"Putting the horse before the cart"...thoughts from Psalm 28:7...

Many "quaint old sayings" get carried on over time, while their original meaning gets completely lost.  One such saying is..."that's putting the cart before the horse."  Obviously, the intent of the original saying was to identify the fact that the order in which someone was doing, or about to do, something, was completely backwards...just the opposite of what it should have been.  It wouldn't work that way...it couldn't work that way.

Unfortunately, not many people today see horses pulling carts through their streets, let alone actually attempt to hitch a horse to a cart.  As a result, I once heard a man exclaim, in a very loud and serious voice, "...that's putting the horse before the cart!"  He hadn't simply misspoken...he was quite serious.  He was familiar with the expression, but, completely unfamiliar with the meaning of the expression.  As a result, his emphatic statement was as inappropriate as the situation he was applying it to.

Even though his comments were not directed towards me...I couldn't help but overhear his statement.  The clear contradiction caught my attention...I immediately thought to myself, but...that's where the horse belongs...before the cart!  How absolutely silly he sounded.

I was very quick to recognize that man's error.  Unfortunately, I'm not always quite so quick to recognize my own.

Putting things in their proper order...doing things in their proper order...is the only way we can reasonably expect a proper outcome.

It's a good thing to desire to know and experience joy in the Lord.  It's also a good thing to desire to trust the Lord...especially in the midst of difficult and trying situations.  Too often, however, we're prone to fall into the trap of expecting our experience of joy in Him to provide the motivation...the strength...the courage...to trust Him.  That, I believe, is putting the cart before the horse.


One brief verse in Psalm 28 is very helpful here.

      The LORD is my strength and my shield;
         my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
      My heart leaps for joy
         and I will give thanks to him in song.
                                                   Psalm 28:7

Having cried out to the LORD in his time of distress, and having seen the LORD respond in faithful provision...just as He has so faithfully in the past...David then offers his praise and thanks.  The sequence here is extremely important.


First, David restates a truth about the LORD...He is David's "...strength and shield."


Second, David responds to that truth, with trust.  "...my heart trusts in Him."

Then, David exclaims that his "...heart leaps for joy."

Finally, David determines that he will now, and in the future "...give thanks to Him in song."  David will worship his LORD.

David meditates on a truth about God, and is moved, based on that truth, to trust in God.  His joy in God is the result, as is his determination to praise God.  Some translations make this even more evident by including the conjunction "therefore," immediately before "...my heart leaps for joy."

I should not seek to be strengthened to trust God by, and because of, the joy I have in God.

Rather, it is right and proper to trust Him simply because of Who He is.  What I will find is that true joy will follow...not simply because He answers, but because I am living in light of the truth.

But, isn't it true that Scripture says that the joy of the LORD is my strength?  Absolutely.  This, however, is part of an ongoing process of growing in Him.  The joy David experienced as a result of his having trusted his LORD, then becomes a strengthening factor in his next time of trial...and, so too for each one of God's children.

But, isn't it also true that Scripture says that it was "...for the joy set before Him..." that Christ endured the cross, despising its shame?"  Yes.  But, Scripture also makes it clear that His matchless and unfathomable love, was His motivation...not His own joy.

Trying to get someplace by putting the cart in front of the horse would be a frustrating and futile undertaking.  So, too, trying to depend on my feelings of joy in the Lord to enable me to trust Him, will also prove to be frustrating and futile.

However, seeing Him for Who He is...meditating on the truth He's revealed, and acting on that revelation in humble trusting obedience, will, surely bring me to that place of true joy in Him, resulting in praise to Him, and He will be glorified, as He alone deserves.

A "blessed contradiction"...thoughts on true freedom...

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.    Galatians 5:1

We must be ever grateful for, and vigilant over, the blood bought freedom we are blessed to enjoy as citizens of this country.  It is even more important, however, that we are even more mindful of being grateful for, and vigilant with regard to, the freedom provided in Christ, for the blood bought citizens of His Kingdom.

Admittedly, to make that statement on the fourth of July is to run the risk of being seen as unappreciative of all that is being celebrated today.  If that is your initial response as you read this, then, to borrow someone else’s phrase, “you infer what I do not imply.”

My acknowledgement of and appreciation for the once-for-all Sacrifice made on my behalf by the Son of God, need not, and does not, imply a lack of appreciation for the multiple sacrifices of the sons of men from which I now benefit.  My acknowledgement of and appreciation for His deliverance from the yoke of slavery to the tyrant sin, need not, and does not, imply a lack of appreciation for the freedom I have from any earthly tyrant.

That said, my thoughts this morning are simple, and quite simply focused on the awesome nature of the blessed freedom we have in Jesus Christ, inspired by the words of the Apostle Paul in that brief verse from Galatians 5:1.

Because, and only because, of my Heavenly Father’s indescribable gift of His Son, I can experience and enjoy, eternally, true freedom.  It is, at one and the same time, a freedom from…and a freedom to…

In Christ, I have freedom from...

• the fear of death...
• the fears of life...
• the fear of man...
• the bondage of futile human effort and attempts to somehow make my sinful self right with, or acceptable to, a Holy God...of futile attempts to be good...to be good enough...to keep His Holy Law, that reveals His character and nature and Holy standard for His children...
• the penalty I rightly deserve for my sinful rebellion against my Creator...
• the power of sin over my soul...
• the presence of sin, ultimately and eternally...

In Christ, I have freedom to... 

• see, and experience, and enjoy, and be ever growing in the wonder of His love and mercy and grace...
• see, and experience, and enjoy, and be ever growing in the knowledge of Him, in all the beauty of His holiness...
• see, and experience, and enjoy, the wonder of relationship with Him...
• see, and experience, and enjoy, the wonder of relationships with others who, by His grace, share His life...
• experience the confidence and hope that come from His promised presence...knowing He will never leave me, or forsake me...
• look forward to an eternity in His presence...
• present myself to Him, unreservedly, to serve Him faithfully in unchallenged and unrivaled obedience, by His grace, and for His glory...

Paul’s words, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are at once both encouraging and challenging.  I am reminded of the wonder of the freedom I have in Christ, alone.  But I am also reminded of the very present danger of being drawn back into a yoke of slavery.

When God sets me free in Christ, it is not simply so that I might be free from the bad stuff that results from my slavery to the evil, tyrannical master, sin.  Rather, He sets me free that I might now willingly present myself to Him, to serve Him, my loving Master…my Lord…my Savior…my King.

The “blessed contradiction” of this life is that I experience true freedom only as I willingly submit myself as a slave to my Heavenly Master…my God…in and through my Lord Jesus Christ.

Theological Trauma...thoughts from Psalm 73...

Growing in our knowledge of God can be a soul-traumatizing process, even though knowing Him is, at the same time, our highest blessing.

In Psalm 73, Asaph, wrestles with an age-old question, “Why do the wicked seem to prosper?”  My thoughts here, however, are not concerned with that age-old question, but rather with the anguish of soul Asaph experiences as he wrestles with the question.  I believe his struggle is indicative of an oft times unrecognized struggle that is, nonetheless, common to God’s people.  Moreover, I believe that for those engaged in the holy pursuit of an ever increasing knowledge of God, this struggle should be expected.  It is a necessary consequence of the chasm that exists between the Infinite and the finite, between Creator and creature, between the Divine and the human, between the Holy and the un-holy.

Asaph does, obviously, address questions surrounding both the apparent prosperity of the wicked, and their ultimate fate.  He also clearly offers valuable insights into how the godly can deal with their own envy, discouragement and discontent, and find their true contentment in God.  Still, I believe there is more that underlies Asaph's recounting of his wrestling, a recounting that has the character of a confession.


As Aspah begins to write, he has come full-circle through his trial of soul.  And so, he acknowledges that "Truly, God is good to Israel."  Immediately though, he contrasts that truth about God with what he has learned of his own character, saying "But, as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.  For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."  Through this ordeal, he has, first, come to see himself more clearly, and, he's not proud of what he has seen.  This too is a natural consequence of growing in our knowledge of God.


While he freely admits his "envy," it soon becomes clear that Asaph's problem was not simply that he saw all that the wicked and arrogant had, and how they lived, and wanted that for himself.  In verse 16, he confesses that as he "...thought how to understand this..." it seemed to him to be a "wearisome task."  Still, he needed to try to understand what he saw around him.  I would suggest that his desire to understand is due to the fact that what he observed all around him just didn't fit, it didn't make sense, it couldn't be satisfactorily reconciled with what he thought he knew of the God of Israel.  This, I believe, is the beginning of our understanding of the true anguish of soul Asaph was experiencing.  Something far beyond mere envy, and, far more trying to his soul.


It is also important to understand that this was, for Asaph, a private anguish.


Having recounted what he saw in the lives of the wicked (vv. 3-9), Aspah writes that he had observed that the God's own people, Israel, also saw this prosperity and arrogance and were led to question (vv. 10-11), "How can God know?"  "Is there any knowledge with the Most High?"  Aspah's confusion and envy, are also shared by those around him.  The all too understandable result is that Asaph says, within himself, "In vain I have kept my heart clean, and washed my hands in innocence.  All day long I have been stricken, and rebuked every morning."


Asaph, however, does not publicly admit the trauma of soul he is experiencing...and, for this, he is later thankful.  He realizes, aloud, in verse 15 "If I had said, 'I will speak thus,' I would have betrayed the generation of Your children."  Having come, once again, full-circle, he realizes  now, as he writes, that if he had given in to simply venting his envy and confusion by questioning his God, he would have only succeeded in further shaking the faith of his fellow pilgrims...betraying them, and God.  He somehow understood, based on his prior knowledge of the character of his God, that there had to be an answer, even though he could not see it.  And so, he determined to first bring his anguish, his questions, to God, rather than simply commiserate with his fellow discouraged pilgrims.


It is at this point that Asaph's desire to understand begins to bear fruit, as he finally turns away from everyone and everything around him, and approaches God Himseslf...entering His sancturay.  The fruit of this growth in knowledge, once again, begins with an understanding of his own bitterness, brutish behavior and ignorance (vv. 21-22).  However, thankfully, it doesn't end there.  Rather, he is apparently graciously gripped with the understanding that "Nevertheless..."  he is constantly with his Lord, because, his Lord holds his right hand.


There is so much more to see and say with regard to this Psalm, but, this is not an attempt at a verse-by-verse exposition.  Rather, it is an attempt to identify what I believe is a natural struggle to be encountered by all who would desire to grow in their knowledge of God.  It is the anguish of soul that results when what we see and experience all around us cannot be simply reconciled with our knowledge of God, His character, His will, and His promises to His people.


It is the anguish of Abraham (Genesis 18) when the LORD chose to reveal His plan to destroy Sodom to Abraham.  This knowledge of God's plan, coupled with Abraham's knowledge that his nephew Lot was living in that city, gave rise to Abraham's cautiously guarded prayer, as he wrestled with the possibility that God would destroy the righteous along with the wicked.  This didn't fit what he thought he knew of the LORD, yet, it appeared to be what was about to happen.  So, he prayed...humbly asking in repeatedly decreasing numbers, if the LORD would still destroy that sinful city if there were 50, or 40, or 30 righteous...down to ten.  Abraham could not reconcile the actions God declared He would undertake, with His justice.  The tenor of Abraham's prayer makes his anguish of soul quite clear.  He was rewarded with a new understanding of his God, but, not without anguish of soul.


Job's ordeal is another classic example.  A man whom God Himself described as blameless, nonetheless experiences such extreme anguish of soul, leading him to question all he "knew" about God.  Still, in the end, he could say, I had heard of You with the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You...  Job was doubly blessed in the end, but, not without trauma of soul.


It was true of the Apostle Paul.  Oh, to know the Lord as Paul knew Him.  Yet, we are told of a time when he wrestled to understand why he was being prevented from moving on to share the gospel...exactly what he had been called to do...and yet, the Spirit prevented him.  Why?  It didn't make sense.  Until, he received the vision...the Macedonian call (Acts 16).  Paul knew what it was to be perplexed, though not in despair (2 Cor. 4).


It was likewise evidenced in the life of John the Baptist (Matthew 11) as, from prison, he sent to Jesus to ask, "Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for another?"  John, having faithfully proclaimed the coming of the Lord, after enduring hardship and ridicule most of his life, now sits in prison, awaiting death.  Is this the reward for faithful service as the messenger of the Lord?  Had he been mistaken?  Jesus sent John's messengers back with the words that confirmed His person and mission.  Enough to see John through his coming ordeal, yet, still, he first wrestled in anguish of soul as he wondered...'till the Word of the Lord brought him clarity and comfort.


As we struggle to deal with the varied circumstances and experiences we encounter in our pilgrim journey there is, oft times, an underlying unease that results from our limited, imperfect, yet growing, knowledge of Our Lord.  It is to be expected


While our circumstances and experiences might be difficult to deal with, still there is something even more troubling at times...at those times when things just don't make sense...when we're driven to question how this all fits with what we thought we knew of the character and actions of our God.  This experience can be more troubling than our circumstances because, at least in part, our foundations are shaken...they are not as secure as we once thought they were.  My confidence in my understanding of what (or Who) is truly MOST IMPORTANT...God Himself, is to some degree shaken.


Yet, this anguish of soul, this theological trauma, is an indication that I am, by His grace, on the path to an increased knowledge of Him, and, with that increased knowledge, a strengthened faith, as I recognize that I am continually with Him, as He holds my right hand.


This is eternal life...that we might know Him, the only true God, in and through Jesus Christ, Whom He has sent.

Covert Conditioning...

No enticement to sin occurs as an isolated incident. Every time I yield to temptation, I must realize that I am, at the same time, developing and strengthening a conditioned reflexive response to that which is the source of my temptation (a sinful habit).  As a result, my next encounter is made all the more difficult, because I have conditioned…disciplined my mind to see, to view, that source of my temptation from the perspective of the way it has met my needs in the past.  A further result of this conditioning, this discipline, is that I will find that I have trained the eyes of my mind to see only the temporary pleasures of sin, and not its heinousness.

At this point, I am no longer capable of a neutral response.  The stimulus associated with that temptation, a mere word, a sound, a sight, a smell, seemingly automatically triggers a response, and I find myself well down the road to falling once again, even though I have not consciously conjured up, considered, or entertained thoughts about it.  The sinful sense becomes the normal sense.  In my fight against sin, I find myself starting this round from the mat, already flat on my back, not standing firm on both feet to face the challenge of the confrontation in the strength of my Lord.

My hope?  First, recognizing, acknowledging His truth that, I am dead, and my life is hid with Christ in God.  Then, on that basis, constantly conditioning myself, disciplining myself, by looking to Him Who was tempted in all ways, just as I am, and yet, without sin.  Fixing my eyes on Him, that I might see and be overwhelmed with the beauty of holiness.  In His strength, in Him alone, mortifying, putting to death by starvation, the old man…drawing on, being nurtured by, the true life that flows from the true vine.  Finding my true satisfaction, the meeting of my every need, in Him, in Whom my life is hid.  Standing firm, in Him alone.  Experiencing the true blessedness of life in Him, that a new conditioned reflexive response (a holy habit) would be ever increasingly developed and strengthened, by His Grace, and for His Glory.

Questioning my questions...

Seeking answers to my questions from the Lord, in Sacred Scripture, is, without question, the appropriate thing to do.  However, it is also appropriate to question my questions.

Jesus' responses to the questions posed to Him by the people He encountered, are instructive.  Often, His response to someone's question was either another question, or, an answer to a question the individual never asked.  How is that instructive?  Since He knows my needs better than I know them myself, it tells me that I might well be wrong in thinking that I need an answer to that particular question, at that specific time.  Further, it tells me that there is likely an answer I do need, to a question I haven't even recognized, let alone asked.

When I stubbornly persist in asking the wrong questions...seeking answers I've wrongly determined that I "need," I only succeed in setting myself up for increasing frustration, diminishing hope and weakening faith.  Instead, I should consider that perhaps the lack of a forthcoming answer  to my question means that I should be quiet, and listen for the "answer" my Lord is trying to give me...the one that answers the question I should have been asking all along...the answer I truly need...not the answer I want.  Often, He is working to draw my focus away from what I see as my need, to see Him...to fix my eyes on Him, Who alone is the answer to my every need...