11272021 Two Worlds

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God from whom all blessings flow. It is a blessing just to reflect on His blessings and to realize how much He has done. I trust that many of you were able to have some type of Thanksgiving celebration in the past days and to be encouraged by God’s blessings.

Life is not filled entirely with blessings, and it isn't hard to think of things that we would not consider to be blessings. This past week I was encouraged with Romans 8:18. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

I noted the contrast in this verse, specifically that there are two different worlds referred to. The first world is this present world in which we live. This world is filled with suffering and pain. We must of necessity live in this world, and it is inevitable that we will experience suffering.

The second world is not specifically identified, but the second half of the verse clearly refers to heaven. Oh, how different that world will be! That world will have no suffering and no pain. Instead, that world will be filled with glory on many levels. Some of that glory will be revealed specifically in us.

The pain that we have experienced in this world will be replaced with glory in that world. Actually, this is not a mere replacement. It is not an equal amount of glory to balance out the amount of pain. The glory of that world will far surpass the pain of this world.

Although this verse does not tell us that the sufferings produce the glory, this is (at least in part) the case. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Corinthians 4:16). This verse also speaks of sufferings in this world and glory in the next, and it tells us that the current affliction works to produce that eternal glory. This verse also makes the comparison that the pain of this world is light compared to the abundant weight of glory in the next world.

This tremendous abundance of glory is reserved for those who follow God. Abraham evaluated the conditions of the rich man and Lazarus. Abraham said, “Remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented” (Luke 16:25).

This world is broken, and it is true that in the end God will make all things right. In a sense, however, this is an understatement. God goes far beyond making things right. He will shower us with abundant blessings and glory far beyond anything we could possibly deserve, and this glory will bless us for all eternity.

I trust this truth can encourage us each day to continue forward in spite of the pain, suffering, and affliction. May we rest at peace in the knowledge and anticipation of the glory of the next world.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA 

11202021 Our Daily Burden

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our burden-bearing God. We stoop and stumble under burdens, but God is able to carry each one.

Psalm 68:19 reads this way in the KJV: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” Psalm 103 attests to the validity of this truth. There is some question, however, about this translation for this verse. Numerous words have been supplied by the translators, including “with benefits,” which is a logical explanation for the type of “burden” or “load” that God would daily place upon His children. While the verb can mean “to lay a load on,” the primary meaning is “to load, carry, carry a load.” In other words, it is quite possible that God is the one who is carrying the burden or load each day, rather than imposing one on us. This is in complete agreement with and support of the last part of the verse, which calls Him the God of our salvation. The translation would then be something like, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily carries our load, the God of our salvation.”

That is an encouraging thought – that each day, God is there to carry the burden. The Hebrew word for “day” appears twice in succession, day after day. This day and the one that follows. In addition to the constancy, it is wonderful that God is strong enough to carry any burden that we face. Psalm 55:22 expands to teach that not only can He carry any burden that we throw upon Him, but He can also hold us up and keep us from falling. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

As I have considered these two verses, I have pondered some questions. First, do we have to cast our burden on God, or does He bear it more automatically and volitionally? 68:19 doesn’t say anything about needing to give Him the burdens, but simply states that He does carry them. I suspect there is an aspect of God’s compassion, lovingkindness, and mercy that impels Him to willingly help those who are in need. Many verses teach that He looks down from heaven and sees the most vulnerable and lovingly intervenes on their behalf.

55:22, on the other hand, does tell us to cast our burden on God, which is similar to I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Philippians 4:6-7 would also suggest an enormous benefit in deliberately bringing our burdens to God. So my second question is regarding how I do that. In practical terms, how do I cast my burden on God?

It's a valid question, because sometimes it is the sincere desire of my heart to have God carry the burden. I don’t want to carry it. I can’t carry it. But I seem completely incapable of getting it off my shoulders. Sometimes the burden is such a prominent and constant part of life that there is continual impact on me. I feel the crushing weight of it. Because the ramifications are constant, I feel the pressure in my body or on my mind or in my spirit.

In theory, I would say the answer to this second question is found in Philippians 4:6-7 or in Psalm 37:3 or Psalm 62:8. There seems to be an aspect to which we are to bring our burdens to God and “dump” them on Him. And somehow, we are supposed to be able to bring those burdens to God and leave them there. Our trust and reliance on Him bring incomprehensible peace. “Which passeth all understanding” means there are situations in which having peace doesn’t even make sense, but God can still do it.

In practice, this is so much harder to do. Maybe that is because some burdens have a physical, mental, emotional, or social side in addition to the spiritual. In other words, I can trust Him to heal (or not heal) a broken leg, but I still feel the pain. Or I can trust Him to give comfort in a loss, but still feel the sorrow. I can trust God for the outcome, but I still feel the weakness in my body.

The best answer I can come up with for this dilemma is that when the practical ramifications of the burden are frequent or constant, then I must frequently or constantly be bringing the burden to God. Every time I feel the weight of the burden, I have to ask for His help with it. I must confess my inadequacy – admitting that as much as I want to give it all over to Him, I seem incapable of doing so, and that I need His help to do that.

The challenge of this highlights how helpless I am, but it does not negate how powerful God is. So I guess if the best I can do is to tell God that I want to trust Him and that I want Him to carry the burden, then that is what I need to do. It is always God who empowers me for anything, so sometimes I just need to trust that He can do that, even when I don’t see it with my human eyes.

This is by no means intended to be a complete or authoritative answer to these questions. But I trust that the truth of God’s Word will bless your hearts, even as I have included some of my own musings that will perhaps also prompt your own consideration. Of one thing I am certain: God is able to carry any burden that we face.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11132021 Strong Tower

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Refuge. The refuge is such a comforting thought, and it shows up many, many times in Scripture in reference to God.

One of the Hebrew words for ‘refuge’ has to do with fleeing for protection, running urgently in the time of danger. Another Hebrew word means to go for refuge, but not so precipitously – more with a sense of confidence and surety. Sometimes in life there are those urgent attacks that cause us to run to God, and other times there is simply an underlying realization that He is always the place of security.

“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:2). This is actually a third Hebrew word for ‘refuge,’ meaning ‘shelter, hope, place of refuge, or trust.’ I love this concept of refuge, and I have sometimes puzzled how it works out practically. It isn’t concrete (pun partially intended) like going to a bunker. How do I hide myself in God? How do I find Him to be a place of protection and safety?

I think one answer is found in this verse. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). This specifically says that God’s name is a strong tower and a place of safety to which we can run. I don’t think this is the only application, but it seems to be a specific one that God wants to make. There is something about His name that serves as a refuge.

One of my newer favorite things to do at night before I fall asleep or when I wake up in the night is to meditate on names of God. Sometimes I will try to go through the alphabet and think of one name for each letter: almighty, beloved, Christ, deliverer, Emmanuel, fortress, etc. Other times I will think of as many as I can for each letter: salvation, savior, strength, sun, shield, shade, shepherd. I think about what those names mean, connect them to Bible verses or to hymns, and just let my mind run with related thoughts. Then I’ll come back to another name and do the same thing.

It’s amazing to see how calming this is. A few nights ago I was nervous about falling asleep. I had started on a medication, and the first night I took it, I had awoken with a strong sense that I was going to be sick to my stomach. It was pretty important for me to keep taking this medication each evening, and this stomach sensitivity was much on my mind the next night. When I went to bed, I was praying through verses like the ones above. I basically said, “God, I want you to be my refuge, but I don’t see how I can possibly relax about this, so please help me.”

Then I started thinking on names of God. The calmness didn’t come immediately, but it did progressively come as I fixed my mind on God. And I slept. I think the two verses above tie together in this verse. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). How better to keep my mind fixed on God than to think of His many names that reveal His varied wonderful characteristics? Remembering this truth prompts trust, which is what a refuge is all about. Within that refuge, there is peace.

God’s names are wonderful. God is so complex, so broad, that we struggle to comprehend or adequately appreciate Him. How can we, when He is so great? But the names of God help, as each one gives a little taste, one more slice of His great character.

Whichever name or names of God are most precious to you, I trust that they will serve as a refuge for you in the storms and attacks you face this week, or just in the ordinary course of routine life. God bless.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11062021 Trouble Foreknown

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Savior.

I trust that God is upholding and blessing you. This morning I just want to share brief thoughts on one verse. “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15).

In this verse God is speaking to His people, and this is just one of several instructions that started in v. 14. God is not speaking to a specific situation but is giving general instruction. In this verse He tells them what to do in the day of trouble, not something currently happening, but a general admonition for future life. In other words, God is well aware that days of trouble will come. They aren’t unusual when they happen. They don’t take God by surprise. We might be surprised by them, but God never is.

God has a plan for these future days of trouble that He knows will come. His plan is to deliver us so that He receives glory. There’s just one thing that He asks us to do when those days come – call upon Him.

He is already inclined to deliver us and already determined to bring Himself glory through it. He wants us to set that great plan in motion by calling dependently on Him. If we don’t call, but just solve the problem on our own, we take the glory. But if we realize our weakness and need and then call upon God, He delivers, and He gets the glory.

So if the day of trouble is today, or if it is in the unknown future, let us call on God in our need – and then watch Him deliver.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA