YEAR OF PATIENCE

MARCH 2003       

Volume 32 Issue 3  No. 324

Year of Patience/Feature Article

What to Speak when you Suffer

Controlling the tongue when everything is calm and we are composed is easy, and it requires no special effort. But when we are agitated with anger and agonizing in anguish, we speak out what we are not supposed to. God does not ignore what we speak in such moments. Rather He takes a serious view of it. The Book of Job vividly illustrates this point. What God said at the end of the story is a sober truth. He told Eliphaz, "I am angry with you and with your two friends, for you have not been right in what you SAID about Me, as My servant was" (Job 42:7).

No one other than Jesus suffered mentally and physically like Job. The Bible admonishes us to follow the "patience of Job" (Js 5:10,11). What he spoke when he suffered is worthy of close meditation. Based on his words approved and appreciated by the Almighty, I have compiled here a list of confessions we should make as we go through the furnace of suffering and fires of testing.

"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Praise the Name of the Lord!" (Job 1:21b).

This is a famous text for funeral services. We may read it today formally as a Bible text. But when the lips of Job gave birth to these words, it was an absolutely real confession, which sprang from a heart of honesty. The losses of Job were by no means ordinary. Death of his cattle, their caretakers and his children, all in quick succession! (Job 1:13-19). To worsen the situation, he became sick with an abominable disease.

Several advocates of positive confession tell us that Job was right when he said, "The Lord gave!" but he was wrong when he added, "The Lord has taken away!" They say that it was not the Lord but Satan who took away Job’s blessings. The fallacy of this interpretation is obvious. In the very next verse of the narrative the Holy Spirit has recorded, "In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God" (v22). The Scripture again says, "In all this, Job said nothing wrong!" (2:10b). Job’s understanding was that God was supreme and sovereign; Satan was simply His servant! How profound was the theology of this patriarch! It was this knowledge that made Job praise God for everything in every situation.

We are taught to "be always thankful, no matter what happens, for this is God’s will for us who belong to Christ Jesus" (1 Thess 5:18). We may not "feel" like praising God while we are crushed by pain and problems. It doesn’t matter, praise God anyway. Praise God when you don’t feel like praising Him. Keep on praising Him until you feel like praising Him!

"Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" (Job 2:10).

In an Indian Airlines domestic flight I heard two kids shouting from behind my seat, "Fly Indian Airlines. No other hostess is so kind!" I soon found out that the air hostess had given them some extra chocolates! Unfortunately the theology of many an average Christian is so childish! God is no more than a Santa Claus for them! How do we justify our belief that only seemingly good things proceed from God, in the light of the following Scriptures?

"Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life" (Eccl 7:14).

"The Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow and spread its shade over Jonah’s head... But God also prepared a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant, so that it soon died and withered away" (Jon 4:6,7).

"I am the Lord, and there is no other. I am the one who creates the light and makes the darkness. I am the one who sends good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things" (Isa 45:7).

Only when we are thoroughly convinced of the sovereignty of God and that nothing goes beyond His control and happens without His permission, we can sing with apostle Paul that all things work together for good even if it is calamity or danger (Rom 8:28,35). This conviction leads us to unshakable confidence and we are enabled to "be patient in trouble" (Rom 12:12). Folks may guess and say hundred and one things about our suffering. But we can assure ourselves by asking, "Who does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?" (Job 12:9).

"Teach me, and I will be silent; and show me how I have erred" (Job 6:24).

God has no pleasure in our suffering. If we sinful people desire that our children should be happy and healthy, how much more will our heavenly Father desire so for His children! But if suffering is an incomparable means to correct us and teach us His ways, will the Heavenly Father spoil us by sparing that rod?

The testimony of Psalmist David is that of all prophets, patriarchs and people who walked closely with God in their generations. He confessed to God, "The suffering You sent was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to Your principles... I used to wander off until You disciplined me; but now I closely follow Your word" (Psa 119:71,67). Our lips may not instantly utter such words when adverse winds blow on us. But if we recollect the outcome of the sufferings of the past, we will stay patient instead of turning bitter. The unknown author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has written for us these timeless words: "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way" (Heb 12:11).

We have these days short-term courses and distant education as substitutes for rigorous training and systematic learning in classrooms for long years. Substitutes are invented to save time and enjoy ease. But as for God, He never changes and He is not in a hurry. Times are in His hands. Life’s lessons are not learnt overnight. Patience and perseverance are inevitable. No wonder the saints of old called suffering a school!

"What is man that You magnify him, and that You are concerned about him?" (Job 7:17).

Have I not walked in integrity? Why then does God let me suffer like this? Have I not served Him faithfully all these years? Why then did He allow this calamity in my life? Have I not been unselfish and sacrificial in my dealings with people? Why then did He permit this loss in my business? Have I not loved Him so dearly that I never enjoyed any ungodly pastime? Why then does He punish me like this in displeasure? These questions flood our minds and fill our mouths when we suffer.

Though these questions may appear sensible, they are wrong. We need to correct our thinking. We don’t add anything to God by our offerings or service. He is absolutely absolute in Himself and He doesn’t need anything from us (Acts 17:25; Psa 50:7-13). He won’t feel miserable or helpless if we desert Him. We don’t do Him favour by serving Him. Rather we are fortunate to be called by Him. He doesn’t in the strict sense need us; we need Him. The right confession would be what a man like Paul made: "I am not worthy to be called an apostle... But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out His special FAVOUR on me... I have worked harder than all the other apostles, yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His GRACE" (1 Cor 15:9,10; Eph 3:7,8).

Job seems to have had a better understanding of God’s grace than we who are living in the dispensation of grace. He said, "Who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with Him? Even if I were innocent, I would have no defence. I could only plead for MERCY" (Job 9:14,15). More the thorns in life, greater the appreciation of God’s grace (2 Cor 12:9).

"God’s great works are too marvellous to understand. He performs miracles without number. Yet when He comes near, I cannot see Him. When He moves on, I do not see Him go" (Job 9:10,11).

It is the "why" and "what" questions which disturb our equillibrium and make us pour out words of impatience while suffering. There will be calm in spite of storm if only we know "who" is in control.

God is light and He is in the light. This is only one side of divine revelation. Solomon the wise had known the other side. He once prayed, "O Lord, You have said that You would live in thick darkness" (1 Ki 8:12). Glittering light and pompous show will there be where earthly kings are seated. It’s different with the King of kings. "The Lord is King... Clouds and darkness surround Him" (Psa 97:1,2).

Christian life is comparable to a walk from the outer court to the innermost sanctuary through the holy place of the Tabernacle. There is sunlight in the outer court, candlelight in the inner court, but no light in the innermost court. One has to walk there only in faith and not by sight or any other sense (2 Cor 5:7). In Heavenly Jerusalem also there will be no lamplight or sunlight, but the Lord Himself will be the Light (Rev 22:5). When we walk in faith, quit asking questions, and quiet the turbulent mind, it will be heaven on earth even if the times would be worst ever.

In our humanness we may cry out, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" But we should quickly commit ourselves to Him, saying, "Father, I entrust My spirit into Your hands!" (Mt 27:46; Lk 23:46). Dr. Raymond Edman (1900-1967), a longtime President of Wheaton College, calls this the "discipline of darkness" (Isa 50:10).

"Though God slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15).

"Bless God when He blesses you; but curse Him when He crushes you!" This was the philosophy of Mrs. Job (Job 2:8-10). Sadly many Christians are ruled by this philosophy. We may not actually "curse" God, but what do we do when we don’t praise Him? If we follow Jesus only "because of" the blessings we receive from Him, our relationship and religion are utilitarian. Following Him "in spite of" buffetings and brickbats is true service and pure worship.

What the three Hebrew young men spoke before King Nebuchadnezzar weakened his strategy. They politely but firmly said, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. But even if He does not, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up!" (Dan 3:17,18). The early disciples had the same spirit. When they were flogged for their dauntless witness, they rejoiced that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonour for the Name of Jesus (Acts 5:40,41).

As we approach the end of endtimes, our days of adversity seem to outnumber the days of prosperity. That will be no excuse for our murmuring and complaints. Because, in the very first instance we are called not only to believe on Christ but also to suffer for Him (Phil 1:29). The New Living Translation renders it as the "privilege of suffering!" An active Christian earns the frown of the devil. The devil will attack him in all areas of his life—physical, mental, spiritual, financial and social. If Christ died for us, no suffering of ours will be too much, and no sacrifice too great!

"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand on the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!" (Job 19:25-27).

What lies beyond death and grave is the greatest strengthener of our feeble hands and weak knees. We have every reason to be agitated and lose patience in suffering if there is no life after death. How many long hours we sometimes wait in visa issuing offices to travel overseas! How much we rejoice when the visa is finally stamped on our passports! How much more patient should we be today for the glory land we would enter tomorrow! "What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory God will give us later" (Rom 8:18).

When we lose patience in any situation, virtues leave us one by one, and vices lift up their ugly heads. We suddenly realize that we have spoken detestable words which are too many to be taken back. If we are quiet and confident, we can declare, "God knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).

I quote Paul (Rom 5:3-5b) in conclusion: "We can rejoice when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us — they help us learn patience. And patience develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us!"

A friend once gave me the full form of the word "BUSY" — "Being Under Satan’s Yoke." It has become a fashion among youngsters to say that they are busy. Mother Teresa observed, "A busy man has time for everything!!!" As youngsters there is a definite need for patience to lead a victorious Christian living.

The astronomer, whose genius discovered the laws which govern the movements of the planets, saw his great labours despised. Reduced to extreme misery, he was on his death-bed, when a friend asked him if he did not suffer in dying thus without seeing his discoveries appreciated. "My friend," replied Kepler, "God waited five thousand years for one of His creatures to discover the laws which He has given to the stars. Cannot I wait also until justice is done to me?"

God took just six days to complete the creation of the universe and all the living and non-living things in it. How patient should that God be to be working in us still? We might be 20, 21 or 18. God has been working on us for that many years to make us what we ought to be… Oh how loving and patient He must be… Shouldn’t we, children of such a patient God, be patient too?

All of us who have chosen to have Christ as our Saviour are called to participate in a race (Heb 12:1). Contrary to the races run in sports we are expected to run the race with "patience." There are various things that happen when we start running… Some people in the gallery might tease you for the choice you made. They (friends/brothers/sisters) might say, "Let us see how long you hold on to Christ... Let us see how long you remain holy... Let us see how long you love the Bible and prayer..." Do not pay heed to them.

Satan will bring temptations to distract you from the race. Beware it might be a person or a situation or a thing you longed for before.

Jesus talks of the seed falling on good soil in Luke 8:15. He says, "Those on the good ground are the ones who, in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it and bring forth fruits with patience." Good Christian living is expressed through patience.

"By your patience you will gain your souls" (Lk 21:19). Youth is a period when we hardly find time to look at our inside. We are more worried about what others think of us but pay little attention to our "inner person." A lot of sins and slips could be avoided if only we understood ourselves better.

We mourn over our past mistakes. But have we analysed them patiently to avoid repeating them? Examine yourself patiently. Every day before you go to bed ask yourself: What good have I done today? What evil have I undone today? Have I been bettered by anything today?

"If I had 8 hours to chop a tree, I would spend 6 hours sharpening my axe," said someone! Skyscrapers take only a year or two to build but many years to plan. Imagine you are walking home from college/office. As you walk you trip on a small stone and fall down…what do you do? Get up, dust your clothes and continue walking home…. or lie down on the road because you have failed in your attempt to walk home? So are we running a race where we face many hurdles. You might fall but get up and continue running patiently. "Let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing" (Js 1:4).

Billy Graham is quoted to have said, "I am tempted everyday. If I am not tempted today, I have to understand that I had fallen for a temptation yesterday!"

Answers to prayer are of three different kinds: Sometimes it is NO… Mostly it is WAIT… Sometimes and rarely it is YES.

Job prayed and cried to the Lord but he was patient to get the answers for his prayers (Js 5:10,11). Daniel had to wait for a long time before he received an answer to his prayer (Dan 10:12). Your answer might be with an angel who is fighting with the spirit of darkness. There might be things for which you will be praying for, you might be frustrated and disappointed about God’s seeming indifference…but dear friend, you will need a lot of patience (Heb 10:36/Js 1:3). God’s answers might seem delayed but they are never late.

God reveals Himself to those who diligently seek Him. Our fast lifestyle hardly has time for meditation! Calendar verses and short daily devotionals come to our rescue.

The Word of God is a love letter. None but the youth can understand the dimensions and impact of a love letter. Think of a young wife receiving a letter from her far-placed husband. How would she read it? She would read it in the kitchen, keep it under her pillow, read it over and over again… That is what God expects us to do with His Book. If we really love Him we have got to read His Word patiently. Once an evangelist visited a lawyer who had his professional books spread on the table and all the spiritual books dusty and untouched on the shelves. He asked him, "Dear friend, do you have the earth on the table and the Heaven on the shelf?"

"You might be the only Bible your neighbour gets to read in all his life." When God is waiting for the entire world to hear His word why cant we wait? We give up so easily on people when they don’t understand the Gospel.

Jesus asked us to be the light of the world. Light does not make noise but its presence is felt. Lighthouses lead ships ashore noiselessly, light gives heat and warmth to people in the cold noiselessly, plants won’t synthesise food without light. William Carry waited for 7 years to win his first soul to Christ in India…that was after the loss of his child and wife in our country. Your lifestyle is read by people around you. Patience is the virtue the world is looking for in you.

"And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ" (2 Thess 3:5).

Right Worship or Just Relationships?

A close look at Isaiah reveals a puzzling, even confusing, description of God’s problem with His people. Yet I believe making sense out of what appears to be confusion is important to us.

Let me see if I can make clear what I mean, and then let’s see what we can learn from it.

The first chapter of Isaiah is a little like a preamble. In a single short chapter Isaiah paints the problem that God has with Israel. A glance through this first chapter sets the stage for 50 some chapters that follow. But I find it to be a confusing preamble, at least at first glance. It begins with a focus on worship and yet ends with a damning indictment of social injustice.

We are faced with a very important gospel question: What’s the bottom line— right worship or just relationships?

In verses two to four, God’s problem with Israel seems clear. Through Isaiah, God announces to the heavens that His children have rebelled against Him. God complains that while every ox knows his master, "Israel does not know, My people do not understand" (v 3). What don’t they understand?

"They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him" (v 4b).

Israel is suffering from an identity crisis. Israel has forgotten who she is and to whom she belongs. The text goes on to indicate that the evidence of this crisis is in her worship. Isaiah tells us that Israel’s worship is empty, without meaning or intention. All the externals of worship are there—bulls, fattened animals—but God rejects them as "meaningless offerings" (v 11).

OK, so Israel is suffering from a kind of nominalism or false religiosity. We can understand this. After all, our churches struggle with the same thing. But then Isaiah appears to change the subject. How does God know that the offerings and the religious practice are empty? What evidence does God cite to support His conclusion? "See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her... Your rulers are rebels, companions to thieves;... They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them" (vv 21,23).

The indicators of true worship appear to be the way that Israel and her leaders act in terms of caring for widows and orphans. What a strange migration! The evidence of true worship is just social behaviour? Can this be true? Perhaps Isaiah lost his train of thought or something got lost from the original text.

Chapter two continues the same theme: "You (God) have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob" (v 6a). And what reason was given for this abandonment? "They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans" (v 6). "Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands" (v 8).

OK, this is better! Isaiah is back on track with the theme of right worship. Only God is God. Only God must be worshiped and Israel is no longer faithful to her God. She is worshipping other gods and this is clearly wrong. The rest of chapter two tells us that the reaction of God to this false worship will be judgment, and chapter three describes what God’s judgment is to be. Isaiah seems back on track now.

But when God takes His place in court and rises to judge the people and enter His judgment in Isaiah 3:13, His complaint never mentions false worship or idols. "It is you who have ruined My vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people and grinding the faces of the poor?" Just as in chapter one, the evidence of Israel’s unfaithful worship is not what we normally think of as false worship. It is lack of justice and its impact on the poor.

This strange back and forth between true worship and just relationships continues right through Isaiah and culminates resoundingly in Isaiah 58.

This chapter begins with God’s call for true worship and moves to a description of true fasting. Yet the description of true fasting is not what we expect. "Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" (vv 6,7). Once again a conversation on worship ends up addressing social justice and the care of "the least of these."

And it is not only Isaiah who seems to make this effortless move between right worship and social justice. The same theme appears in Ezekiel when he describes Jerusalem’s sins: "Men accept bribes to shed blood; you take usury and excessive interest and make unjust gain from your neighbours by extortion. And you have forgotten Me, declares the Sovereign Lord" (Ezek 22:12). When we act unjustly and take advantage of others, Ezekiel seems to be saying that this means that we have forgotten God.

Right worship or just relationships? Which is it? Are Isaiah and Ezekiel confused? Or could it be that we are the ones who don’t get it, just as Israel failed to get it? How might right worship and just social behaviour be related? Is our understanding of worship somehow too narrow, too limiting?

As always, Jesus gives us the answer, and it’s really pretty simple. When Jesus was asked what must be done to inherit eternal life, He affirmed what He called the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbour as yourself" (Lk 10:27). This is one commandment, not two. It is a commandment about our relationships—our relationship with God and with each other. It is a commandment not just about whom we must worship but also about whom we must love. It is a commandment not just about what we must believe but also about what we must do.

Loving God and loving our neighbour are two sides of the same gospel coin. They are inseparable, seamlessly related. When we attempt to do one and fail at the other, we fall into error just as Israel did. When we worship God and fail to love our neighbour, our worship becomes empty and our Lord becomes angry. At the end of the day, how we treat the poor is a measure of whom we truly worship.

The BYM Ministry in the Eastern Region 

For the purpose of  effective coordination of ministry the BYM has divided our area of work into 4 regions: South, North, West and East. The Eastern Region comprises of the States of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, and Jharkand. The coordination centre is in Vizianagaram and it is known as the East Coast office.

Missionary V. Ponnusamy, who is stationed at Berhampur town, coordinates about 80 missionaries of 6 mission stations and 16 substations in the State. He is assisted by Associate Coordinators namely Missionary A Philip Bishoyi for revival ministry and Missionary M. C. Ponniah for field Ministry, based in Berhampur and Jeypore respectively.

Under revival ministry we conduct programmes for the laypeople’s involvement. The laypeople of Orissa have formed zonalwise forums to plan and conduct revival programmes with the assistance of  Missionary P. Chezhian. A Sound Doctrine Seminar was held in 2001 and a Student Study Programme in 2002 as statewide programmes. 

Literature plays an important part in our revival ministry. Missionary A. Philip Bishoyi, the editor of our Magazine Asisha brings out bimonthly 2500 copies of each issue. This year an intensive drive programme was conducted in all the 30 districts to enroll new subscribers. Twelve titles of Blessing books have been translated and printed in Oriya. Regular literature promotion is done by visiting churches and houses.

Missionary Ponniah takes care of the mission fields where we have  over 2500 believers and about 130 congregations from 8 people groups. 27 worship sheds have been erected in needy villages. Two tribal homes, one for 40 boys and one for 20 girls, are run at Ramagiri and Umerkote respectively. Medical and other relief work is taken up to help believers and other communities. Following the drought in the State, Dr. Lilian Stanley steers a relief programme called ‘FEED ORISSA.’ She is assisted by missionary B. N. Samal and his wife. Soon after the drought a crash programme was conducted to feed the poverty- stricken  people. It was followed up by relief and rehabilitation measures.

In this State there are 14  missionaries working in 4 stations. At Vizianagaram we have the mission building where the office is accommodated. My wife Rebekha takes care of the production of  the bimonthly Magazine Deevena, the Blessing Books, audio and video tapes in Telugu, assisted by Missionaries Ratnakar, Jyothi and Appalaswamy. There are nearly 8000 magazine readers on our mailing list. 11 books and 13 booklets have been translated and published in Telugu. 

There is a good response in the State for our books. Books and Magazines are distributed across the State by missionaries Naomi & Myla John, Malli & Ramana, Latha & Mahesh and Ravi from three stations and through literature representatives from laypeople. Literature worth Rs. 50,500/- was sold in Machilipatnam & Gudiwada recently. Several citywide distribution programmes are planned.

The Korukonda Church from where four fulltime missionaries have joined BYM continues to support our Mission by prayers and by earmarking the total income of the Church to the mission. More than 100 from non-christian background have been baptised since 1992. The members evangelise the surrounding villages and win souls.

This is a newly formed State in India where the percentage of Christian population is remarkably high. There are also unreached tribal people. Missionary Kusha and family from Lucknow have moved to this State and are stationed at Hazaribag since April 2002 to do the ministry here. Pray for a breakthrough.