THERE IS A SEASON

I've been writing this blog for more than two years. I began it shortly after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City  and continued it after moving to Hanoi. I used to write six blogs a week - definitely five. However recently I've been faltering as you've noticed, I am sure.  It seems clear to me that I need to take a break - not sure if it will be temporary or final.
I want to thank you for reading this blog. I hope it has encouraged, challenged, stimulated and helped you at least some of the time. I hope that my love for the living Word and the written Word has come through clearly.
I've enjoyed writing this and am grateful for all who have read these musings. I know there are other blogs and daily devotionals out there that are at least as helpful as mine, and numerous ones that are better. Hope you will tune in to one or more of those.
 May you continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For now.

Nelson 

TO A MOTHER-IN-LAW?

It used to be very common for couples to include in their wedding vows, the wonderful words of loyal commitment found in Ruth 1:16. Do you remember these romantic words?
"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."
Of course Ruth did not say these words to her second husband Boaz. Rather this commitment is made to her mother-in-law, Naomi. In one sense it always did seem a little funny that couples would repeat these words to each other rather than to their new mothers-in-law. On the other hand it would have seemed stranger still if they had done so.
Yet these words voiced by Ruth are certainly an impressive example of commitment. In 1:4 it indicates that Naomi's husband and their two sons had all died within about ten years of arriving in Moab. So we can assume that at the most, Ruth had been part of that family for less than ten years. Yet she expresses this great loyalty to her mother-in-law who had come from a foreign country and now was returning.
She was willing to leave her family or origin, her familiar home and culture because of her loving relationship with Naomi. What a great example for married couples. What a great example for those who may feel called to serve God in another country. Love for God and love for a spouse should be exclusive loves. They involve "commitment to", which involves leaving others behind.
On another note, the book of Ruth provides a wonderful story of romance between a young foreign woman and an older wealthy man. But of course you have to really appreciate the culture of that day to fully appreciate the story. I won't tackle that in a blog.

TRAGIC CLOSING LINE

I am sure I've never been asked this question nor do I think I've ever asked this question. Which book of the Bible has the most tragic closing sentence? What do you think?
In spite of their words about God's wrath and judgment; predictions of all kinds of punishment on those who've rebelled. Most if not all of the prophets also bring words of hope and a better future. And as I've just skimmed through the last sentence of each prophetic book, they all seem to end on a note of hope and promise or a note of confidence in God.
Without reviewing the end of all 66 books, I am going to cast my vote for the last sentence in the book of Judges. The stories in the last few chapters are pretty sad. They display just how far the people of Israel could stray morally when they strayed from God. And then the author concludes by repeating a very descriptive, devastating statement from earlier in the book. Let me give it to you as found in two  translations and one paraphrase.
"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." NIV

"In those daysthere was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." NKJV

"At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing." The Message

That truly is the natural desire of each heart - just to do what we think is right; what we feel like doing. How close does this come to describing the moral trend of our modern democratic countries? Yet how damning and devastating is that trend. What tragedy it brings to individuals, families, and cultures.
May God keep us wise enough to seek first His kingdom, His rule.

NEW OLD COMMAND

I concluded reading through the book of Joshua this morning. Joshua gives a rousing farewell challenge to Israel and its leaders as he prepares "to go the way of all the earth". (23:14)
I was struck by how he puts together two themes that are found running throughout Scripture but are especially emphasized by our Lord Jesus - obedience and love.
“Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Lawof Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left." 23:6
^"So be very careful to love theLord your God." 23:11
At present in our culture, we prefer an emphasis on the soft warm theme of love. Everyone is in favour of more love, even though it is a very ill defined word. Not so popular is the seemingly harsh, demanding, uncomfortable word "obedience". Yet a thousand and more years before Jesus, Joshua puts obedience to, and love for God in the same paragraph, in the same challenge. The Bible consistently puts these words together. We humans would like to hold closely the seemingly soft word and ignore the obedience word.
Jesus insists that the one proves the other. How many who call themselves believers either don't know this, ignore it or blatantly refuse to believe it. How many will sing enthusiastically and speak warmly about their love for Jesus, but disobey much of what He taught. Jesus says, no, the proof of love is obedience.
 “If you love me, keep my commands." John 14:15 (see also vs. 21 & 23)
So Joshua had it right, 1000 years and more before Jesus. It is totally correct to keep the close connection between love and obedience. Two thousand years later, we must resist the watered down, wimpy definition of love that is so common and continue to keep these two close together in our living and in our teaching. We will continue to demonstrate to Jesus and the world, our love for Him through  our willing, humble obedience to his commands.

STEP INTO THE WATER

The story of Israel crossing the Jordan is filled with significance. The miracle of the water parting would establish Joshua as a great Divinely appointed and affirmed leader. Perhaps not as great as Moses, their recently deceased leader. Yet nonetheless leading them in a miraculous crossing just as Moses did at the Red Sea.
The crossing is significant of course because on the other side lay the long awaited land of promise. God had told them while in Egypt that there was land waiting for them, land He would give them. Land that He would help them possess as they conquered the present residents.
They had seen God supply their needs via numerous miracles since they left Egypt. They had seen Him lead them to victory over several enemies. They had heard from the spies that the residents of Jericho were waiting fearfully for the invasion. Those in Jericho had heard of the great things the God of Israel had already done.
It was time to cross the Jordan. Scripture records that it was the rainy season, the time when the Jordan flooded, so it would be running deeper and wider than normal. (Joshua 3:15) The Israelites had been desert dwellers for decades. Their experience with rivers was quite limited and the Red Sea crossing was a distant 40 years in their past. My guess is that none of them could swim. Possibly none of them had ever forded a river.
Now it was time to cross and the priests were leading the way. The promise of God was that when the priests' feet touched the water, the river would cease to flow. All the preparation was completed. It was time to act in faith and step into the water. Did any priest hesitate? I wonder.
When we face challenges, many of us are pretty good at praying and planning. We can talk about what needs to be done: the difficulties and the potential. We may do very good cost analysis and evaluations. But sooner or later we have to decide: is this the time? Should we step into the water. More important: do we have the faith and courage to step into the water? Some Christians never take risks. Even though the Spirit of God and the needs they see are prompting them to move ahead, they never take the risk, never take those steps. And as a result, they never see God do something very special in and through them.
Only when we take those steps do we give God an opportunity to prove He is at work here and now. The priests risked looking foolish; maybe risked even being swept away in the flood waters. But God had made it clear: if they were to receive the miracle, they had to step into the water.
Don't let your fear of getting wet prevent you from doing the will of God.

NEVER HEARD

I recently read through the book of Isaiah and am preaching from the Servant Songs of Isaiah on Sundays. God several times predicts that those who have never heard will one day hear His Good News.
Jan has a weekly study in Luke with a couple of local young women who are quite new Christians. Yesterday the newest believer texted to ask if she could bring a friend to last night's study. She had shared a little with her friend about being a Christian and said her friend was interested. So of course Jan wrote back "sure"'. When they arrived (arrival time is always flexible - sometime between 6 and 7 or later) we had pizza waiting for them.
I went down to our apartment lobby; and Jan suggested instead of a Bible study they watch the adaptation of the Jesus film especially for women. So they watched it together in Vietnamese. Given our lack of language, it is good that Jan is very familiar with the story line. :)
It was obvious that the "Jesus story" was totally new to this 22 year old woman. Jan said that when in the film "Jesus" was being nailed to the cross, the young woman "kind of hid behind her Christian friend". Then she asked "Why did he die?" At that point Jan paused the video to explain. On the way out Jan offered a NT and it was eagerly received. The woman seems keenly interested in learning more.
What an exciting privilege to share Good News with someone in this big city who has never, ever heard it before. And to think there are a few million of our neighbours who also need to hear.
Isaiah, inspired by God writes in chapter 50 about the "beautiful feet" of those who bring the Good News. Since we believers are the Body of Christ, in a sense we get to be the beautiful feet of Jesus. How great is that?!

LIKE RAIN AND SNOW

There have been some large snowstorms this year in North America. One is presently sweeping through the mid-western States. Those in areas that have been suffering from drought are very happy to receive the moisture.
I don't know why because there are no crops in the field right now, it is winter. Snow and rain falling in February won't help crops grow in April or June, will it? Oh, right. Rain and snow don't have immediate effect. However over time, that moisture makes a huge difference.
God uses that picture from nature to make a very important point that we forget to our great loss.
As the rainand the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seedfor the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

I don't usually experience any immediate life changing effect when I read the Word of God or hear it preached. However like rain and snow, it has made huge changes inside of me over five decades and more. So please keep letting the Word of God fall into your mind and heart: if you respond, it will make you "flourish".
Speak Lord, your servants are listening.