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Learning
the Lessons of Lamentations
LAM
121-127: 7 Threats to Lamentations
“Let
us search and examine our ways that we may return to the Lord!” (Lam 3:40)
God brings us into a covenant
relationship with Himself. As a covenanted people, God intends to use us for
His purposes in the world. God works in us, but at the same time the enemy is
also at work, trying to thwart God’s plan. One way the enemy does that is to
deceive us into just looking to the good we do, but keeping us from becoming
the kind of persons God intends for us to be. Ultimately, such a development
poses a threat to God’s work in and through us.
Lamentations
121 – Social without spiritual
God calls us to be instruments of both
salvation (spiritual dimension) and liberation (social dimension). The two are
two dimensions of the one gospel. At times, those who work for renewal think
only of the spirit, while neglecting the social. But faith without works is
dead (Jas 2:17). Indeed, the very mission of Jesus is to bring good news to the
poor (Lk 4:18). So the work of renewal is not complete unless the social
dimension is included.
But at times the problem is the other way
around. Some work for social liberation but neglect the spiritual dimension.
Some are so passionate in fighting poverty, injustice and oppression, but in
losing track of the things of the Spirit, fall into the so-called theology of
liberation or into the gospel of prosperity. This is liberation without Christ
at the center. If we freed people from captivity but are not able to bring them
to Christ, then that would not fulfill God’s will.
There are many Christians also doing good
works but not based on prayer and the word, or are not undergoing sufficient
formation in the faith. Now even atheists do a lot of good work. But this is
not enough. Our ultimate task is to bring people to Christ and to build God’s
kingdom on earth. We are to be witnesses, by the way we live out lives, in
holiness and righteousness.
Lamentations
122 – Spiritual gifts without love
God distributes spiritual gifts to each
one of His people (1 Cor 12:11), in order that the Church might be built up, so
that she can accomplish her mission in the world. These are gifts intended to
equip God’s people for service. But in exercising the gifts, even spectacular
gifts such as comprehending all mysteries or having faith to move mountains or
suffering martyrdom, if one did not have love, then it amounts to nothing (1
Cor 13:1-3). Love must be the foundation for all we do.
But how do we love? Love is being
patient, kind, not jealous, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not
quick-tempered, not brooding over injury; it seeks the truth; it forbears,
endures and hopes (1 Cor 13:4-7). So it has everything to do with our
relationships with our brethren in community. What is important to God is not
so much how spectacularly we utilize the gifts given us, but the day-to-day, perhaps
unnoticed, acts toward others.
Lamentations
123 – Power and authority without servanthood
When we do God’s work, we do so with
authority from Jesus and with power from the Holy Spirit. When we care for
God’s people as pastors, we stand in Jesus’ place. The way God acts in the
world is through leaders that He appoints and anoints.
But while Jesus is Lord, we are not. Even
as we exercise power and authority that comes from God, we look to the example
of Jesus in serving God’s people. Jesus says of himself, “Just so, the Son of
Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for
many.” (Mt 20:28). As such, Jesus teaches us the proper posture for leaders:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones
make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather,
whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to
be first among you shall be your slave.” (Mt 20:25-27).
What an overturning of the secular
concept of leadership! The Christian leader is not a lord but a servant. The
one who is first is the slave of all.
Lamentations
124 – Service without accountability
All Christians are called to serve God
and their fellow men. Service is one crucial aspect of a life in Christ, and is
also a critical tool for one’s growth to holiness. So service is very
important.
But whatever service a Christian does is
done in the name of Christ. We are mere instruments. We are servants of the
Lord. We do not just do what we want to do, however good that may be. Rather,
whatever service we do is done to promote the cause of Christ and to build the kingdom of God on earth.
As such, first and foremost, we are
accountable to Jesus himself. We are answerable to him for how we serve.
Secondly, in community, we are accountable to our elders or service heads.
Again, we do not just do what we want to do, even as we do good, but we align
ourselves with the mission of the community. And we work with others who form
the service teams.
At the end of time, we will stand before
God and He will hold us to account for what we did for Him on earth. It is then
that we hope to hear our Lord say to us, “Well done, my good and faithful
servant. Come, share your master’s joy.” (Mt 25:21).
Lamentations
125 – Passion without repentance
There are many people passionate about
their causes. Some causes are good and some are not. Examples of the latter
would be those who are passionate about population control and so impose
condoms on developing nations, or those who are passionate about national
security and so invade independent nations considered security threats, or
those who are passionate about helping the poor and so bring in all those
willing to help, including those who will do spiritual harm to the poor.
Passion, apart from God, is a dangerous thing.
Passion however ought to be of God. Jesus
himself was the most passionate about doing the Father’s will. He endured the
greatest hardship and pain in order to accomplish his mission. Passion is
essential if God’s grandiose plan of renewing the very face of the earth is to
be done.
But for passion to be properly utilized
by God, there is first of all the need for repentance. This is turning away
from the ways of the world and turning to God in faith. It is allowing God to
give us a new mind and a new heart. It is obeying God and desiring to do
nothing that is not in accordance with His will. Once we are right with God,
then passion becomes a potent and indispensable tool to do the very work of
God.
Lamentations
126 – Miraculous deeds without humility
God enters into covenant with a people in
order to use them for His purposes in the world. Since God is about renewing
the face of the earth, His people can be expected to do awesome deeds in His
name. We know that nothing is impossible with God, but Jesus says to those who
have faith, “Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mt 17:20). This is because
we are mere instruments, being used by God for His purposes.
At times we fall into the trap of
thinking our work is due to us. The reality is that the work happens in spite
of us. We are often the obstacles. When we begin to think we are the wonder
workers, then that becomes sinful pride, and God will cut us down. We must
always be humble. Humility is acknowledging that the awesome work is due to the
power of God. When humble, God will exalt us. (1 Pt 5:6)
Lamentations
127 – Heroism without holiness
Heroism is something wonderful. It is
about great courage, zeal, daring, nobility and self-sacrifice. It is what is
needed in order to attain a great noble end or a high idealistic purpose. It is
what energizes people to give their all and not count the cost.
There are many types of people who are
looked on as heroes to their respective causes because they exhibit the above
characteristics. For example, there are freedom fighters that suffer great
privation in order to fight oppression and injustice. There are idealists who
struggle heroically for justice against corrupt systems. And there are those
with a heart for the poor who go all out to restore the dignity of the least
among us.
But for Christians this is not enough.
God uses us not only to do good in the world, but also to be a holy people. We
are to be holy as God is holy (1 Pt 1:16). We are to follow in the footsteps of
Jesus. And what ought to be pleasing to God is not only what we do, but who we
are as we do things. As we look to Jesus, we see that there in the person of
Jesus is the ultimate hero!
For Christians, holiness is the
foundation for heroism.
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