At The Very Least

I don’t know a whole lot about kids; I don’t have any of my own. I know about as much as any single, 30-year-old man does which is not a lot. Everything I know about children I’ve learned from working with them at church. I’ve spent many Sundays with 2, 3, and 4-year-olds. I’ve come to the conclusion that kids are pretty cool little creatures. And as we all know, they say the darndest things.

Not long ago, I was by myself in the 2’s. Usually the kids are pretty good about playing on their own, and I can give one-on-one time. But that morning, everybody needed something from me. I was sitting at the table trying to help one kid with a puzzle and talking to somebody else. I thought I heard little Elizabeth say something to me, but I asked her to repeat it. She looked at me with her adorable face and said, ‘You be the queen, I’ll be the princess.’ I had to try really hard not to laugh, and I just said, ‘Okay.’

Throughout the Bible we see God’s great love for children. Time and again we read that we are to care for the orphans and widows. In Deuteronomy and Psalms He executes justice on their behalf. In Psalm 68 David sings that God is the father of the fatherless, the protector of widows. He proclaims that God sets the lonely in families. Isaiah insists that it is our responsibility to ensure justice for orphans and to plead the widow’s cause. Proverbs 31 declares that we are to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. James says that real religion is lived by those who look after orphans and widows. Do you see the common theme? The repetition must mean something; perhaps that we are to pay attention.

When the disciples came to Jesus to ask who is the greatest in Heaven, Christ called a little child over and had him stand among them. He told them that anyone who welcomes a little child in His name…welcomes Him. Have you ever asked yourself how you would treat someone if you were talking to Jesus? Here He says you are. When we respond to a child, we are responding to Christ. He goes on in Matthew 18 to warn them that anyone who causes a child who believes in Him to sin will wish they had been drowned in the sea. That tells me we have a responsibility to teach our kids about Christ.

In Arkansas there are more than 4,100 children in foster care. Sadly, there are fewer than 1,000 families to care for them. Nearly 520 of those kids have had their parental rights terminat--meaning they will not ever be going home. Now, they are left to hope that someone will adopt them. As they age that hope begins to fade. Most people want the cute, innocent babies, not an older kid with behavioral problems from their previous life and years in the state’s system. Other children have physical or developmental disabilities that many people don’t want to take on. Then, there are siblings who are desperate to stay together, and that makes it more difficult to find them a home.

There is much more to the problem. Recent numbers show that Arkansas has the highest number of hungry children of any state. Many of these kids don’t know where their next meal will come from. One social worker told me that she’s had kids who will eat until they are sick when they are first placed in foster care. They are afraid that there won’t be anything left later. Many of them are hoarders. They will hide food in their clothes at the table so they can stash it somewhere safe.

Ironically, Arkansas also has the highest number of obese people in the union. Clearly, most of us are not doing without. How much food do you throw away each day? We have plenty and yet are failing to give it away. I think we will answer for that one day.

Worldwide more than 5 million children die of hunger-related causes each year according to World Vision. That’s a child every seven seconds. Add to that the fact that 145 million children are malnourished. The number of global orphans is more difficult to define. Many children live on the streets and go unaccounted for. Others come and go from the orphanages. Some countries simply don’t have a system to record the numbers. What we do know is that is in the millions. Estimates range anywhere from 143 to 210 million. While those numbers aren’t even close, we do know this: while the need is great, our God is greater. Those numbers may seem overwhelming and it’s tempting to do nothing. So focus on this: ONE child is waiting for you to do SOMETHING.

What will happen when we begin to see people with the eyes’ of Christ? He doesn’t see them as less than Himself. He simply sees the need. A friend of mine once told me, if you see a need and can meet it, then you are supposed to because someone else may not. We must stop turning a blind eye to the blind. We must stop pretending that we are deaf and do not hear. The need is here. It is impossible to ignore, yet somehow we manage to clear our conscience of conviction.

The word religion is used less than a half dozen times in the entire New Testament. Its translation is the outward practice of serving a god. In James 1:27 it is used to mean worship. ²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. Caring for those in need is considered worship. Here we learn that pure religion is practicing God’s word. Later, in Chapter two James declares that a man’s faith is useless without works. We can’t just SPEAK the love of Christ…we must SERVE others. We have to do something.

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

In Matthew 25 we find God readying Himself to judge the Gentiles who have lived through the tribulation. He separates them as sheep from goats according to how they treated the brethren: the Jews.

³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' ³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

One of the things I love most about this section of Scripture is the response from the righteous. It’s as though they have no idea what He’s talking about. They did what they did because they loved Him. It was a natural, spontaneous response to the needs that they could see. They loved Christ, and therefore they loved people. Their acts of kindness were not out of guilt; nor were they forced. The comparison that the King makes is astounding! “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me…” Jesus is saying, they are Me! That’s pretty powerful.

The question to me is who are the least of these today? I can’t help but believe that they are the children of Arkansas…the children of the United States…the children of the world. They are the ones too weak to defend themselves. Justice must be won on their behalf. They must have someone to speak for them for their voice alone is not enough. We must feed and clothe them; we must take them into our homes as our own.

I well remember standing in the gallery of the Arkansas House of Representatives as Governor Mike Beebe gave his state of the state address last year. The governor told legislators that he wanted to see additional funding for the Department of Children and family services, and then he denounced the voters’ decision to prevent unwed foster parents from living together. Many have called it the gay adoption ban. I remember being offended by what he had to say, yet that was quickly replaced by conviction. Here is the challenge that Governor Beebe issued to the people of our state:

“I was disappointed when voters passed an initiated act last November limiting the number of Arkansans who may qualify to become foster and adoptive parents. Before Act 1, we already had three times more foster children than we had qualified homes available. Now our ability to place these children is further impeded. It is imperative for those who supported shrinking the pool of potential foster parents to realize that the number of young and vulnerable Arkansans needing foster care will only continue to grow, and action must now follow their words. More than ever, we need Arkansas families to open their hearts and their homes to give these children the chance to grow up in safety and security, with devoted families who can raise them with care and compassion.”

I was stunned. What I realized is that he was right. If we as Christians are going to prevent others from caring for these children, then we must step up and do it. It is our responsibility as the church. We cannot tell others that they cannot provide for these kids, yet fail to do so ourselves.

Showing up to church is no longer enough. It never was. Christ charged us in the Great Commission to go into the world and make disciples of all nations…not to come and simply sit in the safe, comfortable walls of the church. What better way for us to share the love of Christ than to first meet people’s physical needs? Time after time we see Jesus tending to the hurting which then led to belief. What better opportunity for us to share the gospel than by caring for children who have been abandoned? Not only are we showing them the love of Christ, the world is seeing our witness.

These children need to be fed, clothed, and have a place to call home. They need moms and dads who will love them and teach them about Jesus. We can start right here at home. Some of you have the love, time, and financial resources to adopt. Many people already have children and choose to add to their family. Some have already raised their kids. The thing is, you don’t have to start over with those 2 AM feedings. There are many teens who are waiting. Hundreds “age out” of foster care each year without permanent parents. Maybe, you can’t commit to adoption but you still feel called to minister to these kids. As I’ve said, there are fewer than a thousand foster parents for more than four thousand children in the state. You get to choose what child or children are placed in your home. You have the say in their age, challenges, and gender. Financially, the state pays foster parents a stipend each month for the children’s care. They also pay day care costs. Money should not keep you from opening up your home if that is what God is calling you to do.

International adoption is also another option. Steven Curtis Chapman may best be known as a pioneer in contemporary Christian music. But he and his wife Mary Beth have become adoption advocates. The have now adopted three little girls from China and formed a non-profit called Shaohannah’s Hope to help other families. As you may know, China has a strict one child per family policy. Many want a boy to carry on the family name and little girls are discarded like trash. The continent of Asia has the greatest number of orphans. Africa’s aids crisis has left many children to fend for themselves.

Backpacks For Kids is a phenomenal program for hungry children here in our area. Many children rely on the two meals they get at school. Those may be the only times they know they will eat. Unfortunately, that only covers five days of the week. The program provides the kids with food for the weekend. Every Friday, teachers make sure the kids’ bags are packed.

One story goes that a counselor had finished her usual Friday distribution when she realized she had one bag left over. The woman thought back through all of the backpack kids and was certain that all of them had been at school that day. Then she realized it was Amy who was missing. She thought maybe the girl had gone home sick and she just didn’t know it. On her way to her car she heard a child crying. It was Amy. When she asked what was wrong Amy told her that she had forgotten her backpack that day and didn’t have anything for her to put the food in for the weekend. The little girl thought she was going to have to do without. The counselor took her by the hand and found her a loaner backpack.

Other organizations like World Vision and Compassion International are feeding children on a global scale. Sponsoring a child through them provides food, clothing, and education. They are able to do what we cannot. Not only do they meet the children’s physical needs, they also teach them about Jesus. How amazing is that we can love kids from a world away?

Our initial reaction is to write a check. Here in America we like to throw money at the problem. It keeps us from having to get dirty. It requires very little from us. For some of you, that is all you can do, and it may be a financial sacrifice. For others, maybe that is all that is asked of you. Yet, I think for the majority of us God requires much more. We need to get to work.

If this blog sounds like my own personal agenda, it probably is. But I also believe that it is God's. Caring for orphans and widows is not a calling; it is a command. Whether we are able to adopt a child, serve as foster parents, sponsor a child through a Christian organization, give to local charities, or volunteer, we need to respond now. Find your place. Remember, if you see a need and you can meet it, then you are called to do it. Don’t wait.

These children have seen the worst that humanity has to offer. You and I have the best that God can give. It is not our responsibility to save the world. Christ has already done that. However, we are commanded to care for the least of these.

The Beauty of Redemption: A Modern Day Parable

She was only 12, but her tired eyes gave away the years of abuse she had suffered as a child prostitute in an Indian slum. Her name was Bandhura, which means pretty in her language. Despite the obvious scars on her face and the deep bruising where she had been struck repeatedly by her master and the men who used her, she was still a beautiful little girl.

I first spotted her as I walked down the dirt, trash-filled alley. She was caged, literally like an animal, her head bowed low as though she were unable to look at the next man who was going to use her for his own personal pleasure. Anger rose inside me at the blatant injustice; how much pain had this little girl endured? What had she possibly done at such a young age to deserve this? But greater still, I knew the love that my God, her God had for her. I knew the love I felt for her and a holy anger burned inside. I could not walk away. I would not walk away; not without her.

I boldly approached the man who I assumed was her owner. He looked eager to meet the perverse needs of an American tourist; and clearly saw an opportunity. My eyes must have flashed the anger that was seething inside of me. I asked him sharply, 'How much for her?' He quoted an amount in Rupees, and I knew he didn't understand. "No. I am going to buy her from you," I said. "I want to redeem her. Name your price." He replied, "I make my living off of this trash; and not much at that. She's not for sale."

I knew love would not let me leave. I had to take her with me. I had to set her free. This was not what she was created for. This was not the end of the story. "You don't understand," I said. "There is no cost too great; even if it is my own life." The man looked almost as if he was afraid. I could see the questions forming in his head. Yet, he quickly managed to muster a
response. "What if you traded yourself for her? You come to work for me. I can hire you out for manual labor." "If that's the price I will gladly pay it," I said without hesitation. He stood amazed. The man clearly thought I was crazy.

"You can have her for one thousand American dollars," he finally managed to mutter. "You will have the money in the morning," I said. "But right now, she's coming with me." One look at her face, and I knew that grace was what I would give; undeserving, unmerited freedom to a little girl I didn't even know. She had done nothing to earn it. I owed her nothing. Yet, I loved her. Grace was a gift that I wanted her to have so desperately.

If you have yet to see, you and I are Bandhura and God our Redeemer. It was grace that caused Him to take our place. No price was too great. Satan tried to steal Him away with temptation. Yet, His great love for us would not let Him leave. This is His story; it is our story: the history of grace.

For more information on how you can be a part of helping end the horror of human trafficking please visit http://www.thehomefoundation.net/. It is a non-profit organization founded by Christian music artist Natalie Grant. Women and children around the world are being sold as sex slaves. Give the gift of grace.

GOD Is Mighty: Part IV

There is no doubt that the greatest act of God's might occurred because of the cross. His death was the perfect sacrifice. Our sins were forgiven, yet the deal would not be sealed unless He was raised from the dead. Thanks be to God that on the third day He rose from the grave! I see such parallels between the Israelites and us. We too were living in bondage. Humanity had lived so long as slaves to sin. We were crying out to be free. God heard us, and just as He sent Moses to the Israelites, this time He sent His Son Jesus for us.

Most of the time we hold our heads high, defiant of the Enemy. But there are those rare times when, I don't know about you, but for me I wonder why Jesus ever saved me. What was the point of the cross if I don't get to always walk in victory? Sometimes my sin seems safer, easier, and offers security. Even though I was miserable, I at least knew what to expect. I begin to doubt the God who saved me. Where is He? When the whole time His master plan is that He get the glory. Remember what Paul writes? That His power is made perfect in our weakness. It's not all about you. It's not all about me.

Like those in the Exodus, we often fail to see beyond our own need. Yet, just as God did in ancient Egypt, He will get the glory in the end. His Son will be crowned with it. From Genesis to Revelation we see the greatness of God.

The fear that God caused in the hearts of the Egyptians and in the eyes of the Israelites was so they would know His name. The whole point of his mighty show of power displayed was so that they would give Him glory. That they would recognize that this is His story. God intended for His miracles and signs to be seen by the world with the intent that they would worship Him. The question may come up, 'Was God showing off?' and the answer is YES! God is not trying to impress man; He has no need for that. What we do or believe does not change who He is. But He is trying to impress upon us that He is mighty and because of that we are to fear and revere Him. We are to bring Him glory!

Fear and pride keep us from recognizing God's might. Fear says we can't do it; pride is confidence that we can. But both arise when we try to do it on our own.

So, what do we do with this truth that God is mighty? We do what Moses commanded the people of Israel to do. There are times in our lives when are simply supposed to stand still, not be afraid, and watch what the Lord is going to do. But as God commanded them, we keep moving! You gotta love the irony. Be still and move. Don't allow yourself to be paralyzed. And once God gets the glory, we respond just like the Israelites...with worship. They sang a victory song. They called him their strength, their song, and their salvation. They called Him a warrior.

I have to ask you. Is God getting the glory for the victories in your life? Or are you walking out with your head held high and defiant like the Israelites? God is mighty; He will get the glory. So, why not willingly give it to Him?

GOD Is Mighty: Part III

This picture of Israel makes me think of fainting goats. Do you know what I'm talking about? It just so happens that my friend Tim Drane actually raises them. They look like your average goat, but they have a genetic condition called myotonia congenita. When they are startled or scared, their muscles lock up. Their legs stiffen and most of the time the young ones fall over, while the older ones simply spread their legs to support themselves. It only lasts about ten seconds, but of course that’s long enough for an enemy, a coyote or maybe a bear to catch up to them and well, you get the picture.

The people allowed the situation to change their perception of God's strength. They doubted what they knew to be true. They had been eye witnesses! But that's exactly what we are tempted to do in our own lives. We have seen what God is capable of, and yet we’re tempted to think it was a one-time thing. Unfortunately we also share another fatal mistake with the Israelites. Their main concern was their freedom; God's was His glory. See the difference? One is about us. The other is about Him. It never seemed to occur to them that God was going to look great in all of this. Dick Nelson of Fellowship Church NWA puts it this way: "God would make His name great so Israel could make His name known."

What about you? What is it that He is leading you through? Are you more concerned that you survive or that God is glorified? The evidence of God's might in our lives will cause the world to know that He is the Lord. When, we deny that God is mighty, we are telling our friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and anyone else that’s close enough to us, that we really don’t believe God told us the truth about himself when he said he was mighty enough to save us. denying that He alone is the one true God. If His power is not supreme, then another's must be. In the end, we are denying Him and of that I don't want to be guilty.

We of course know the rest of the story, God split the sea and drove the waters to the sides. The Israelites walked through on dry ground and as the Egyptians followed, God gave them a permanent bath. This is where it ends up in verse 31: "Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses." The people, saw, they feared, and they believed. They admitted openly that God is mighty. They finally got it.

GOD Is Mighty: Part II

Exodus 14:4-15

4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." And they did so.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." 13 And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."
15The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.

In verse 4 God says that He will "...get glory over Pharah and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I AM THE LORD." It becomes clear that While God has heard the cries of His people and He is intent is to lead them to freedom, He is going to make sure that He gets glory in the process.

In verse 11 we read that "...the people of Israel were going out defiantly." I can't help but wonder if they were giving themselves some credit for what was taking place. In the chapter leading up to this, the people basically plundered the Egyptians. Their captors gave them anything that they wanted on their way out of town. So, at this point their heads are held high, and the question in my mind becomes 'Is this pride on parade?' Where they so sure of themselves? If they were, it didn’t last for long. That’s a lot like us; think about it. If we are so convinced of God's greatness, of His power and might, then why we so quickly become scared out of our minds when the boss gives us our 2-week notice? It says "...they feared greatly..." I’m sure they did, and I’m sure I would have felt exactly as they did, and I’m pretty sure you would have, too.

And then the questions are posed to Moses..."Why did you bring us out here, to die? We could've stayed in Egypt. We would've been miserable, but at least we would be alive." At this point it appears as if everything and everyone has stopped; save the Egyptians who seem to be closing in. I try to imagine what was going through their minds...the whispers among the crowd. "If a group goes to the left of the sea and another to the right, some of us might survive." "Do we stand and fight or simply surrender? They are prepared for battle, we've basically got our moving trucks loaded with our stuff."

Where is the confidence they once had? They had just seen God do ten unexplainable miracles…miracles done on their behalf, witnessed God's might, yet here they are acting like they’d never been the object of a single act of his grace and mercy. They are questioning His power. Don't we do that? How many times have we seen what God is capable of, what He has done and yet the very next time it's as though He's completely helpless. Therein lies our sin: God is mighty, but we deny His power.

Let's look at Moses' response to the people in verse 13 is classic: "Fear not, stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord"; verse 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." I love that! See the salvation of the Lord. People you are about to be witness to God's power. Oh, I know you've seen what He's capable of, but He's about to finish what He started. You've seen the plagues but wait until you get a load of this. God is going to see you through.

It gets better. Look again at what God asked Moses: "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." That's great. He's essentially saying, "Stop whining and keep moving." This was not part of the plan. The Israelites were paralyzed by fear.

When we fail to recognize that God is mighty, we begin to feel weak and powerless. It paralyzes us. I go into what I call 'survival mode'. I stop where I am, and I don't move. I love the irony here. Moses has just told them to stand firm, and God is telling them to get a move on. Clearly Moses is telling them to stand firm in their faith and God is saying, follow my lead. Just because you are watching to see what I will do doesn't mean I won't accomplish at least part of it through you. You have responsibility, too!

GOD Is Mighty: Part I

God is mighty...I love the sound of that. He goes by so many different names. There are so many dimensions to His character, His personality, and His being, and each of the different names reveals an aspect of who He is. But One of my favorite names for God is found in the Old Testament. He is called 'El Shaddai,' (from the Acadian word shaddock -mountain) which translated means 'God the Mighty' or 'God Almighty'.

When I was about 10 or 11 years old my best friend and I were camping behind his apartment complex. Now, why we were doing that in town when I lived in the country I don't know. But there we were with my brand new tent my parents had given me. We had made hot dogs out on the grill, and so John decided that we needed to put the embers out responsibly. I followed him around the building and up the stairs where he got a huge bowl and filled it with water. Why he didn't grab a pitcher or a bucket, I don't know. But there we were with this big bowl of H2O.

We started outside and he decided that he needed to go down backward so that the weight of the water wouldn’t send him flying down the stairs. My role was to go in front and have his back. When we neared the bottom of the stairs, these two big guys who were all of probably 14 or 15 by the way, came out of the apartment on the ground floor. They had made a name for themselves at school as the tough kids. I vividly remember one making judo jabs and kicks in our general direction. What I didn't realize was that most likely he was a little intoxicated. I remember being afraid and feeling like he had all the power in the situation. I wished that I was the Karate Kid.

What seemed like minutes was only a matter of seconds. My best friend leaned over to me and whispered, 'Get ready to run.' I'm pretty sure I peed my pants at that point. I knew what he was going to do. Remember that big, ole bowl of water he was carrying? He threw it in the big kid's face. Everything else is pretty much a blur...perhaps that's because I was running for my life. It should go without saying, but it won’t, that within the hour we were both completely drenched, and I had to borrow a change of clothes. But anyhow...the point is that this kid had made a name for himself. He wanted people to know that he was large and in charge. He was powerful...and I feared him.

The Israelites were powerless and weak

The people of Israel best understood fear and the feeling of being powerless. The book of Exodus explains that they have been in captivity for more than four hundred years in Egypt. When God decided to deliver them, they were living and working under the harsh hand of a new Pharaoh The king himself was afraid that the people had become too great, so he basically decided to work them to death to prevent the possibility of them ever trying to take over. But God said He heard the cries of His people and in doing so, He sent Moses to lead them. As we all know, the Pharaoh said 'no'. Ten times to be exact. In response to each of Pharoah’s “nos” God's response was to send a plague on the land and people of Egypt; everything from the water of the Great Nile turning to blood... to the deaths of the Egyptians' firstborn. But the Hebrew houses went untouched by the despair. I have to wonder what the Egyptians were thinking...it was as if a line were drawn in the sand. And what about the Israelites? Even though Moses kept coming home with a 'no', they could clearly see God was working.

Here's the thing: the people had great expectations. They expected God to deliver them--to set them free. God agreed, but He was just getting started and had a much greater plan as we will see.

Grace By Definition

We use the word amazing to describe grace...A LOT. In fact, you probably hear those two words used together about as much as any others. But what's so amazing about it? It's almost impossible to go any further without a definition of something that's so simple to accept and yet complex to understand. One of my professors describes grace in this way: that which cannot be gained through any effort of our own--it is pure, unrecompensed or unpayable kindness and favor. Simply put, we get something amazing for nothing.

I don't know how much you are familiar with the writer of Amazing Grace. I am talking about the hymn of course. I knew very little until I began to do some research for a discussion at our home group. I knew that he had been a slave trader and had come to Christ, but I didn't know much more. What I didn't know was just how many years came between his conversion and his public denouncement of the slave trade.

John Newton grew up in London and spent a brief stint in the Royal Navy before beginning his career in the slave trade. God got his attention in much the same way he did Jonah...while he was at sea in the midst of a violent storm. One night a crewmen who had just taken his place on the deck was swept overboard. Newton commanded the ship for the remainder of the storm, but later confessed his helplessness and his need for the grace of God. He began to treat his so-called human cargo with kindness, but Newton continued to traffik them nonetheless.

He eventually suffered a stroke and was forced from sailing the sea. He would eventually become an ordained minister. A friendship developed between he and a young parlimentarian by the name of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce became the driving force behind the abolition of the slave trade in the United Kingdom. He sought the advice and eventual support of John Newton.

Again, it would be years before Newton would publicly oppose the abolition of the slave trade, but it's said that the words for the song Amazing Grace were inspired by a New Year's message he preached from 1 Chronicles 17.

Let's look at verses 7 through 21. We find the prophet Nathan speaking to David after he had resolved to build the House of the Lord. But God spoke to the prophet saying that David was not the one. Here is the message that was delivered:

7Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, 8and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, 10from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. 11When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.'" 15In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer
16Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O LORD God! 18And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. 19 For your servant’s sake, O LORD, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20There is none like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt?

In his sermon, John Newton makes three points...the first is this: LOOK BACK. David was reminded what he had been and where he had come from. In verse 7 God says, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel. David responds that he has not forgotten by asking: Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house... The John Newton project parallels the passage to the lines from the song: Amazing grace...that saved a wretch like me. Do you remember what you were before grace?

Newton's second point is to LOOK AROUND. I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you...God tells David in verse 8. The king begs the question asking why God has brought him this far. And from there came the lines for the song: Through many dangers, toils, and snares / I have already come / 'tis grace hath brought / me safe thus far...

Lastly, the former slave trader encourages us to LOOK FORWARD. God makes a promise to David. Let's go back to verses 11 and 12: When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. Again, David responds in verse 19: For your servant’s sake, O LORD, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. You can see from where Newton draws inspiration, writing: The Lord has promised good to me / His word my hope secures / He will my shield and portion be / as long as life endures.

Like Newton, I have three thoughts regarding grace; although mine relate to a trio of people types. First, there are those who cannot or simply will not accept the fact that grace is free. They expect to earn it in some way. But in Ephesians 2:8 Paul makes it perfectly clear: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God... If you are trying to earn grace, all I can say is this: you will never have it. That's the harsh reality. Why would you want to live that way? Without grace? Those who try to live a life worthy of grace in their own strength will find their attempts rooted in pride or low self esteem. Both of which have to do with self. Ironic isn't it? God and His grace can be found somewhere in between.

The second group of people I like to call forgiveness users, grace abusers. This is the group I've spent a lot of time in. Maybe you can relate. That's those of us who whether consciously or unconscionsly think we can commit the same sin again and again because of God's grace. He will forgive us. We try to take advantage of it. The author of Hebrews rebukes such thinking at the beginning of chapter 6. 1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Then, there are those who simply accept grace for what it is: free. They realize they cannot earn it. The recognize they are not worthy of it. But God offers grace and they in turn are grateful. The don't beat themselves up with the unworthy whip. They don't actively seek sin while thinking they can get away with it. Oh, I'm not saying they don't fail and fall. What I am saying is they have no agenda when it comes to God's grace. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...

Grace is a gift. We are made right with God. In His mercy God did not give those who believe what we deserve, and that of course is hell. But in His grace, He gave us what we do NOT deserve: the gift of salvation; the promise of eternal life with Him.

Pastor, speaker, author, and chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a fellow seminary student he knew years ago. He noticed that when the guy would come to the mailroom to pick up his exam, he would always write a word on it before he ever took a look. Dr. Swindoll later learned that while many of the students were comparing their grades and trying to top one another, this particular student was struggling in school. The word that he would write at the top of paper was grace. Grace if he passed, grace if he failed. That guy recognized that whatever he got, he didn't deserve. Anything good would be a gift from God.

What about the big life stuff? God, why do their children believe in you and mine no longer do? They were raised the same way. The answer: grace. God, why do they have a nice home and a big boat while my family is struggling just to pay the bills? His answer grace. My professor Dr. Tim Ralston made this statement: Grace is not fair. I don't like that, but it's the truth. God gets to choose.

I'm beginning to learn that if I want God's grace, then I can't deny it to others. I can't expect God to give it to me but not to them. The grace He gives me is my business. The grace He gives them is their business. What I do with what He's given me is my chance to offer grace.

There is a lesson my dad taught me not very long ago. It's perhaps the most important thing I've learned from him so far. And it is this: my dad and his siblings had to decide how they would divide my grandparents' estate. It was not going to be even and all of them knew it. Some of them would get more. Therefore, the others would get less. I remember asking my dad what it was that he wanted and begged him to be gracious at the table. But it was he who taught me a great lesson about grace. He said, "Jared, there's nothing I want that badly. None of it belongs to me anway. I've lived without it until now, and I can live without it in the future. Whatever I get is a gift from your grandparents."

Grace...amazing grace.

I want to end this blog with a famous quote from John Newton. It has become on of my favorites: "Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." Such is the story of grace.