“My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isaiah 55:8).
A paradox is an apparent contradiction that in reality may express a profound truth. The Bible contains many such mind-baffling concepts. The fact that we cannot understand them indicates that God’s thoughts and ways are much higher than ours.
Here are several more: We find rest under a yoke (Matt. 11:28-30). We reign by serving (Mark 10:42-44). We are exalted by being humble (Matt. 23:12). We become wise by being fools for Christ’s sake (1 Cor. 1:20-21). We enjoy freedom when we become His bond servants (Rom. 6:17-20). We are made great by becoming little (Luke 9:48). We possess all things by having nothing (2 Cor. 6:10). We are strong when we are weak (2 Cor. 12:10). We find victory by glorying in our infirmities (2 Cor. 12:5). We live by dying (John 12:24-25).
The unbeliever rejects these enigmas because they are impossible to understand. But the Christian, who has the Holy Spirit to enlighten him, can accept these paradoxes, realizing that we may not fully understand them until we see the Lord face to face.
I am a genealogist (one who studies his/her family ancestry). Ancestry.com has surged the interest in family history by allowing researchers to post their family trees online for others to tap into. I was recently attempting to discover one of Anita’s ancestors when I discovered about 20 Public Member Trees that all declared the ancestor’s birth, marriage and death info. But when I attempted to access the original source of the information, they all said ‘Public Member Tree’. In other words, everyone of them trusted someone’s else’s word. It’s hearsay if it can’t be proved.
What if we believed everything we’ve been taught about Christmas (including Santa Claus), or about Easter Sunday (including the Easter bunny)? There must be an original source that we can all come back to that proved our thesis.
For believers, that would be the Bible. That is the one true source that can be trusted in this deceitful world.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing” (1 Timothy 2:8).
What does it mean to lift up holy hands in prayer? Some have said its a sign of surrender, like a hold up. Others have said its a sign of receiving a gift, like open hands of acceptance. It is an expression of worship to others. But, from the Apostle Paul’s perspective, what does that mean? Should we or shouldn’t we? The Apostle Paul was probably thinking of this passage when he said that:
“He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God His Savior” (Psalm 24:4-5). So, the emphasis isn’t upon lifting up my hands, but its upon prayer and doing so without animosity in our hearts toward anyone else. That takes clean hands and a pure heart.
“David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said, ‘The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my god is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior – from violent men you save me’” (2 Samuel 22:1-3).
Like David, when we reflect on God’s breakthroughs in our lives, we should break out in song. It doesn’t have to have a special tune, and it doesn’t have to rhyme. But, its our song. We’re using our own words to pour out our heart of thanksgiving to God. God has a big ego and loves it when we praise Him.
So, what would your song say? What is God to you? How can you magnify Him as you sing to Him? He loves to hear you sing.
The book of Judges is about cycles. It is the historical study of seven times Israel walked away from God, seven times God allowed an enemy to overwhelm them, and seven times God provided a deliverer (judge) to set them free. And each deliverance only came by violent force. This pattern of disobedience, servitude, and deliverance is repeated seven times. Each time there was a different invader, and each time there was an obscure deliverer that rallied the people to the cause.
It is recorded to be an example for each believer. If we disobey God’s instructions, He will lift His protection from us and permit an enemy to bring us into bondage. Only when we are unhappy with the bondage conditions will we cry out to God, who will always send a deliverer (Jesus) to set us free. But its also written to remind us just how fickle we are. Like dogs, we keep returning to our own vomit, like pigs back to the mud.
We are sinners in a fallen world, and we can only survive as we trust in Jesus. Its the same story over and over. Break the cycle today and surrender to the Deliverer.
Two granddaughters were at my house Monday evening. I went outside to see what they were up to and I discovered three daffodils laying in the grass. I asked where they came from and was informed that 3-year old Ruby had picked them from Grandma’s flower garden. I said, “Ruby, let’s take these flowers in to Grandma so she can put them in water.” She replied, “No, Grandpa. Leave them there.”
I explained, “But if we leave them here overnight, they’ll die.” She replied, “No, Grandpa, if we leave them here overnight in the morning they’ll turn into butterflies.”
I don’t know where she heard that before, but it satisfied me. Only a child like faith could come up with the story that something dead could actually become a totally new life in the morning.