Growing in the Wilderness

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Steve Foster

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil… (Matthew 3:17, Matthew 4:1)

Sometimes chapter divisions (which were added to the Bible in the 1200’s to help with reading) cause us to miss the real flow of the Bible’s message. It is especially true with the ending of Matthew 3 and the beginning of chapter 4. There is no break here. God’s declaration at Jesus’ baptism…”This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased”…is immediately followed by…Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew wanted to connect these two statements. Jesus’ testing in the wilderness was not a sign that God abandoned Him or did not love Him. In fact, it was just the opposite. God’s love for His Son actually brought Him to the place of testing. God was well-pleased with Jesus thus He led Him to a place where Jesus’ obedience and love for His Father could be displayed.

It’s a wild thought…a thought that runs contrary to our thinking. We often think, “If God loves me, then He will protect me from all trials and difficulties.” Or we often think when we are in a difficult time in our lives, “Why is God allowing this to happen? I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t deserve this. What is going on? Is God real? Is He there? Does He love me?” Our formula for life is simple:

Godly living + God’s favor = Good life (i.e., no major problems in life)

When this formula is interrupted by trials, we do not know what to do. We start blaming God, doubting Him. But the problem is not with God but with our formula.

Jesus’ obedience (godly living) and God’s favor (This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased) actually led to the wilderness of testing. Jesus spent forty days in physical hunger and suffering and then at the end of that time faced an emotional and spiritual battle with Satan himself. It was such a grueling time in His life that He needed angelic ministry to recover after it was over. But this was part of God’s plan….part of His good plan.

Matthew 3:17-4:1 teaches us that formula of discipleship looks more like this…

Godly living + God’s favor + Periods of testing = Abundant life (i.e., increased dependence on God and joy in Him)

Hebrews 5:8 tells us that although he [Jesus] was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. Jesus learned obedience in the wilderness. He learned to put God above his physical desires (stones to bread), above personal pride and applause (jumping from temple), above the hunger for things or possessions (the offer of the whole world). In short, he learned to put God above Himself…which is the only true path to the “good life.” This could only be learned in the wilderness.

What does that mean to me? It means that as much as I hate being in the wilderness…being in difficult times, being physically weakened, being emotionally drained, being spiritually stretched…that these are times that God is refining me, changing me, removing elements of pride and self-sufficiency, and teaching me to depend on Him. Why does God allow this? Not to harm me…but to keep me from destroying myself in my own pride. Not to give me a miserable life…but to ultimately give me an abundant life. Not to discourage me…but to give me a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Lord, I do not like being in the wilderness…but when I am there give me the strength and faith to rely on You, to trust You…and when it is over minister to me with Your angels.

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Joseph the Dreamer

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Steve Foster

19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:19-23)

For some reason, my mind is drawn to Joseph this morning as I read this passage. Normally, Joseph takes a backseat in the Christmas story. Of course, the focus is on Jesus, as it should be. But after Jesus, people tend to focus on Mary, the wise men, the shepherds, the angels, even the star. Joseph seems to be the “behind the scenes” guy. The silent, quiet husband of Mary and legal guardian of Jesus.

Joseph passes off the scene after this account in Matthew 2. He is mentioned in Luke’s account of the Christmas story but never says a word. And by the time Jesus begins His public ministry, Joseph is gone, apparently dying before Jesus reaches the age of 30.

So we don’t know much about Joseph except that he was a “just man” with a merciful, compassionate heart (Matthew 1:19).

But in Matthew 2, we see Joseph in action. Joseph has three separate dreams in this chapter (2:13, 19-20, 22). Adding the dream he had in chapter 1, that makes four times that God speaks to Joseph in a dream and gives a command or warning. Each time Joseph immediately and obediently responds.

It is sort of ironic that Joseph’s namesake in the OT was also an obedient, compassionate man who was often directed by dreams. The Joseph of the OT was sold into Egypt by his jealous brothers. The Joseph of the NT escapes into Egypt to escape a jealous king.

Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. Yet God entrusted His Son to this man. Joseph acted as the protector of the infant Jesus in this chapter. Later, Joseph also fed Him, provided for Him, raised Him, trained Him as a carpenter, taught him about God, and prayed with Him at night. Imagine a man raising God in the flesh. Imagine a man teaching the Son of God about His Father. It boggles the mind.

God does not look at the outward appearance of a man but at his heart. With that in mind, Joseph must have been one of the most faithful men to ever walk the earth. He was quiet but strong. He was simple but deep. He was poor but rich in faith. He was just a carpenter but also the earthly father of the Son of God.

I take encouragement from Joseph. Spirituality is not the “bright lights” of great acts for God. It is being sensitive to the voice of God and being faithful to what He has called you to…whatever that may be. In Joseph’s case, it was simply loving and caring for his wife, protecting his child, providing for his family, working hard, and hearing God.

The last part of Matthew 2 tells us that Jesus fulfilled what was spoken of by the prophets that He would be called a Nazarene. There is much debate on what this means. There is no direct quote in the OT that says these words. Some see a play on words with the Hebrew word, nezer, being the word for “branch.” Jesus is called the “branch of David” in Isaiah 11:1. But more likely Matthew is reflecting on a general theme in all the prophets (plural) that the Messiah would be despised, lightly regarded, and rejected by men. The great King of the Universe would be called a “Nazarene” by men. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” would be Nathaniel’s first words when he hears about Jesus (John 1:46). Nazareth, the podunk town with backwoods people, certainly couldn’t be the place where the Messiah would grow up. But it was.

And the same God who entered the world in a stable, had his first crib in a feeding trough, and died on the cross as a criminal…also chooses simple men like Joseph to change the world.

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Achilles Rupture: One Year Later

Posted on November 26, 2010 by Steve Foster
Achilles tendon

Achilles tendon one year after surgery.

On November 21, 2009, I ruptured my Achilles tendon during a taekwondo graduation. Three days later I underwent surgery to repair it. The recovery time was six months to a year. I am at that year mark.

Overall the tendon feels pretty good. My range of motion seems to be back to normal. I can walk without any problem. Running has been a little more of a challenge.

I ran on the tendon for the first time in July just to see what it felt like. Surprisingly it felt normal. But I didn’t push it too hard. Since then I have ridden my bike around the neighborhood, swam a few laps in the community pool, and played some light games of basketball with my boys. Nothing too serious or strenuous. Then a few weeks ago I decided to go jogging again. I wanted to go a few blocks around my neighborhood.  The tendon felt good; my stamina was pathetic.

Before the rupture, I was about as active as I had been in my life. I was jogging two to three times a week and participating regularly in taekwondo. I was feeling fairly young. The rupture quickly reminded me that I wasn’t.

Six months of inactivity takes its toll. Not only do you lose some of the flexibility and mobility but you also lose the stamina and the desire. You form new habits. And for me, jogging and taekwondo were no longer a part of them.

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving, I did play a game of touch football. It was a different type of running. Cutting. Running backwards. Quick stops and starts. I was mindful of the tendon and I felt it twinge here and there but overall it felt good and some of my quickness still seemed to be there. So I guess I am fully recovered even if I am now out of shape.

The surgery scar still bothers me at times. I can’t wear shoes with a hard back or ones that slip up and down on my heel. I had a pair of nice golf shoes I had to stop wearing after they nearly rubbed a blister on the back on my heel.  I sometimes wear an extra pair of socks just to keep the back of my heel as cushioned as possible.

But as I reflect on the past year I realize that so much more has happened than just the recovery of my tendon or wearing extra socks. Life has changed for me.

Whether it was providential or not, my snapped tendon occurred at the same time as a major juncture in my life. After twelve satisfying years as an associate pastor in NJ, I suddenly had a choice to make. An opportunity presented itself to pastor a church in Baton Rouge, LA. My phone interview took place several days after my Achilles surgery. My visit to Baton Rouge took place near the end of my physical therapy.

It was a big decision…one of those decisions that affects the trajectory of the rest of your life. And with a wife and four kids, it was a decision that also affected them and their lives. New city. New church. New neighborhood. New friendships. New routines. New responsibilities. New doctors. New grocery stores. New events in life. New futures. What friendships (and influences) my boys will have in their teen years, where they will go to college, and who they will marry were probably all changed when we moved here.

But the Lord was gracious. He led in so many ways. He didn’t have to confirm anything…yet He did…in ways that I could see.

So why the Achilles rupture near the same time? Was there a purpose? I obviously can’t say for sure. But I think there was a reason. On one level, the rupture reminded me that I wasn’t young any more. It was time for a transition…not only in my physical activity but also in my ministry. If I was going to pursue my desire to lead and pastor a church, then the time was now.

But on a higher level, the rupture reminded me of my weakness. It reminded me of how easily I can be taken down. There is no room for pride in any of us. We are all mortal beings with fragile bodies living with borrowed breath from our Creator. And whenever we think we are strong, it only takes something as small as a snapped tendon to drop us to our knees.

So before putting His sheep in my care, God wanted to remind me again who I am. I am a weak vessel with a great treasure serving a great God for His glory…not my own. And if I forget that, then He can take me down in a heartbeat.

I have the scar to prove it.

Posted in Achilles Rupture | 13 Comments

Talents on Loan from God

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Steve Foster

In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus presents the story of a master who entrusts his servants with all of his wealth, in proportion to their ability, while he is away. They, in turn, are to take care of his wealth and conduct business with it in order to gain even more.

There are certainly different ways to interpret a parable. You have to be careful that you don’t stretch it too far or read too much into it. In this parable, Jesus seems to be conveying several basic points: He is leaving. He has entrusted His servants with responsibility while He is gone. When He comes back, there will be an accounting.

What is a talent? In Jesus’ day, a talent was a unit of measure. It represented about 70 pounds of gold or silver. You are talking about a massive amount of treasure that is put into the hands of these servants. Since the servants are given talents “based on their ability” (25:15), then I don’t think the talents represent “talents” or abilities alone. I think it is much bigger than that. The talents represent all the abilities, resources, relationships, time, and opportunities that God places into our hands. Every breath we take and every thing we have is a gift from God. And we are responsible for how we use these gifts.

When Christ comes back, when we stand before His throne, the issue will be faithfulness. What did we do with what we had. We won’t be evaluated in comparison to anyone else. God knows our abilities. He knows our hearts. And He knows the specific gifts and opportunities that He gave us. His question will be…what did you do with the specific time, abilities, and resources that I gave you? It’s worthless to spend all your time comparing your life to others. God holds you accountable for you.

And faithfulness is not a measure of worldly success but of the overall trajectory of our lives. We all will fail. We all will mess up. But over the course of life, as the Lord gives us breath, and we seek to honor Him each day, God will bear fruit through us. We are to be faithful. He will be the one that makes us fruitful. I control my response. God controls the results. Thus, the multiplication of the talents is a testimony not to the business savvy of the servants but to the fact that they sought to honor their master with the time and resources that they had. God did the rest.

I love the master’s words to his two servants. Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

He commends them. They were good in their heart attitude. They were faithful in their actions. These two things must go together.

He promotes them. They were faithful with a few things; he makes them ruler over many things. It is faithfulness in the little things, in the things that people do not see, in the things that don’t garner a lot of attention, that give us the best indication of where our heart is.

He welcomes them into Paradise. Heaven is the “joy of your Lord.” If you know Jesus Christ as Savior, then heaven is experiencing the unbridled, unhindered joy of relationship with Him. The creator of your soul knows what will truly bless, satisfy, and thrill your heart. You have shown me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand (Psalm 16:11). Don’t ever buy the lie of heaven being a boring monotony of playing a harp on a cloud. The greatest thrill you have ever experienced on this earth was but a small, temporary taste (or a cheap imitation) of the eternal pleasure that will engulf you in heaven.

Lord, help me to be faithful. I have so much to be thankful for in this life. Help me not to take these gifts for granted or clutch onto them as if it were mine. Instead may I use my time, my resources, my abilities, my possessions, my body, my breath to bring You glory and to bless others.

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The Blessing of Activity

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Steve Foster

For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart. (Ecclesiastes 5:20)

Here is a good balancing verse for life. In today’s fast-paced, stressed out world, we often hear an emphasis on the need to rest, to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10), to be like Mary in a Martha world (Luke 10:41-42). Amen and amen! Our busyness is oftentimes a hindrance to relationship (with God and with others) and an escape from dealing with the important matters of life.

But there is an opposite problem that is equally detrimental. Idleness. It is amazing how many old quotes dealt not with the sin of busyness but of idleness.

Idle hands are the devil’s workshop. (Puritan proverb)

Idleness is the Dead Sea that swallows all virtues. (Benjamin Franklin)

In idleness there is a perpetual despair. (Thomas Carlyle)

Ghandi also had a good quote in this regard: Purity of mind and idleness are incompatible.

Solomon would agree. When we sit around with nothing productive to do, we find ourselves drifting further and further into despair and depression…which in turn feeds more idleness. And the downward spiral begins.

Solomon’s cure? Get up and do something. And learn to find joy in the work that you do. Pour your heart and energies into it. Do the best job you can. Redeem the time. Make the most of your opportunities. Plant a garden. Clean the house. Build something. Learn to play an instrument. Stretch your mind with a good book. Volunteer. Minister. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men (Colossians 3:23).

One of my favorite movies is Groundhog Day. In the movie, Bill Murray gets stuck in one particular day. He can’t escape it no matter how hard he tries. He is caught in the futility of reliving the same day over and over. Once he realizes this, he first turns to full, unbridled pleasure. But this doesn’t satisfy. Next he turns to a prideful self-exaltation. This also doesn’t work. Then he turns to total despair and depression, even trying to end his life to no avail. But at some point he realizes that though he can’t change the day he is in, he can change his response to it. So he begins to pour his energies into making that day the best day possible. He learns to be aware of the needs around him, to seek to help people, to learn how to play piano, to find joy in each moment, and in the end the cycle is broken.

It wasn’t a perfect movie but it did illustrate the choices that we have in the futility and brevity of life on this earth. We can seek pleasure for pleasure’s sake. We can spend all our time focused on ourselves. We can fall into despair over life’s struggles and difficulties. Or we can find joy in the gifts that God has given us and make the most of the time that we have. I think that message is similar to Solomon’s advice in Ecclesiastes.

Life is short. So pray long. Work hard. Rejoice always. And rest easy in the hands of God.

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