For those of us who are sometimes afraid of the future, let us look more closely at what Isaiah has to say. “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come’” (Isaiah 35:4a). “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Later on, Isaiah says in chapter 43, verse 5: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” And again he says in chapter 41, verse 13: “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”
And finally Isaiah says in chapter 43: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” (Isaiah 43: 1b–2a).
When we are facing the trials and difficulties in life that we all face from time to time, it is comforting to know that God is right here with us and we need not fear.
Open Your Hand
February 21
A child playing one day caught his hand in a vase. The mother and then the father tried to get the boy’s hand out, but failed. At last his father said, “Now, son, one more try. Open your hand, stretch your fingers out straight, and then pull.”
It was then the little boy said, “Oh, no, daddy, if I pull my fingers out straight like that, I’ll lose my quarter.”
Sometimes we hang on to things in the most difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.
In the parable of the rich fool, Jesus told about a wealthy farmer who had a particularly good crop—so big that his barns wouldn’t hold it. So his single solution was to hang on—still clutching his “quarter.” Said he: “‘I have no place to store my crops . . . This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’” (Luke 12:17–19).
This is obviously a self–centered attitude on the part of the farmer, without the least concern for others or even for his own spiritual welfare. Jesus’ comment contained language stronger than He usually expressed. “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ” (Luke 12:20).
There comes a time when the quarter in the vase and the full barns are of no value.
Introducing the parable of the rich fool, Jesus said to the crowd he was addressing: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). Later on in the same chapter of Luke, Jesus concludes: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:32–34).
Sometimes folks have to loosen their fingers from the quarter in order really to live.
Our Advocate
February 22
In the early days of the Salvation Army, when many English judges thought that the Army was nothing but a nuisance, the story is told of an Army lass who was in court on the charge of obstructing traffic. At the time, Frank Crossley was one of the panel of judges in Manchester police court, but he was not going to act in this particular case because the district in which the so-called offense took place was not within his jurisdiction.
When the girl’s case came up, however, that brilliant and renowned man got up from his eminent seat on the bench and walked over to the lonely, forlorn girl and stood beside her until her trial was finished.
In his first epistle, the apostle John asks of Christians that we avoid sin. “But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1John 2:1b–2).
I do not know what the final judgment was in the Salvation Army girl’s case, but any judge would have found it difficult to convict her with his fellow judge, the great Frank Crossley, standing alongside her.
Even so, in the court of eternity, the Lord Jesus stands alongside those who have committed their lives to Him. “I died,” He says, “that they may be forgiven.” Jesus, in a prayer for all believers, in part said this: “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them” (John17: 25–26).
That’s the kind of an Advocate we have standing alongside.
Trustworthy—Absolutely
February 23
The story of Daniel is always thrilling. He got into deep trouble, strangely enough, just because he was trustworthy, a man of absolute integrity. That’s actually why he was thrown into the den of lions.
As a youth, he was taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. Through his sheer strength of character, he was conscripted into the service of the Babylonian king and soon rose to the top— the chief administrator of the country. When the Medes conquered Babylonia and Darius became ruler, Daniel was again given charge of the land. Some of his fellow administrators, his juniors, were jealous and furious that this foreigner should be their chief, so they plotted against him.
But as the Bible says in Daniel 6:4b, “They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy.” Daniel’s enemies knew that the only way they could “get him” would involve “something to do with the law of his God” (Daniel 6:5b). So they convinced the pagan Darius to decree that for thirty days everyone was prohibited from praying to any god or man, except to the emperor. Daniel, of course, still trustworthy, a man of integrity, could not do this, and he continued to pray regularly to the God of heaven. And his windows were open; he could be seen. The windows were not open to defy anyone, but to continue Daniel’s prayers to God as he had always done.
Daniel had to go to the lion’s den although the king did everything he could to prevent it. God closed the mouths of the lions, and Daniel came out unscathed . . . to resume his responsibilities.
Daniel, a man of God, a man of absolute integrity, no matter what it cost—he was a hero and a man who has greatly influenced succeeding generations.
Targets
February 24
The story is told of a young girl who, shortly after the end of World War II when target practice with a rifle was still in vogue, decided to try it. After the girl had fired a number of rounds, her instructor stopped her and said, “Young woman, you are coming perilously close to that light bulb.” (A lamp was hanging some distance above the target.)
“Why,” was the girl’s simple response, “that’s what I have been trying to hit.”
This incident might be seen as a kind of parable describing our world. Actually, the young girl’s aim was not really the problem, but the problem was that she didn’t know what or where the target was.
Many people of today are firing off in multiple directions in life, seemingly oblivious as to what or where the target or goal of life is. And what is worse—not bothering to ask the Instructor.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, sums up perfectly his version of life’s goal or target. His was a marvelous target,