned to God, we turn away from our electronic devices and allow Him to give us the rest we need. Throughout human history God has spoken to people through dreams, and we are far more likely to hear from Him that way if our thoughts are on Him even before we go to bed. Anxiety is a major enemy of good sleep, and the ultimate answer to that is trusting God. Whatever we think we want, the source of every good thing is God, (James 1:17) so the smartest thing is to seek Him first. As a pop song of many years ago said, “To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him, and I do.” As a song about romance that is merely cute, but when the Him in question is God, it is true indeed.

Despite my protestations of love for Jesus when I was five, I have come to know and love Him, His Father and His Spirit, far more and far better in the 70 years since. That’s not to say I get everything right even now. I am in total agreement with what Paul said about perfection! (Philippians 3:12-14) However, when I get into a fix, I at least know where the problem lies! As C. S. Lewis wrote in The Last Battle, I need to keep going “further in, further up.” There’s always more, and it’s very good indeed! As a pastor, I seek to help others understand that this is how things are, so that they too may seek God and find Him, when they seek Him with all their heart. (Jeremiah 29:13) It is such a joy, for me and for them, when someone does that! My life is to be a demonstration of the joys of walking with God, and that is a high privilege indeed.

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace, that You have made it possible for us to know You personally, cleansed by faith in Your Son and filled with Your Spirit. May I continue to grow as Your child, drawing more and more people with me, so that Your house may be full, (Luke 14:23) for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Remembering God’s Mercy; June 20, 2024

Posted on June 21, 2024 by jgarrott

Nehemiah 9:31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Nehemiah has given quite a litany of the sins of Israel, without going into very many details. In context, the people who had returned to the land from Babylon were in a tight situation, oppressed by gov­ernment regulations and lower-level flunkies. (Now that sounds fami­liar!) He isn’t claiming total innocence on the part of the returnees, but he is in essence reminding God of how merciful He had been in the past, and is asking for more mercy in the moment. It’s not like God would forget! However, the people with whom Nehemiah was working needed to remember the character of God in order to have their faith strengthened. Nehemiah himself was obviously very familiar with the Torah, and he wanted the people to remember it as well. We get into all sorts of messes, but if we realign our hearts and repent, God is always here. It was that assurance that gave Nehemiah the strength he needed, and it will do the same for us.

I can certainly relate! I’m in the process of writing my autobiography, for the express purpose of recounting God’s grace toward me so that others may be encouraged and He be glorified. I’m at the point that, whereas I do get stressed by situations and demands on me, anxiety about the future is pretty well gone. I have experienced God’s faithfulness, His gracious mercy, to a point that it is increasingly easy to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, as He explicitly told me to do several years ago. My desire at this point is that those around me may have that same assurance, so that in gratitude we may be fully obedient to Him, for His will to be done in and through us for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how You’ve been drawing me back into the writing project, and for the people who have approached me for mentoring. May I indeed be faithful and obedient to You, in Your strength because I have demonstrated countless times I can’t do it on my own. May all of Your plans and purposes for me be fulfilled, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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