June 5, 2024

Viewing all things through the lens of the True and the beautiful!

The True

Hemmed In

You and I have a natural disdain for being told what to do. Or perhaps it is just me. Even if the instruction is sound and the source dispensing the instruction is an appropriate one, there is a part of me inclined to resent anything that restricts my own free will.

It is an instinct mirrored throughout creation. New animal offspring are constantly testing the boundaries set by their parents, and animal parents—be they birds or fish or land dwellers—are constantly monitoring the liberty afforded to their young.

It is almost humorous how universally this concept applies. The new generation eagerly pushes against the boundaries set by the previous generation, who are in turn protecting their offspring from threats beyond the boundaries against which they themselves once pushed.

It is not simply a generational dynamic. It is also one visible within the hierarchy of God’s creation. Every night on our little family farm, we set restrictions. The goats are herded back into their enclosure. The doors to the chicken coop are closed. The ducks, while protesting loudly, are confined to their house. Why? It is not to make them unhappy, and in fact, quite the opposite! We put these restrictions in place in order for the animals in our charge to flourish! Our woods contain predators, and for our animals to get the rest they need, they must be secured against those threats. In a sense, it is our modern-day version of Jesus’ parable of The Good Shepherd.

Each of us needs protection, including protection that can only be provided by those who have gone before us!

The concept above is beautifully articulated in Psalm 139, which speaks of a God who created us intentionally, knows us completely, loves us intimately, and yes, restricts us protectively. Verses 5-6 say, “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

Hemmed in. What a beautiful description. Our God sets a limit in front of us, because He wants us to follow Him. He sets a limit behind us because He wants to keep us. You and I do not always understand these restrictions, because His knowledge is beyond our ability to fully grasp it. He knows what lies in wait and threatens to destroy us. He hems us in as we test the boundaries, and He does it for our own protection.

We need that protective hemming to be strong. We need it to stand up against our testing. We need it to be stronger than what will come against it. And we need it to sustain despite our own protestations.

We struggle. We test. We lean against the strength of His hemming.

When we do so, we find that not only is He kind and compassionate enough to hold firm, but He also lays His hand of blessing on us.

Friends, His knowledge is too wonderful for us, and too lofty for us to attain. But He has hemmed you in behind and before because of His great love for you. You can rest peacefully, because His unmatched strength stands guard over you.

World

New Deal

There is yet another deal on the table to end the war between Israel and Hamas. The new proposal was outlined by U.S. President Joe Biden from the White House and includes three stages: 1) A temporary ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from key areas in Gaza while hostages and prisoners are exchanged, and humanitarian assistance increases, 2) Israeli forces withdraw completely, the ceasefire becomes permanent, and all remaining living hostages and prisoners are released, 3) A reconstruction plan for Gaza commences and any remains of deceased hostages are returned.

The U.S. is pressing the U.N. Security Council to formally back the proposal, but as with previous efforts to end the war, the only truly impactful support for the proposal would be that of the parties involved: Israel and Hamas. It remains to be seen if the deal will secure this lasting support and be carried out.

Analysis and eternal perspective: The attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023 were nothing short of evil, and they perpetrated an horrific violence on hundreds of innocent Israelis. The depth of the depravity in those attacks has made it challenging for us to hold in tension a recognition of Israel’s duty to protect its citizens against future attacks with the biblical mandate to persistently pursue peace (Ps 34:14). This story is a real-world example of another biblical truth that lasting peace is often inextricably tied to justice (Ps. 85:10, Ps. 72).

There are varied opinions on the merits of the proposed deal. Let’s together endeavor to keep two facts at the forefront of our minds: 1) Peace without justice will not last, and 2) Righteous justice is also aimed toward peace.

These are incredibly difficult concepts to implement in our tangible world. Practically speaking, while the voice of the U.S., the U.N., and others carries the power of influence, it is the decisions made by Israel and Hamas that will determine whether this latest proposal stands.

U.S.

Verdict

Former President Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges related to falsified business records. The verdict was rendered by a New York jury and will likely be appealed by the former president.

Analysis and eternal perspective: This is perhaps the most polarizing story in recent memory. Most of us have a strong instinctive reaction to this story, and those reactions are sharply (and nearly evenly) divided. These dynamics carry the potential to drive relational wedges between us, but they also present a unique opportunity for our community here at The Equipped as we come together to interact with divisive stories in a way that is intentionally redemptive.

Our approach is not an oblivious one. We recognize collectively that the underlying components of this story matter. We also recognize that, in order to maintain fellowship with our brothers and sisters who hold a different perspective, we will each need to prioritize humility and an embrace of the biblical truth that refining relationships with other Jesus followers makes us more like Jesus.

Our primary goal as a community is to be faithfully devoted to Jesus. That goal is not entangled with the political fortunes or misfortunes of either our favored or disfavored politicians. At the same time, our collective flourishing does depend on biblical truths like the equal application of justice and a devotion to uprightness.

Proverbs 21 reminds us that God desires our uprightness and devotion to justice even more than our sacrifice. With this in mind, we should together acknowledge this story contains substantive components that warrant a sober response from a self-governed citizenry. In order to achieve such a sober response, we will have to proactively set aside our firmly held human instincts in favor of a biblical lens that is certain to challenge aspects of our perspective.

This is a long and challenging process that will not be fully worked out today. But we can begin that process together with this admittedly challenging exercise:

If you find yourself celebrating the verdict, commit to a sober and sincere evaluation of the underlying charges and the decision to prosecute them.

If you find yourself condemning the verdict, commit to a sober and sincere evaluation of the underlying circumstances surrounding the charges.

Our goal with this exercise is not to arrive at a uniform opinion. It is to help us stand together as a community against the very strong and persistent pull of division. We will not all fully agree about the details of this case and this story, but we can still choose to prioritize the Gospel and our relationship with each other over those disagreements.

When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he opened his letter by addressing the church’s division over leaders. In 1 Cor. 1:13, Paul asks, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

Friends, a story like this one matters. But it is not as important as our pursuit of Christ, and Christ is not divided. No man other than Jesus was crucified for us, and our public devotion belongs to none other than Him. As we grapple with a story as divisive as this one, let us do it with a renewed vigor for standing together with undivided devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

World

Worldwide Elections

The U.S. presidential election is getting a disproportionate amount of media attention, but there are headline-worthy elections happening all around the world, including these three major developments:

- Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as Mexico’s first female president

- India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected to a third five-year term

- The African National Party (ANC) was denied a majority in South Africa for the first time since Nelson Mandela was its leader

Analysis and eternal perspective: Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

Righteous leadership creates flourishing while corrupt leadership results in oppression. Unfortunately, the delineation between the two can be difficult to determine within governments of men and across a wide variety of governing structures. The three elections referenced above pertain to three very different regions and political structures, and will certainly promote unique mixes of “rejoicing” and “groaning.”

This is challenging to steward, but we can be encouraged that our trust is not in men or the governing institutions fashioned by men, but rather “in the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7).

The Beautiful

Held

What a beautiful thing to be held, hemmed in, and even restricted by loving hands. This week, take note of the ways God’s hands have been on and around you, and the flourishing that has resulted. Our instinct may be to test His boundaries, but we can be grateful for the protection and guidance afforded by His knowledge and strength. You are safe in His hands!

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