Gospel Mindfulness

Most of us go through life unable to see through the veil of history. The future is a mystery that only God knows. Sometimes, however, he gives a glimpse, and in the Bible, those glimpses often look like catastrophic judgement. This is an uncomfortable topic, but one that should lead us, ultimately, to rejoice.

Painting by David Teniers the Younger.

Today, we open up the mailbag and answer listener questions. Topics covered include emotion in worship, God's judgement, and the relationship between covetousness and greed.

Photo from Archives New Zealand

There are many voices out there seeking our attention. There are many words seeking to define us, to demand our worship. We are shaped by what we hear, and God has a word for us.

Photo by Richard King

All of us have a worship problem. "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord,and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee," Augustine famously penned of God. We were made to worship God, and anything less will ultimately fail to satisfy.

For many people, worship conjures up the sight and sounds of incense, bells, and singing. But worship is something much bigger. Worship happens every day in every sphere of life. All of us worship something, but we were made to worship only one thing: God himself.

In the wilderness of everyday life, it can be hard to believe that anything of any significance is really going on. Moses felt it, Jacob felt it, we all feel it. But behind all the ordinariness, God is at work and God is here, even if we cannot see.

Photo by Rod Waddington

What can man do to us? A lot, actually. Trusting God does not prevent us from suffering and there may be some things we never understand this side of Christ's return. Nevertheless, God's blessing will prevail.

Life can be discouraging sometimes—both for us as individuals, but also collectively as God's people. The church is in constant conflict with the powers of the age and sometimes it seems as though they will win. The book of Exodus assures us that God promises to bless his people, whatever they might think, and through them to bless the world.

None of us live as isolated individuals. All of us come into contact with others, and our actions have consequences. Some of them are eternal. Christians are to make disciples of all nations, including their own backyards. Thankfully, we are not called to do it alone, but to encourage and spur one another along in love.

It is entirely possible to live life totally unaware of the things that really matter. There are spiritual realities towards which many have never been awoken, or have simply fallen asleep. God exhorts us to, but also give us the tools and the stamina to stay awake; chiefly through prayer.