For years I’ve been intrigued with Naaman’s account in II Kings 5:2 that states the captured Israelite servant girl to Naaman’s wife encouraged her mistress to send her Syrian General husband Naaman to see the prophet in Samaria for he would heal him of his leprosy. Intrigued because I am questioning today whether our children or even we adults in our “culture” if in similar captive circumstances with whomever, would breathe the rarified air of presenting Jesus as Savior effectively in any viable authentic form.
Because of this unnamed Jewish servant girl, Naaman had an encounter with the God of the universe that indeed changed his “culture.” Read “the rest of the story” in v. 17-19 “please let your servant be given two mule loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.” Then Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” I find it beyond interesting, how two military men, Naaman here; and then the centurion upon encountering Truth in Luke 7:9 when Jesus stated, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”
Perhaps Utmost for His Highest today (July 24) explains it best when Oswald aptly states “the great wonder of Jesus Christ’s salvation is that He changes our heredity. He does not change human nature – He changes its source, and thereby its motives as well.”
We do give lip service to “cultural” transmission though that does not insure spiritual heredity. Post It notes on the bathroom mirror or by the back door into the garage “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him …” is a good start though! By focusing on our spiritual mission today, tomorrow and beyond, much as Germany faced in the 30’s, then just imagine someday when either by global tyranny or your all-consuming captors/oppressors, regardless of their origin, presents you the choice of either renouncing the Jesus of your “culture” or your immediate extermination, will you be mentally prepared as was Daniel and his friends when bowing was demanded? This possibility suddenly elevates the Biblical account of Daniel to a higher more significant and relevant intimate perspective. Again, I ask, am I (we) prepared? For what are we waiting except to prepare?
While we are living in uncertain times, indeed waiting as referenced in Kerry Shook’s Daily Devotions excellent clip titled “God’s Waiting Room,” where he states “Most of the time that we are waiting on God, God is really waiting on us.” Am I, or are we, preparing ourselves and others for the inevitable future persecution and beyond? I find few of our “culture” today under 60 have actually read from “Martyr’s Mirror: The Story of 17 Centuries of Christian Martyrdom…” I offer you the perspective of this one account of martyrdom to possibly break your North American trance of being content to be “the quiet in the land.”
Consider this historical account from Kindle location 11939 of 16912 (72%). Since I use Kindle extensively, my physical copy is now buried in a box so I can’t give you a page # but it is in the chapter of the tenth century occurring in 1022 A.D.
Heribert and Lisoius were greatly esteemed and beloved by the king and the lords of the realm, as long as their case was not known. Glaber further relates how they were discovered. Heribert and Lisoius, sought at Rouen, to bring a certain Dreist over to their belief (not mere culture), to expound to him the mystery of their doctrine, and who endeavored to persuade him by saying that very soon all the people would fall over to them. (In other words, the papal insistence for infant baptism, the mass or transubstantiation was in error and the scriptural truth was being discovered and replacing the papal untruths.)
When the priest understood this, he immediately went to Richard, the Count of that city, and told him the whole matter. The latter instantly sent letters by express messengers to the king, informing him of this secrete pestilence (as he calls the true faith). King Robert, much grieved at this, without delay convened a council of many bishops, abbots, and other religious persons(thus he calls this blood-thirsty council), and, through them, caused very strict investigations to be made, both as to the authors and the adherents of said heresy.
When inquiry was made among the layman, as to what the belief and the faith of each several one was, the aforesaid Heribert and Lisoius immediately discovered themselves, that they differed in their belief from the Roman church, and afterwards others also declared that they differed in their belief from the Roman church, and afterwards others also declared that they adhered to Heribert and Lisoius, and that they could in no wise be drawn away from their faith. Being interrogated more closely, whence and by whom this presumption had originated, they gave this answer, “This is what you have long called a sect, which you now, though late, recognize. But we have waited for a long time, that you as well as all the others, of whatever law or order, might come over and unite with this sect, which, we also believe, will yet take place.” They then immediately presented their unbelief, undoubtedly after the manner of the Albigenses and Waldenses, as shall be shown hereafter.
When the king and all those present saw they could not be moved from their belief, he commanded that a very large fire of wood should be kindled not far from the city, in order that perhaps, terrified thereby, they might desist from their belief. But when they were about to be led out to the fire, they cried aloud, saying, that they greatly longed for it, and gave themselves into the hands of those who were to draw them to the fire. They, thirteen in number, were committed to the flames, and all who afterwards were found to be their adherents, were put to death by the same means.
Again, in the records of the parish church of Orleans, called St. Maximus’ church, the time is specified, when this took place. It occurred, it is there stated, publicly at Orleans, A.D. 1022, in the 28th year of King Robert. The above citations are taken from the writings of the papists; hence, the reader is admonished, to judge charitably with regard to the accusations which these inveterate adversaries have so bitterly cast up against these pious witnesses of Jesus Christ.
So why do the revival fires of one generation burn out in the next?
Why do the children and grandchildren of believers leave the church?
Why does each generation need to be re-evangelized?
Why is our world getting morally and spiritually worse instead of better?
The answer to these questions I believe lies in 1.) the failure to pass the truth that leads to faith in Jesus Christ from one generation to the next; and 2.) we grossly underestimate the wiles and tactics of our mortal enemy, Satan, to destroy the committed redeemed of Christ’s Kingdom.
Passing the truth is much like a relay race in which runners compete as a team. Winning a relay race depends not only on the speed of the runners but also on their skillful ability to transfer the baton. In our race of life, the “baton” is the truth that leads to personal faith in God. Each generation receives the “baton” from the previous generation, runs the race to the best of its ability, then passes the “baton” smoothly and securely to the next generation.
The prior post detailed the Christ Follower’s Call to Follow, after earlier messages on Fellowship and Freedom. Today, July 24, Pastor Carl detailed our Call to Faithfulness. These four succinct instructional messages for your spiritual significance can be likened to “batons.” Are we in shape for the legacy race of our lifetime? What are we waiting for? Your destiny and your posterity’s, is at stake. Review all four.
One final encouragement from James 4:8 whom instructs us to “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This is the greatest invitation ever issued – the Creator of the universe requests our presence – especially while in our daily waiting rooms of life. This intimacy is God’s unwavering desire – He longs to be known by us. (John 1:18) We in our “culture” may emphasize the liberation from sin and death but is that enough? No way! I too long neglected to declare or experience the intimate relationship awaiting me with all those who’ve been made free. Waiting for whatever is on your spiritual radar at the moment without 1.) A strategic continual communication and intimacy with the Trinity, and 2.) “without an effective interactive protective community is the broad path to spiritual oblivion and too often, spiritual bankruptcy. Just consider how in nature, hungry wolves move a herd of deer seeking to separate out the weak, the lame and the stragglers for the kill. Your earthly spiritual lifeline is continual intimacy vertically with the Trinity and horizontally with other Christ Followers. Guard both judiciously!
