The Beauty of the Hard Thanks
Today I woke up with a terrible migraine. I don't know if it's my new blood pressure medication, the reduced dosage of my thyroid medication, or the cold front that moved through overnight, or quite possibly a combination of any of these things.
I'm also struggling quite a bit more than usual with my stomach. And I just feel much more depleted than normal. So, I missed church. This often causes me to struggle with dogmatic thinking. But the Spirit whispered to me "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" and I felt a sense of peace.
As I began my morning routine, it was done with sunglasses to ease the pain my eyes felt from the bright light required to see as I brewed my tea and doled out my morning medication.
I eventually made my way to my Bible study desk and the Lord was gracious to meet me there. The feeling is like no other whenever there is just a cohesiveness of thought and insight that connects from one devotion to the next. This morning it wasn't immediately apparent how everything connected but eventually it was made clear. It's my prayer that I'm able to communicate in a clear way everything I felt the Spirit speak as I made my way through my study time.
I began with Unveiling Mercy by Chad Bird, for April 6. The verse was Exodus 28:2 "And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty." Chad walks us through Scripture to show us the glory and beauty of these holy garments were the glory and beauty of Messiah. I was drawn to the word beauty.
In Hebrew the word is תִּפְאָרָה (tiph'arah ) defined as beauty, glory, splendor, honor. Derived from the root פָּאַר (pa'ar), which means "to beautify" or "to glorify."
From there I wondered what New Testament references I could find on the subject of beauty and ended up in 1 Peter 3 where we're told that real beauty comes from a gentle and quiet spirit. At this point I ran into a brief roadblock because the word "beauty" isn't in the original Greek, it's added when using translations that use more of a "thought for thought" method of translating, such as the NIV. Regardless verse 5 tells us these are the qualities of the "holy women who hoped in God". Holy. Like the garments of Aaron's robes.
From here I had already moved on to my next devotion, but whenever I'm writing, I often continue to learn as I slow down, ruminate, and write out my thoughts.
My next devotion was The Practice of the Presence of Jesus by Joni Eareckson Tada, entry 87, Transcending the Ordinary. Would you believe she wrote about beauty? She writes, "Beauty carries us to higher, more noble, and exalted things," and how whenever we behold something beautiful we "instinctively know what it's like to be transported from the mundane to the truly beautiful." She further writes, "God built beauty into our world as a testimony to his own loveliness, all so that we might experience Him." This instantly made me think of Romans 1:20 and of course Psalm 19:1-2, "The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known."
Then it was time to move on to Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. As I read, my mind went back to the lesson the Spirit taught on the 25th that I blogged about, in part, here: He Speaks. Whenever I was drawn to Philippians 4:8, I went to read the surrounding verses for context. This verse comes after Paul addresses some kind of disagreement between two women in the church at Philippi. Using that as context, it makes me think about the teaching that tells us: What unites us is far greater than what divides us. Whenever we're in the midst of a disagreement with someone, especially a fellow believer, where do we direct our thoughts? I also wanted to look a little closer at each of these characteristics:
- Whatever is true: True, truthful, genuine, sincere
- Whatever is honorable: Noble, honorable, dignified, venerable, worthy of respect
- Whatever is right: Righteous, just, upright
- Whatever is pure: Pure, chaste, holy
- Whatever is lovely: Pleasing, agreeable, lovely
- Whatever is admirable: Of good report, reputable, praiseworthy
- If anything is excellent: Virtue, excellence, moral goodness
- Praiseworthy: Worthy of praise, commendation, approval
And in 2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
Or the often-memorized Psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want"
While considering what Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:20, that we should give thanks FOR everything, even what we may perceive as lack, the Spirit kept whispering about Jesus' words during the Last Supper. This can be read about in Matthew 26:20-30 ,Mark 14:17-26, Luke 22:14-23, and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
In Matthew 26:26 we read: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
Mark 14:22, “And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”
Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11: 23-24 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
The two words in the Greek are eulogeó (to bless) and eucharisteó (to give thanks)
In the first, we can easily see where we get the word eulogy. It means to bless, to praise, to speak well of. Knowing full well what lie ahead, that His body would soon be broken, that He was soon to die. Jesus spoke well of it. Do we speak well of the situations and circumstances that feel as though they are "killing us"? Do we speak well of the situations and circumstances that very well may be actually killing us, the terminal health diagnosis? This connects us to the second word, which emphasizes a heart of gratitude and acknowledgment of God's grace and provision. This understanding takes us back to the verse in 2 Corinthians "God is able to make all grace abound to you." Are we able to declare "God's grace works well!" Do we believe that? Is He enough to sustain us in the midst of the hard and see us through to the other side? Do we believe Him when He has said, "“Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” Can we with confidence declare, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid!" "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." The Lord knows this is not easy. That's why we're once more given the words of David "I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord." The word "sacrifice" literally means "to slaughter". Can you be grateful, "even if it kills you"?
Read the second half of the verse. "AND CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD." Calling on the name of the LORD signifies invoking God's presence, seeking His help, and acknowledging His sovereignty.
It's interesting to note that the first half of this post dealt with difficult relationships and then to learn that this "sacrifice of praise" refers to The Peace Offering, also known as the "fellowship offering," it also symbolized reconciliation and peace between the offerer and God, as well as among the community of believers. The communal meal aspect of the offering emphasized fellowship and unity, reflecting the peace and harmony that should exist among God's people.
Jesus tells us himself, "All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself."
When difficulties arise making either of these two things feel impossible, are we able to transcend our circumstances, and see it as an opportunity. As a way to "consecrate" it, by literally submitting to God's will and surrendering the situation utterly and completely to God, for Him to work and to will for His good pleasure? Even if it breaks us. Because its whenever we're broken, that His light shines through the cracks. 2 Corinthians 4 speaks of this.
I especially love 2 Corinthians 4:13 that says, “I believed, and so I spoke,” quoting the same chapter, Psalm 116, we referenced earlier! He expresses trust in God amidst affliction, which compels him to speak out. Admist affliction, does he "speak well of" God and His purpose. Do we trust what He promises us in His word, that there will be "beauty for ashes" and so therefore, declare "God is good all the time. All the time, God is good!"?
Which brings me full circle back to my first devotion, Unveiling Mercy. Beauty.
In Exodus it was the word tipharah, derived from the root פָּאַר (pa'ar), which means "to beautify" or "to glorify."
In Isaiah it's the word p'er also derived from the root פָּאַר (pa'ar).
Pa'ar: To beautify, glorify, adorn. Meaning: to gleam, embellish, to boast, to explain, oneself, to shake a tree. "To shake a tree"-- What? Looking a little deeper. Pa'ar is a denominative of the word p'orah meaning "to bear fruit" or "to be fruitful."
There it is-- the purpose. What was it that Joseph said again in Genesis when he named his son Ephraim? “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
And then we remember what Jesus said, in John 15:8 "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
This is the beauty of the hard thanks. This is how the Spirit works in us to produce fruit that glorifies our Father.
Heavenly Father, please keep working on my heart. Keep leading me back here. Keep my eyes focused on You and Your presence. Thank you that you continue to meet me here as I study and read Your word. Thank you for conviction and guidance. Thank you for the hard days. Thank you that You hold my hand as we walk through these lessons. Repetitiously, if need be. Thank you for the migraines, the upset stomach, the exhaustion and most of all for Your provision in the midst of it all. I know You see me, habitually trying to "power through". Teach me how to be true. Genuine. Teach me how to tell it how it really is instead of smiling like it's not as hard as it is. But not with a grumbling heart, instead with a thankful one. One that is eager to see how You will shine through even whenever I don't have the strength or wherewithal to make it out of the house. Use me. Let everyone know, I believe. And so, I speak. I speak of Your faithfulness. I speak of Your presence. I speak of the fullness of joy that exists even when deep inside there's also sadness. That there are ashes lying all around me. Shattered dreams that have fallen to the ground but that I trust are actually seeds that You are growing. And there's no better gardener than You. Grow in me a gentle and quiet spirit. Meek and tranquil. Squelch any and all feelings of angst and frustration. Help me see the good. Your good. To "believe all things" and to not be resentful, to be patient with difficult people and in difficult situations. And thank you for the women You have placed in my life that exhibit these qualities in good measure. I especially long for tranquility. In Jesus' name, Amen.
HELPS Word-studies:
Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God's strength under His control.
Calmly quiet, steady (settled) due to a divinely inspired inner calmness.
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