A Word about Humility

Today I want to share a word about humility, as I comment on 1 Timothy 1:12-17. This passage reads:

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

We all have done and said cringe-worthy things in the past. I remember two specific occasions when I was in school that cause me to feel embarrassed even today.

The first time I remember sticking my foot in my mouth was in elementary school. A school mate had brought a gift to another girl in my class for her birthday. The gift was a humble one: a small multi-pack of LifeSavers candy. When I made fun of that gift, the birthday girl turned to me and said, “Hey, wait a minute! At least she thought enough of me to bring me a present. That’s a lot more than you did!” At that retort, I sputtered and stuttered and slunk away, firmly put in my place.

Another embarrassing moment in my school career occurred several years later, when I was a senior in high school. I was asked to lead the Pledge of Allegiance during our school’s spring awards program. During the rehearsal for the event, I stepped to the microphone and said nonchalantly, “We all know the Pledge of Allegiance, so we don’t need to say it now.” I then turned on my heel and sat down on my chair on the platform. 

That evening, when hundreds of students and their parents had gathered in the gym, I confidently stepped to the mic and began, “Our Father, who art in Heav . . .” Amazingly, everyone in the gym started to repeat the Lord’s Prayer along with me, until I burst out in nervous laughter! After I regained my poise, I was able to properly finish my assigned task, and then, thoroughly embarrassed, I slunk away to my chair on the platform. I felt sure that everyone was staring at me for the rest of the event!

These types of incidents will keep one humble, although it would be less embarrassing if I had followed the counsel given to us in James 4:10:

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Paul, a fellow leader of the early church with James, also learned this lesson. And, like me, he learned it the hard way.

PAUL’S ARROGANCE:

Paul did not begin his walk with Jesus with a natural humility. In fact, before he was confronted by Christ on the Damascus Road, he would have said that he had a lot to brag about as he wrote to the church at Philippi:

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:4-6)

From other passages in the New Testament, we know that Paul had not only been a Pharisee, but he was also the son of a Pharisee. He had also been taught at the feet of the noted Jewish scholar and lawyer Gamaliel, and humanly, Paul had reason to consider himself special. He had been brought up to think himself to be smarter and more righteous than other people, and he embraced that sentiment. But then he met Jesus, face-to-face.

PAUL’S COMEUPPANCE:

As many qualifications and character qualities as Paul had, he found that he was nothing when compared to the Lord Jesus. Acts Chapter 9 tells us how Paul, after he had not deigned to get his hands dirty at the stoning of Stephen, acquired a license from the rulers of the Jews to go hunt Christians. As he was heading to Damascus, “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,” Jesus met him on the way. Paul was thrown to the ground and blinded, and verbally rebuked by Christ. Luke, the author of Acts, tells what happened next:

And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Paul (who was then called Saul) had met Jesus and in an instant, he went from the role of avenging angel to the role of helpless invalid. This reproof made my embarrassing moments in school pale in comparison. 

PAUL’S HUMILITY:

After the Damascus Road experience, and after being discipled by Barnabas, Paul came to realize that all the things about himself that he thought were important, all those things that he had been told made him special, all those things in which he had invested his pride and personal worth, all those things were actually worthless. He realized that instead of being righteous that he had been conceived in sin. He realized that instead of being visionary and smart that he was actually blind and ignorant. He realized that instead of being zealous for God that he was actually a blasphemer. His entire life was turned upside down. 

Once Paul came face-to-face with the reality of his spiritual condition without Christ, he was never the same again. His human arrogance was gone, replaced by the humility that comes from meeting Jesus in a personal way. This is apparent in his epistles such as in the Book of Romans, where in Chapter 3 he stated flatly:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:10-12)

And again, in Romans 3:23 he stated:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God . . .

In saying these truths in Romans and other books of the New Testament, Paul was not merely shaking an accusing finger at others. No, he knew that he was also a sinner saved by the grace of God. In fact, far from being a proud Pharisee, Paul now called himself the chief of all sinners.

PAUL’S COUNSEL TO US:

If Paul was with us today, I believe he would be quite assertive in telling us two important facts for our lives:

First, because none of us are righteous, we all must turn to Christ for our salvation and for forgiveness of our sins. This is the most important decision we can ever make and choosing Christ above all else is the only way to have a right relationship with God and to secure our eternal destiny. That process, of course, begins with realizing we are spiritually, morally, and intellectually bankrupt, but that Jesus is glad to enrich us in all those areas if we would only bow our will to His.

Second, once we have trusted Christ with our salvation and our future, Paul would remind us: 

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (Philippians 2:1-4)

Like diligence, service, and self-control, humility is not an exciting value, that is, until you fail to exercise it. Then things can get out of control fast! That’s why Paul would tell us to humble ourselves, before God does that task for us!

A Word about Diligence

Today I want to share a word about diligence, as I comment on John 6:5-13. This passage reads:

After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.  And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?  And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

Diligence . . .

Of all the values and words in the world we might discuss, diligence is . . . one of them. 

It is not the most exciting value or word. It is not the most interesting value or word. It is not the most fascinating or flashy or endearing value or word.  It may be the value or word that is most likely to produce a response of . . .“Meh.”

Diligence may be one of the most underrated values, but that doesn’t mean it is not important, nay, vital. Our focal passage for today is evidence of this fact.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXCEL:

Jesus had no problems gathering a crowd, particularly in His early ministry in Galilee. People were drawn to Him by His miracles, but also by His teaching, both of which were done with authority. Jesus wanted people to listen to Him more than to come to Him looking for miracles, but the miraculous had an important place in His ministry.

As we know from John and other references in the Gospels, a great crowd had gathered one day to hear Jesus teach. They were out in the countryside and the hour grew late, and the people grew hungry. When the disciples pointed this out to Jesus, He turned to the disciples and asked them what their plan was for feeding the multitude. This was, as we used to call it in the army, “An opportunity to excel.”

His followers, however, were at a loss; they said it would take over a half a year’s wages to feed such a crowd! They scouted about and all they could find was a young boy’s lunch of five small loaves, and two fish. What good was that? It was like trying to put out the fires of Hell with a water pistol!

AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH:

I can almost see Jesus shaking His head, and saying, “Oh really? Watch this!” Jesus would not have said such a thing because He was humble, and as the Creator of the universe, He really didn’t need to brag on Himself. Still, in my human frailty I wish that He had! He then proceeded to feed that great multitude with a small boy’s lunch. He did all of this in this way so He could teach some vital lessons.

First, Jesus knew what He was doing. We can have confidence in Jesus because He has everything under control.

Next, Jesus cared for people. He cared about their temporal situation as well as their eternal situation. We need to care for people like Jesus did.

Third, Jesus had the power to act. Jesus was the Creator of the universe, and He is the Sustainer of the universe, and His arm is not shortened. He can and He will act!

Also, Jesus did it up right! Not only was everyone satisfied, but the leftovers were plentiful as well! As Malachi wrote, 

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Finally, Jesus allowed others to participate in His work, and that’s where the little boy’s lunch came in. That’s also where diligence came in.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ALONGSIDE JESUS:

God graciously offers His people the opportunity to work alongside Him. Sometimes these opportunities are big, and flashy, and complicated. Sometimes, they involve making lunch.

We don’t know who made this little boy’s lunch. Chances are it was a mother or older sister. In any case, some unknown, but diligent parent or sibling thought, “There is no way I am going let Junior go out without some food!” Then they proceeded to put feet to their thoughts and made a common, everyday, but perfectly adequate lunch . . .  for one!

They had no way of knowing what Jesus was going to do with their act of diligence. They could never have imagined that Jesus would feed a multitude with such meager rations. They only knew that the right, the diligent, thing to do was to send out their son or brother with lunch. Because they were diligent in a small, everyday matter, they got to be a silent partner with Jesus in one of His most famous miracles!

So, what if that unsung mom or sis didn’t do the right thing that morning. What if they had slept late, or what if they didn’t care if Junior was hungry? Would that have kept Jesus from feeding everyone (including Junior)? Of course not, Jesus as Creator could make bread and fish appear from nowhere. Everyone would have still been fed, and there still would have been baskets and baskets of leftovers. The only one to miss out would have been the silent partner, the slothful sluggard who let a little boy leave home without lunch.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US:

When we are diligent, when we take care of our business, we have no more way of knowing what God will do with our diligence than the one who packed that lunch. What we do know, however is a couple of facts.

First, as one of my former bosses liked to say, we should “always do the right thing, even when no one is looking.” That may mean doing something significant or it might mean packing a lunch, but it is always right to do the right thing.

Second, when we are diligent, when we do the right thing, we make it possible for God to use us in ways we can never imagine. Take for example this instruction from the writer of Hebrews: 

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Diligence isn’t flashy or popular with people; but apparently it is high on God’s list of values! Those who have ears to hear, let them hear!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Forgiveness

Today I want to share a word about forgiveness, as I comment on Genesis 50:15-25. This passage reads:

And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.  And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

A preacher was trying to patch-up a difference between two friends.  “You must not cherish enmity with your neighbor,” he told one who was griping to him about the other. “If your friend does you harm, you must forget it.”  “My problem,” said the man, “is that I have a very bad memory.”  “And what does that have to do with it?” replied the minister.  “Well, I keep for getting that I forgot it!” 

We've all heard the saying "forgive and forget." We've all also heard people say: "I can forgive, but I can't forget."  I really think that means that they haven’t forgiven, either.

For many it is impossible to forgive and forget, for emotionally, they are unable to completely disown the hurt. I think we need to question that concept, and a good model for us to examine is the story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers.  Let's look at his way of dealing with this in our text for today.

JOSEPH HAD BEEN HURT:

I am sure we all remember the story: Joseph had told by God in a dream of his leadership role and his father Jacob, doted on him. Jacob gave Joseph a special coat of many colors. All of this meant that his brothers were jealous, and they wanted to kill him. One brother balked at murder, but still, he was sold into slavery into a foreign country, Egypt.

I'm sure we all have similar stories: Friends have betrayed us. Bosses have fired us. Co-workers have conspired against us. Family members have turned against us. Bitter experience has proved the saying to be true, "You always hurt the ones you love!"

Such experiences are devastating! They are also disorienting! We often have great trouble recovering from them. God will help us, just as He did for Joseph; in the end, he turned out fine but that doesn’t mean it was easy. His story reminds me of a pet cat who always landed on his feet, except for the time that he climbed into the clothes dryer when my wife’s back was turned. He went round and round only for a few seconds, but when my wife rescued him, he couldn’t even stand-up! He was not harmed, but he was severely disoriented!

JOSEPH DID NOT FORGET THE HURT: 

The human mind rarely forgets being hurt. We remember painful events, if not the pain itself. This is beneficial, because it helps us to avoid future pain. For example, "Don't touch the stove!" 

On the other hand, hurtful memories can cause us trouble, such as in post-traumatic stress issues. As a mild example of that, I hated to hear a telephone ring for years after I left a position in which a phone call always brought bad news or trouble. Truth be told, I would still rather do business face-to-face rather than by telephone!

We remember hurts and so we ask "Why?" “Why did that happen to me?” is probably the most common question asked by hurting people. This is often a hard question to answer, but there is an answer! Sometimes the answer involves admitting our own mistakes. Sometimes we are innocent, however, and Joseph was innocent!

Joseph was able to explain why he was hurt, but not through his own wisdom. Instead, God explained why Joseph was hurt.  My paraphrase would be, "You meant it for evil, but God used it for good." We may not know why on this side of heaven, but we will know some day.

JOSEPH FORGAVE THE HURT ANYWAY:

Forgiveness, like love, is misunderstood. Love is not emotion; it is action, or intention. Forgiveness is likewise not an emotion, but it is a decision of our will. We may not feel like changing a baby’s diaper, doing the dishes, or taking out the trash, but we must and do!

Joseph decided to forgive his brothers because he knew God. God did well for him, and he could trust God. He also forgave because he knew himself; he wasn't God, and he wasn't perfect. He also forgave because he knew his brothers. Like him they were poor, frail, jealous humans.

What other options did Joseph have? Well, he could have used the power of his office to get revenge. He could have thrown them out of Egypt. He could have just ignored them. Instead, he comforted them, and spoke kindly to them. He also vowed to care for them and their offspring. And not only did he vow, but he also did so: 

And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.

WHAT ABOUT US?

Have we decided to forgive our offenders? Joseph is our model, and he was sold into captivity by his brothers. Surely, we have never had such happen to us.

Joseph showed us it is possible to forgive, without forgetting. Are we willing to follow his lead?

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Assuming Risk

Today I want to share a word about assuming risk, as I comment on 1 Samuel 24:1-22. This passage reads:

And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.  And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.  For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

Have you ever thought about the old saying "I only bet on a sure thing"? The person who says that must never bet on anything! 

Life is full of risks, and we often must assume risk so we can achieve something important or even just useful. David took a risk once to try and resolve a conflict. He modeled behavior about assuming risk that we can and should emulate. We see this behavior in our text for today.

DAVID'S SITUATION:

 David was caught in the middle, which is never a good place to be! It is never good to be caught between a rock and a hard place, either metaphorically, or physically either. As a chaplain, I once visited a Soldier who had been pinned between a dump truck bed and a wrecker. It crushed his pelvis, but had the pinch point been a little higher on his body, it might have cut him in half or at least severed his spine. Only slightly better than that would be to get caught between two fighting animals.

In this case, David was caught between God and Saul, and he was as totally innocent as any frail or limited human could be.  He had done nothing against Saul, and he had not asked to be king - that was God's idea. He was not responsible for Saul's jealousy.

We all have probably heard stories of a boss who resents an employee because of their success. It can be a dangerous situation for all concerned and, in this case, David was definitely in danger. Saul was probably mentally ill. He had tried to kill David before and in this case, Saul was hunting him with an army.

DAVID'S OFFENSE: 

Despite his current state of mind, Saul was God's anointed. God had chosen him and set him apart; therefore, he was due honor as king. And, despite Saul's sin, God had not yet replaced him. To dishonor the king was to dishonor God. David should have "honored the rank if not the man."

In truth David was just being flippant. There was no useful purpose in cutting off part of Saul's robe. His only purpose was to embarrass Saul, and this was not a Godly action or attitude. In this case, David was acting like the man who paid his child support bill with a wheelbarrow full of pennies. He was childishly acting out of arrogance and spite.

To his credit, however, David did realize he was wrong, and he restrained his servants. Even better, he did not kill Saul, or allow him to be killed, and he also repented in his heart.

DAVID'S CONFRONTATION:

 Repenting of his own sin was not enough for David. He could have "stood pat." He could have protected himself and his followers. If he did, however, his relationship with Saul would never have been repaired. The Children of Israel would still have been divided. It would be like using duct tape to close a rip in clothes, but not repairing the tear properly. An open wound in the kingdom would be left to fester. David could not abide that, so David confronted Saul.

It is highly risky to confront an unstable person. Even though David had evidence of his own faithfulness to Saul and even though he pledged his loyalty and honor to Saul, this scenario could have ended badly. Saul had been searching for David to kill him, and Saul might have capitalized on the opportunity David gave him. David had marked himself as a target for Saul and he could have been calling the shots onto himself (and his troops). David, however, felt it was worth the risk to do the right thing for Saul and for God. 

Blessedly for David, Saul's response was, for a change, rational and humble. He recognized David's righteousness and that he had treated Saul like a friend and not like an enemy. He also recognized David's right to be a future king and that David would honor his word. He left David in peace, and returned to his palace, if not to a place of peace with God.

DAVID'S COUNSEL TO US:

If David was with us today, I think he would have some words of counsel for us. First, he’d tell us to be sure that our attitudes and actions are right. He’d say, “Don't hold grudges and don't be sophomoric.”

Next, he’d tell us to be willing to assume risk. In this case, everyone concerned benefitted from David’s willingness to take a necessary risk: He did. His troops did. The kingdom did. Even Saul did.

I think that David would also tell us to be wise in how we assume risk. Don't back someone into a corner and be sure you have proof if you need to. Also, it usually doesn’t pay to embarrass someone needlessly, especially your boss!

Finally, David would encourage us to be confident in God. He is our ultimate Savior and Protector, and He will be our guide if we seek His wisdom.

The bottom line is that David was willing to assume risk to resolve the conflict with Saul and to do the right thing in service to God. Are we willing to do the same? 

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Toughness

Today I want to share a word about Toughness, as I comment on 2 Corinthians 12:6-10. This passage reads:

For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

As I write this, although it is August in Alabama, I am wearing an Army aviator’s glove on my hand. No, I am not channeling my inner Michael Jackson. I am wearing it because I recently was unboxing a table for my wife, and my pocketknife slipped. Four stiches, three different stations in the Emergency Room, two hours, and one tetanus shot later I was back home from the hospital with a massive bandage covering a small but deep wound in the web of my hand. I am wearing the aviator’s glove to hold in place a much smaller bandage on that awkward spot on the web of my hand between my thumb and forefinger.

The thing that surprised me about this accident, was that when I looked at the wound, I almost passed out. I felt flushed, lightheaded, and nauseated. I sat down with my head between my knees until the feeling passed, all the while holding pressure on the wound with a paper towel. See! All those combat first aid classes did come in handy after all!

After a few minutes, I taped some gauze in place and headed to the local hospital. Mercifully, since it was a Monday evening, the emergency department was not crowded, and I was back home at the scene of the crime . . . I mean accident . . .  sooner than I had expected.

What I really didn’t expect was to almost pass out over a non-life-threatening wound. The knife did go about half an inch into my hand, which is a thing, but I wasn’t going to bleed to death. I was quite embarrassed about my lack of toughness, to be honest.

TOUGH MEN:

Contrast my wimpiness with the experience of FBI Agent Edmundo Mireles during the infamous Miami shoot-out of 1986. Early in the firefight, Special Agent Mireles was hit by a rifle bullet which shattered the bones in his forearm. Despite his unspeakably painful wound, Special Agent Mireles operated his 12-gauge pump shotgun with his one good hand, putting down the two assailants and finishing the fight. Although he never regained complete use of his wounded arm, he continued his service in the FBI until his retirement in 2004. 

There is no doubt that Special Agent Mireles was a tough man, but as we can see in our focal passage for today, so was Paul.

TOUGH SITUATIONS:

We don’t know for sure what ailment or injury bedeviled Paul so much. The only clue we have is that Paul needed to have a secretary write his letters for him, although he would add a greeting in his own hand. In Galatians, Paul made his greeting by saying, in essence, “See how big I have to make my letters when I write?” So, apparently his illness or injury affected his hand or eyes, or both. In any case, Paul’s affliction was chronic and severe, such that he sought relief from God on multiple occasions.

We know that God always answers our prayers. In this case, He told Paul, “No.” God went on to say, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” So, what did Paul do? What could he do?

• He could curse God and hope for death. That was an option presented to Job.
• He could seek a cure and a solution for his problems in other places. This is what King Saul did.
• He could lean into his affliction and see if God was as good as His Word. This is the attitude of the hymn which says, “Trust me, try me, prove me saith the Lord of Hosts and see if a blessing, an unmeasured blessing, I will not pour out on thee.”

Of course, since I gave the bottom-line up front with the passage from 2 Corinthians 12, we know what choice Paul made. Because of God’s faithfulness and His promises, Paul made the decision to be tough. He made the decision to rest in God, knowing that God would help him to be strong.

TOUGH DECISIONS:

So, what about us? Are we tough? 

Well, I guess I am not as tough as I thought I was, since I almost passed out from a flesh wound. Toughness, however, is not measured by our initial reactions to an event. It is what we do after the initial shock wears off that counts.

When Special Agent Mireles was hit by that rifle bullet, he was knocked to the ground in shock, and then agony. As the bullets flew around him, he too had to make a choice. He could lie on the ground and wait for the fatal shot, or he could fight back. He admitted that he got angry, and that motivated him to fight back. He won that fight because he decided in his will to be tough.

Toughness is the commitment to endure hardship in order to achieve a goal, complete a mission, or realize a vision. In 2 Timothy 2:3, Paul instructed his protégé, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” This, of course, is the key to toughness for a Christian. We can be tough because we know that God has our back. In this case, He not only protects us from behind, but He also puts steel into our spine.

So, if you come upon hard times in your walk with the Lord, and you feel weak, or if you get knocked down, don’t worry. Like Paul, and like Timothy, you can be tough, and you can persevere for the Cause of Christ. Just remember the exhortation of Joshua who told the Children of Israel before they crossed the line of departure at the River Jordan and began their campaign to take the Promised Land, “Be bold and be strong, for the Lord your God is with you!”

When God is with us, we can "hang tough!"

Every Blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Loyalty

Today I want to share a word about Loyalty, as I comment on Psalm 136:1-4. This passage reads:

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

One thing is certain about the United States: we love our college sports. In some places basketball is the reigning sport, but in the South, college football is king, which reminds me of a funny story.

During the early days of the University of Alabama, the school was all-male; no females were allowed to enroll. One year at the beginning of the 20th Century, the all-male student body went on strike. These young men had two demands.

First, they wanted the administration to allow women to enroll. The leaders of the university, after some deliberation, agreed to this demand, but they objected to the second one, which was for the university to form an inter-collegiate football team. This, however, was a bridge too far for the school’s elders. They refused, protesting, “Football is a northern sport and it’ll never catch on here. Besides, it’s much too hot in Alabama to play football.” Bear Bryant would disagree, I’m sure.

Human Loyalty:

In Alabama, people are passionately loyal to their chosen team, to the point that college football has almost become a religion. It matters not that your team had a bad season, because “There’s always next year.” Team rivalries are intense, so much so that head coaches with a losing record will be forgiven if they beat their intra-state rivals. The entire State of Alabama comes to a screeching halt during the annual Alabama-Auburn “Iron Bowl” tilt. You’d think that it had snowed, the streets are so empty.

As loyal as people are to their sports teams, there is one who is even more loyal to those whom He loves: Yahweh God. As Proverbs 18:23 says, “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” and for us, that One is Almighty God.

God’s Loyalty:

The term that is translated “mercy” in Psalm 136 the King James Bible is the Hebrew word “chesed” and it is probably better translated as “steadfast love.” That is, the Psalmist wrote that God loved His people with an everlasting love, one which would not end regardless of what they did or did not do.

The Bible and history are replete with tales of traitors. Bathsheba betrayed Samson and David betrayed Uriah. The Children of Israel betrayed God and were described by Him as “playing the harlot” or prostituting themselves to the ways of the world as they rejected the love and ways of God. Judas and Peter betrayed Jesus, and Ananias and Saphira betrayed the Holy Spirit. Benedict Arnold betrayed the Continental Army, and his name became a synonym for a traitor. CIA officer Aldrich Ames betrayed his country and dozens of agents behind the Iron Curtain because he wanted a new car. Besides all of that, husbands and wives cheat on each other; parents betray their children by abusing them; and friends turn on each other. Sadly, loyalty is not a common human trait.

Just as the Bible records human treachery, it also records God’s loyalty to His creation, and particularly to people, who are His highest creation. The remainder of Psalm 136 is a laundry list of what God had done for Israel up to the time when the Psalmist was writing. This included everything from creating a wonderful world for His people to live in to delivering them from slavery in Egypt and also defeating the enemy kings that tried to keep God’s people from the Promised Land. God stood by His people like that “friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

Despite God’s loyalty, His people betrayed Him, and they turned to other Gods and other ways of life. In response, God doubled down on His loyalty. He knew that people were frail and limited; He saw that they were hapless, helpless, and hopeless in their sin. He could have turned His back, but instead He send His Only Begotten, His Son Jesus, to save people from their sin. Paul described God’s loyal to people this way in Roman 5:6-8,

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

So, not only does God stand by the people He created, but He also acts to save them from themselves. This truly is steadfast, patient, enduring love. It is also the ultimate example of loyalty. Even more than that, God, through the Holy Spirit, helps people to be loyal too, by writing His Word on their hearts and empowering them to walk in the light of His Word.

Our Loyalty:

Because God is loyal to us, we can be loyal to Him. We also can be loyal to our families, our churches, our communities, our friends, and our comrades. 

Thank God today for His everlasting mercy, for His steadfast love, and for sticking to us even closer than a brother. Ask Him to help you be loyal Him and His creation as well, for He surely deserves it!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Sabbath

 

Today I want to share a word about the Sabbath, as I comment on Deuteronomy 5:12-15. This passage reads:

Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work--you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

In the creation account in Genesis, we can see that God did His work of creation in six days, and then He rested on the seventh. If God thought it was good to take a day of rest, so should we! And, if we lay that fact aside, our focal passage for today gives us several other excellent reasons to observe the Sabbath.

First, We Must Realize That This Is A Command:

God is personal, but He is also transcendent. God is love, but he is also just. God is the Sovereign Lord of the Universe; he created it and he created us. He owns the Universe, and He also owns us . . . and, therefore, He gets to tell us what to do. 

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 says: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” Verse 13 goes on to say: “Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. “

In the New Testament Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commands.”  He also told us in the Great Commission, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

Therefore, we know we are to obey God’s commands, including this one: “Observe the Sabbath and keep it Holy.” One way we can love our Lord is obeying him and keeping the Sabbath.

Second, We Must Earn The Sabbath:

Before we enjoy the Sabbath we must work. 

We know that when Adam and Eve sinned, one of the consequences that resulted was that the garden had to be cultivated by the sweat of Adam’s brow. This is not pleasant! I have memories of working in my dad’s garden as a teenager. He always waited until the heat of the day to pick his peas and beans. It was hot and sweaty work.

Work is good, however, and it is affirmed in many places in the Bible. Like in Proverbs 18:19 which says, “He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. The Proverbs 31 woman is also another example of where the Old Testament affirms hard work and productivity.

Likewise, in the New Testament, we also see work being affirmed. In Matthew 10:10 Jesus said that “a laborer is worth his hire,” and Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”

I once heard Dr. Jim Henry tell a story of the young staff member of his church who had missed several days of work. He asked where he was and was told that he was at home taking care of a sick child so that his wife could go to her job. Dr. Henry made the point that the work the young minister did at the church was important, and that he needed to fulfill his responsibilities to the church the same way that his wife fulfilled her responsibilities to her employer.

Today we have a culture that seeks fame without accomplishment, but Proverbs 22:19 says, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” If you want to garner the attention of people who matter, then do your job!

To be balanced, we also must not become workaholics or make work itself something we worship.  In that vein, Ecclesiastes 2:11 says, “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.” But in Colossians 3:23-24, Paul instructed the members of that church who were bondservants in this way: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

The key is in having the right attitude! We must work for God’s glory and for our own blessing as well. In the movie Chariots of Fire, Olympian Eric Liddell is quoted as saying, “When I run, I feel His pleasure!”  When we do our work well, so should we!

Third, We Must Observe The Sabbath:

Observe in this case does not mean to watch, but to take part in. Just like we recognize Federal holidays, we also need to recognize the Sabbath.

What that means is that we are to rest on the Sabbath. And not just us, but also those who work for us and the mechanisms by which we do our work.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how our bodies and minds work. As Psalm 139:13 reminds us, He knit us together in our mothers’ wombs. He knows that we need to work and also that we need to rest.

In the previous centuries, armies marched on foot. 

In WWII some German infantry units marched on foot literally thousands of miles into and then back out of Russia. 

In Korea, the Chinese armies were made up of veterans who had marched the breadth of China during the Communist takeover of that country, and then down into the mountains of Korea. 

Because of modern transportation systems. we don’t know any of this today, but what a smart general knew in those days was that you can’t march an army for day after day without wearing them out. If an army didn’t rest a day every two weeks or so, the amount of distance it could march started to decline. In fact, a “forced march” was when a unit had to march without sufficient rest, and that was only done in an emergency.

Even equipment needs rest. Navy ships will return from a deployment and go right into a maintenance cycle or even into dry-dock. Airplanes are withdrawn from service at regular intervals for maintenance checks and up-grades. Even the lowly family minivan needs its oil changed on a regular basis.

The Bible tells us that Jesus also rested. He would often leave His followers and go off by Himself to pray and recharge. The Scriptures put it this way, “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”

Jesus also knew His followers needed rest as we see in Mark 6:31: “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

Vance Havner, a great revival preacher of the last century once quipped; “‘Come ye yourselves apart…, and rest a while’ is a must for every Christian. If you don’t come apart, you will come apart!”

We must observe the Sabbath! Not only is it a command but it is also good for us!

Finally, We Must Separate The Sabbath:

Not only are we to observe the Sabbath, but we are to make it Holy. We often think that Holy means Righteous but to make something Holy means for it to be set apart or separated out for a special purpose. Of course, the special purpose mentioned here is a righteous one. We are to worship the Lord our God on the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is not just a day off. It is a day when we glorify and honor our God. 

Why? Because He deserves it!

God had saved the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. He brought them through the wilderness, feeding them, guiding them, and sustaining them. He fought their battles for them and gave them victory. Finally He brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey. He deserved their praise and worship.

God has saved us out of the slavery of sin. He feeds us and sustains us with His Spirit as we journey through this world which is not our home. He fights our battles for us and He gives us victory over our problems and our hurts. Finally, He will bring us to be with Him in heaven someday, where there will be no more tears and no more sorrows. He deserves our praise and worship.

Not only does God deserve our worship, we must know that we were made to worship. We were made to worship Him, but we often substitute other, false Gods for our devotion. 

God, of course, knows this. That’s why the first Commandment says, “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.”

That’s also why Deuteronomy 6:4-6 says: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.”

We need to worship. We yearn to worship, and we need to worship God on the Sabbath.

So Why Do We Need To Keep The Sabbath? Because It’s Good!

It’s good to obey God.

It’s good to rest and recover.

It’s good to worship God.

So how do you treat the Sabbath? Is it optional to you? Is it important? Are you using it the way God intended it? 

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbttt