Harbingers of Holiness
The little lady likes a prize from the machines at the market. She got a miniature Denver Broncos hat on her first try that she gave to her Bronco-supporting Daddy. He was gratified by her thoughtfulness and she was elated by his gratitude.
Pop-Pop had every right to anticipate that the next hat would feature the New England Patriots logo and colors. Amber made her request, Pop-Pop inserted the requisite quarters, and out popped a hat – It was the New York Giants! Uuggh!
I am not superstitious, but it was a sillily unseemly moment. My affections are not inclined to teams that play in New York, and the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago, destroying their aspiration of being the only team to go 19-0. How aggravating; I hate them!
I trust that it was not a portentous moment. Such signs are always being sought in our world, as if spiritual tips are made available to unspiritual people out of the pure altruism of the unseen “powers and principalities” that move and shake the world.
God has the prerogative to speak through the proverbial and biblical “signs and wonders,” but that is His business; we are exhorted to seek out God and His will for our lives through more pedestrian but ever more faithful and fruitful channels; holiness, after all, trumps hokiness.
These holy channels have been plainly stated, whether from prophets, psalmists, apostles or Jesus Himself. Resistance comes from willfully dissentient intent; a plea of ignorance is not at our disposal, at least not since the Word was declared and placed in our homes, if not our hearts.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” posited the psalmist, right smack-dab in the middle of the vertically-stretched but spiritually-simple-yet-substantive Psalm 119. The 105th verse leaves no room for doubt and gives every reason for trust in Almighty God.
One simply can’t go wrong with abiding in God’s Word! We are given direction, counsel and assurance from within its pages, all of which is backed by the very Spirit to whom authorship is attributed. Our faith is grounded in the gold standard of the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15).
There is a wonderfully-amusing line uttered by Irene Dunne in the classic comedic film entitled Life with Father from 1949. Ms. Dunne’s character seeks to encourage the new and nervous maid: “Everything’s going to be alright; but I do hope that nothing goes wrong!”
We often feel that way, even as committed Christians; remember, though, what the Word says: “All things work to the good of those who love the Lord, of those who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). I believe that it says “all” things, not just “some.”
Nor can one go wrong with lifting up holy hands in prayer (1Timothy 2:8). We are assured that God hears our prayer. “To you we owe our hymn of praise, O God of Zion; to you our vows must be fulfilled, you who hear our prayers” (Psalm 65:2, NAB).
We aren’t always sure, are we? We often hedge our bets, hoping as a last resort or as a token first action that perhaps, just perhaps, God will hear and help us; after all, prayer can’t hurt; no? We certainly hope that it will work it nothing else does!
There is another wonderfully-amusing line from another classic film, The Valley of Decision from 1945. Greer Garson plays an Irish Catholic maid working for a wealthy Presbyterian family in Pittsburgh. The young lady of the house is desperately in love and deeply unsettled.
Ms. Garson seeks to offer comfort and counsel by putting her to bed and exhorting her to simply “say your prayers and give praise to God.” The young lady becomes even more unsettled: “But I’m Presbyterian; am I allowed to praise God?”
Far too many of us who claim Christ, whether Presbyterian or Catholic or Pentecostal, fail to praise God because we fail to pray to Him on faith. Our prayer is no better than a shot-in-the-dark if it does not originate in the light of His glory and grace.
God has revealed something of Himself through His Word and we can draw close to Him in prayer. Relationship is vital to our growth as Christians. Our relationship with God is designed to be stoked by our relations with His people, who are a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9).
“Do not forsake the assembling of the saints” (Hebrews 12:25) is the exhortation of Scripture, and it is not for nothing that we are so exhorted. God is to be found amongst His people, whatever their flaws or foibles; notwithstanding these, He faithfully abides and provides.
God’s people are an aggregate and an amalgam of differing personality-types, differing ethnicities and ages, all of whom are reflective of the restored image of God, however much the scars of earlier, more distorted expressions of the divine image remain visible.
Apostolic vision is given to encourage us: “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Do take heart, as we are clearly a work in progress!
And it is a work that is expressed in powerful part through good deeds. Such deeds are expressive of His good work in us (Ephesians 2:10) and compelling enough for pagans to glorify God (1 Peter 2:12); hence, the command that we be rich in good deeds (1 Timothy 6:18).
One has been hearing about the “Bill Belichek-Tom Brady Magic.” It will take more than magic if the Patriots are to defeat the Giants. It will take good, solid football, both offensively and defensively. “Magical” plays can only accentuate holistic execution of football fundamentals.
The most probable and effective signs of God’s holy presence and ineffable power are to be found when and where God’s people are practicing the essentials of godly life. We are not persons of magic but of faith in the living and holy God who is lovingly at work in our lives.
Bradley E. Lacey
February 5, 2012