Bury me in Caanan

 

 Have you thought about where you want to be buried when you die? If you have, you are among the minority because most people don’t think too much about dying or where they prefer to be buried. Dying, though inevitable, makes most people uncomfortable, so they leave many things undone. Why is that? Why the avoidance when it comes to the topic of death? Fear of death, fear of separation, and fear of the unknown cause us to avoid something unavoidable. Surprisingly many have not made a will or a trust with instructions about their children, property, and assets. It’s a shame because the court takes their cut to do what should have already have been done.

The Patriarch, Jacob, does not avoid the topic of death. Twice he gave instructions of where he wanted to be buried. “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite” (Gen 49:29-30). He was precise in his request to his sons.

Jacob was living in Egypt and believed that the land of Caanan had been promised to his grandfather, Abraham, his father Isaac, and to him. However, the only part of Caanan owned by Hebrews was a cemetery purchased by his grandfather, Abraham. That didn’t matter, take me there and bury with my fathers as I wait for God to fulfill his promise to our people.

Knowing as Jacob did that death is not the end gives us the courage to face death. Placing our bodies in a grave is not the end of them. God will one day raise them up. Jesus said, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29).

Knowing how to face death gives us the motivation to prepare ourselves and our families for our deaths. We don’t have to fear death or avoid the subject. We can be ready for that moment, having made all the preparations. The essential preparation being the surrender of our heart to Jesus. Believing in Jesus is the greatest decision we will ever make. Listen to the Apostle John, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:16-18). When you serve Jesus, death is no longer your master—Jesus is!

(Parenting with a Long View) https://bovdbrooks.com/

My Soul Thirst for Thee

 

Enthusiasm is an intense excitement of feeling. Unfortunately, we have seen enthusiasm for Christ wane since we have been in this pandemic for a year. Where is the spirit to serve God? Where is the excitement to come to his house and worship and praise God? Some believers have traded their enthusiasm for Christ for fear of dying. Many Christians in the past have faced hard times but refused to give up their zeal for the Gospel. They saw something beyond their trials and lived with a sense of abandonment: “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (Luke 17:33). Living in fear of the Covid virus is a losing proposition because the very life you want to save is diminished.

Our satisfaction in life comes from Christ and him alone. In his book Harm’s Way, Doug Stanton tells about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945. It was hit by a torpedo and was sunk in 12 minutes. Nine hundred men survived the sinking but would have to endure four days and five nights without food or water. Only 316 men survived the brutal ordeal of no water and sharks, but the worst was the hallucinations.  The chief medical officer, Haynes, recorded his own experience:

There was nothing I could do, nothing I do but give advice, bury the dead at sea, and try to keep the men from drinking the water. When the hot sun came out, and we were in this crystal clear ocean, we were so thirsty. You couldn’t believe it wasn’t good enough to drink. I had a hard time convincing the men they shouldn’t drink it. The real young ones…you take away their hope, you take away their water and food, they would drink the saltwater, and they would go fast. I can remember striking them who were drinking the salt water to try to stop them.  They would get dehydrated, then become maniacal.  There were mass hallucinations.  I was amazed at how everyone would see the same thing.  One man would see something, and then everyone else would see it.  Even I fought the hallucinations off and on.  Something always brought me back.[i]

We, too, have to fight delusions of this world that tell us to drink this world’s water.  God is the only one who can truly satisfy our thirst.  David tells us how to quench our thirst: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2).

 

(Parenting with a Long View) https://bovdbrooks.com/

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[i] Stanton, Doug. In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis,  Henry Holt and Co. Location 2275, Kindle Edition.

Blessed to be a Blessing

 
 

God loves to bless his sons and daughters so they can be a blessing to others.  Joseph is a prime example. Listen to this description given by his father at his death: “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall” (Gen 49:22).

What a beautiful metaphor of a well-watered vine that is so healthy its fruit is available to all who pass by. Indeed, this is what Joseph had been for his family and the world during the famine. God’s blessings are not meant to be kept but shared. God blesses us so we can bless others.

Note the difference between the Banyan tree and the Banana tree. Nothing grows under a banyan tree. The banyan spreads wide—up to an acre. It sends its branches in all directions.  Birds, animals, and humans find shelter under its shade. But nothing grows under the thick foliage, and when it dies, it leaves the ground barren. The banana tree could not be more different. Six months after it sprouts, small shoots appear around it. At twelve months, the second circle of shoots appears beside the first ones, now six months old. At eighteen months, the main trunk bears bananas which nourish animals and people, and then it dies, having fulfilled its cycle. But the first offspring are now full-grown, and in six months, they too bear fruit and die. The processes continue unbroken as new sprouts emerge every six months, grow, give birth to more shoots, bear fruit, and die.

The Banyan tree illustrates the life that focuses on its own greatness. It may be impressive, but the legacy is of no lasting influence. However, the life that is willing to die to itself and truly follows in Jesus’ steps will be a blessing to people both now and later.

Joseph lived a life that was a blessing because God helped him and blessed him. Listen to these words: “With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel” (Gen 49:23-24). Joseph had every reason to be barren—after all the unfair and unjust trials he endured, but it never caused him to dry up and wither—only even to be more fruitful.

Arrows were shot at Joseph from his brothers, from Mrs. Potiphar, and others who resented his rise from prison to Egypt’s court. In all of this, Joseph remained faithful to God and relied on God. There was never a word of self-pity. His speech always glorified God. What an example, even under attack.

The reason for Joseph’s incredible conduct was God. And his father’s blessing acknowledged this in eloquent words. Joseph’s power came from “the Mighty One of Jacob.” Jacob declared that God alone had saved Joseph. God was his shepherd and his rock. God was faithful and dependable.

No matter what we are going through, God is ready to bless us, and that blessing can be shared with others going through similar trials. We are truly blessed to be a blessing! If we believe this and live this way, our children will never see themselves as victims no matter what they go through.

 (Parenting with a Long View) https://bovdbrooks.com/

The Lion of Judah

 

C.S. Lewis, in his book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, teaches children theology. It describes the children’s curiosity of finding out who Asland—the Christ Figure is.

 “Who is Asland?” asked Susan. “Asland” said Mr. Beaver, “Why don’t you know?”  “He is the King.” “Is he a man?” asked Lucy. “Asland, a man?” said Mr. Beaver sternly, “Certainly not! I tell you he is the king of the wood and the son of the great emperor beyond the sea.” “Don’t you know who is the king of beasts?  Asland is a lion.” The lion, the great lion. “OO said Susan. “Is he quiet safe? I shall feel quite nervous about meeting a lion.” “That you will dearie.” “And no mistake” said Mrs. Beaver “If there is anyone who can appear before Asland without their knees knocking they are either braver than most or else just silly.” “Then he isn’t safe” said Lucy. “Safe” said Mr. Beaver, “Who said anything about safe? Certainly he isn’t safe but he is good.” He is the king I tell you.

When the patriarch Jacob spoke his last words in the form of blessings and curses on each of his sons, he predicted that a Lion from the tribe of Judah would come. Jacob tells us where the phrase “Lion of Judah,” which is a name for Jesus, comes from: “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion, he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? (Gen 49:8-9). Jacob says The Lion would come one day!

The three older sons were disqualified from his blessing because of their rebellious hearts. Judah, however, was the recipient, not because he was worthy but because he was repentant, and God uses people who repent. Jacob said of Judah: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his (Gen 49:10). The scepter underscored that God would bless Judah’s descendants because from them would come the Messiah.

When this Messiah comes, there would be abundance and prosperity never seen before: He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes (Gen 49:11). In this messianic prophecy of Jesus, wine is a symbol of prosperity.

There will be such an abundance of grapes that the Messiah will tie his donkey to a choice grapevine with no concern about his donkey’s eating the grapes. There would be such an abundance of wine that you could use wine for wash water if you wanted to.

In a world where evil abounds and truth has been turned upside down, we long for the Messiah to come. Isaiah said, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20). Is there a verse that could describe our society today better than this? Yes, please come Jesus and usher in your kingdom. Jacob says he is coming, and he is powerful: “His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk” (Gen 49:12). Here is a picture of strength and power. We long for Jesus to come, and when he does, he will set this world right—it is upside down, but he will turn right side up.

(Parenting with a Long View) https://bovdbrooks.com/

Hindrances to a Good Marriage

 

Some of the most common causes of conflict in marriage are dysfunctional patterns that disrupt harmony and rob the possibility of quality time; here are a few of them.

Anxiety: A disruption of thoughts that spiral out-of-control causing you to believe you are in a life-threatening situation when you are not. It leaves you with feelings of doom, crippling you emotionally. It robs you of your ability to interact with others. Help from anxiety comes in changing your patterns of thinking (Phil 4:4-9).

Resentment: When you get hurt and allow bitterness to fester, it prevents you from having good interaction with your husband or wife. If you have been hurt, then work on it, but don’t bury it and think it will go away by itself. It will not (Eph 4:32)!

Immaturity: This pattern can ruin a marriage—immature reactions, immature decisions that cause toxic patterns to form. The cure for immaturity is growing up and learning to seek closeness, intimacy, and passion in our marriages, but it requires hard work (Eph 4:15).

Manipulation: It is going around the person to get what you want without being completely honest. It is harmful, and it hurts marriages. The cure is to seek to be completely real (Eph 4:22-24)!

Blame: This habit deflects your mistakes onto someone else because you are unwilling to take responsibility for them. Blaming your wife or your husband for your shortcomings not only wrecks the marriage but is like trying to go forward while dragging a ton of baggage (Luke 6:42).

Lack of Acceptance: Not accepting your wife or your husband as they are, prevents them from being who they were meant to be. Accepting her personality, views, and opinions enable her to blossom and stop trying to please you (Eph 5:21-33).

Anger: This is one of the most misused emotions. It is used to manipulate people. Anger is an emotion that should serve us by helping us identify a problem and find a solution.  First, we have to consider — is there something wrong and what is it, and how can I effectively respond to it without letting my anger control me (Eph 4:26)?

Delayed Gratification: This might be one of the nastiest habits hindering so many marriages. It says, “I want what I want right now.” It is the inability to see past now. It is too rigid and inflexible to assess your spouse’s needs, only putting your needs first (Isa 40:28-31).

Lack of Accountability: It’s only when we are willing to be entirely accountable for our words, actions, and mistakes that we can build an intimate relationship with our wives and husbands (Eph 4:21).

Avoidance: This is the person who says yes to everything even when they should say no because they are afraid of conflict. However, their avoidance of conflict actually causes more conflict (Prov 24:26).

(Parenting with a Long View) https://bovdbrooks.com/