“Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. ” Psalm 73:1-2

And thus begins this Psalm of Asaph.  There is much to prize in this Psalm.  There is the honesty of Asaph that characterizes much of the Psalms.  There is the ability to articulate not only the struggle but also the “solution” to that struggle.

The opening verses certainly frames the rest of the psalm.  It is this truth that keeps Asaph anchored as he wrestles with the reality that non-Christians seem to flourish while Christians don’t.

Depending on your reading of verse 1, you might think Asaph is making a conditional statement.  “If Israel is pure in heart, then God will be good to her.”  That’s a message that finds traction in our current spiritual climate.  If you measure up, if you do the right things, God will love you…will be good to you.

Of course, the opposite would also be true.  If you don’t do the right things, if you don’t measure up, then God will not be good to you.  He’ll hide his goodness.  But I don’t think that’s what Asaph is saying at all.  That certainly doesn’t square with the gospel.  The gospel wouldn’t be good news if that were the case!

The key to understanding what Asaph means is found in the phrase “pure in heart.”  Jesus used that same phrase in the Sermon on the Mount.  He said in the section we label, the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) What does it mean to be pure in heart?  To be pure in heart is to have a whole heart.  A unified heart.  It is to have all of our loves and affections rightly ordered.  Not around us.  But around God.  Not around our desires, but God’s desires.  As that happens, more and more, we can see God.  We can see his goodness. We can see his power.  We can see his purposes.

As the Holy Spirit draws us to the cross of Christ, He enables us to see the height, depth and width of God’s love.  A love that made His Son, who knew no sin to be come sin that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  As we embrace that good news, our loves are transformed.  They are made whole.

In a sense, Asaph’s statement, “Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart,” is a conditional statement.  As you have a pure heart, a well-ordered, unified heart, then you can and will see that God is good.  You will know it in spite of what you see around you.  When everything else is telling you the opposite is true, you will know that God is good.

You will not only be able to see that God is good, but you will want to see it.  You’ll want it to be true, and, of course, it is true.  C. S. Lewis writes in the Problem of Pain, “It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.”  It is the goodness of God that Asaph comes back to in his psalm.  It’s what we come back to as well.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
  but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

I like good surprises.  I don’t like bad surprises.

I remember years ago as a young adult being “good” surprised when I read the story surrounding John Newton’s writing of his most famous hymn, “Amazing Grace.”  With the myriad of possible Scripture texts on grace available to Newton to inspire his beloved hymn, I was surprised to learn that he based “Amazing Grace,” on 2 Samuel 7/1 Chronicles 17.  My surprise wasn’t that I thought it was a wrong choice or even an unworthy choice.  I was surprised because it was an unknown choice to me  As I read through those accounts, my eyes fell on the same words that caught Newton’s own eyes.  “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”  As I pondered that statement, the more I began to understand why this was Newton’s choice to illustrate God’s amazing grace.  David’s position in his family had been like the runt of the litter…an afterthought.  And yet not to God.  In God’s providence, He raised David up from the fields (not the palace) to be the king that would unite Israel and bring peace.  While man looked at the outer appearance, God looked on the heart.  David had the heart of God’s king.

After God had established David’s kingdom and things began to settle down, David had time to think more about the shape and direction of “his” kingdom.  It seemed right to give God a permanent home since he had been dwelling in the traveling tent, called the Tabernacle, since the days of Moses.  But it was not going to be David’s lot.  That surprised David, as much as it did God’s prophet, Nathan, who gave David the green light for the project.

And yet the reason God gives to David for not building Him a permanent house is striking.  After reminding David of all that He has done for him, He tells him I’m going to do more.  I’m going to “make you a house.”  I’m going to establish a forever dynasty, as it were, through you.

Mind blown.

Heart stopped.

David is astonished and so are we.  We are blown away not simply because of His obscure past but because of his obvious future.  Four chapters later, David commits adultery with one of his most loyal soldiers and then kills that soldier to cover up her pregnancy.  God makes that covenant with David knowing full well what David will do.

When Nathan confronts David over his sin using a cleverly-devised story, David is wrecked with guilt (“I have sinned against God”).  He had used his God-given power to expose and take advantage of the weak and vulnerable.  He had covered up his sin, but God exposed it.  He made it go public.  Why?  Because David’s sin was public.  The people needed to see a broken king fall on the mercy of God.  They needed to see what repentance looked like.  They needed to see God’s grace.  And they did, but it was a harsh grace as David’s son died.

It wasn’t long after that God gave David another son with Bathsheba, Solomon.  Through Solomon, God began fulfilling his promise to make David a house.  Of course, the House of David went all the way to a manger in Bethlehem 1,000 years later when the Son of David was born.  It was Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who would fulfill God’s promise to David of a forever kingdom because He would be the forever King.  Even now, he rules and reigns at the right hand of the Father.

If you are in Christ, God has already made a house in you.  A house in which He dwells through His Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:14).  In fact the word for dwells in the New Testament is the same word for “tabernacled.”  The Holy Spirit tabernacles in us that God’s presence might always be with us.  His Spirit moves us and in us wherever we go.  What a glorious grace it is for God to have taken up residence inside of you and me.

“Whom am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”

Amazing Grace!  How sweet the sound.

Judas Iscariot wanted out.  It’s unclear why.  But he did.  It must have been building over time.  Like the discord that gradually grows between a disconnected wife to her husband, so that one day she says, “I want out.”

I think it boils down to this.  Judas no longer saw Jesus as a bargain.  It got too costly to follow him.  Again, this probably had been growing over time.  Some of the things Jesus did and said and the people he was keeping company seemed to be going in a different direction than he was comfortable with.  I wonder if it culminated in the prostitute interrupting their supper to anoint Jesus’ head and feat with perfume and tears.  How brazen!  How disruptive!  He couldn’t hold back and scolded her for wasting her money on Jesus when it could have gone to feed the poor.  Looking back we can see how disingenuous his statement was.

No, following Jesus got too costly and he wanted out.  More specifically, he wanted to cash out.  “If I’m going to part ways with Jesus, I might as well make a little extra money.  (I’m assuming he was going to donate it to charity!)  Thirty pieces of silver for handing Jesus over?  Not what I was expecting, but it’ll do.”

As I’ve reflected on Judas’ sad story, I’m less quick to judge and more apt to sympathize.  Following Jesus isn’t a bargain.  It is costly, because he does call me to deny myself, take up my cross daily and follow him.  There are plenty of times (more numerous than I’d like to admit) that I choose to do my own thing, or I choose to do his thing my own way.  No, I’m not physically selling Jesus out, but I am spiritually.

It’s Holy Week.  This was a bad week for Judas Iscariot.  Turns out it was his last week.  Not only was following Jesus no longer a bargain, but his life stopped being a bargain as well.  After he realized what he had done, he realized it was too costly to go on.  The price was too high to face Jesus again, and so he took the “cheap” way out.

I don’t know about Judas Iscariot.  I’d like to think if he had stuck around, Jesus would have looked to lovingly confront him and restore him, like he did Peter.  Perhaps he would have been one of the great church leaders like Peter.  But he didn’t.

As you consider your own life in light of Holy Week, particularly with Good Friday and Easter Sunday, may you embrace the high cost that Jesus paid to make you His own.  May you know that the price he paid, was “a bargain” to make you his own.  He would do it again if he needed to, but praise God, He doesn’t.

Happy Easter!

Jesus emptied himself–made himself nothing.  He took the form of a servant, and he was made in human likeness–a great step down from being equal with the Father.  He took a second step down by humbling himself and becoming obedient to the point of death.  Then he took a third step down by dying the death of the criminal and the sinner on the cross. He goes all the way down and down and down to redeem you and me. (Jack Miller)

Like many, I have often thought of the “righteous” as referring to people pursuing personal holiness and obedience to God’s law, but that doesn’t come close to capturing the Bible’s fuller use of the term “righteous” (tsaddiqim).  The righteous are the just, the people who follow God’s heart and ways and who see everything they have as gifts from God to be stewarded for his purposes.  Tim Keller wrote, “The righteous in the book of Proverbs are by definition those who are willing to disadvantage themselves for the community while the wicked are those who put their own economic, social, and personal needs ahead of the needs of the community.”

One need only read Proverbs 11 to see the fullness of Keller’s definition.  Looking at Proverbs 11:10 in particular, we see the positive impact of the righteous on the city.  They rejoice when the righteous flourish (relationally, economically, socially, spiritually, etc), and it’s not the Phil Robertson (Duck Dynasty) version of “Happy, Happy” rejoicing.  According to Amy Sherman in her book, Kingdom Calling, ‘it is a VE-Day-type rejoicing, as in the war is over and we won’ rejoicing.”  Why? Sherman elaborates: 

“Because the tsaddiqim view their prosperity not as a means of self-enrichment or self-aggrandizement, but rather as a vehicle for blessing others, everyone benefits from their success.  As the tsaddiqim prosper, they steward everything–their money, vocational position and expertise, assets, resources, opportunities, education, relationships, social position, entree and networks–for the common good, for the advancing of God’s justice and shalom.  And when the people “at the top” act like this, the whole community cheers.  When the righteous prosper, their prosperity makes life better for all.”

I’m looking forward to our Fall Mission Conference where we’ll be unpacking this idea of “righteousness” and how we as a church can truly rejoice the city.

We said our goodbye to Chris early this morning after dropping us off at the train station in Albertville.  A couple of train changes and we were back in Paris by 1.  That gave us time to visit the Louvre as well as Notre Dame Cathedral.  We are grateful to the Lord for his hand of providence leading us safely from country to country and for keeping us healthy along the way.  God is at work amongst our missionaries as they faithfully and joyfully serve Him as they reach into their community, however big or small it is.  We are looking very forward to being back with our families, which includes our REPC family.  Can’t wait to see you all on Sunday, Lord willing.

After an early start this morning out of Lille, we arrived into Albertville early afternoon where we were greeted by Chris and Lori Gassler and their daughter Kristin (their two sons Noah and Benjamin were at home).  After we got settled into our hotel, we went to their apartment where we enjoyed some local wine, cheese, sausage and bread.  As we ate we talked with them about what their ministry plans were.  Chris explained that he hopes to use his ethnomusicology to produce songs based on Biblical texts but set to native African music that will touch the lives who hear it because it will be good music with a good message.  This is a needed ministry and only a couple of people have done this in the history of Wycliffe.  In some ways Chris will be trailblazing as he does this work.  Chris sees this also being helpful in developing hymns for their churches as well.  We also learned from them that Cameroon is the second largest Wycliffe branch in the world with between 150 and 200 workers.  We are encouraged by the number of workers there for support and encouragement for the Gasslers.  

Following that, we all went on a walking tour of the city of Albertville.  The first place they took us to was their language school where they have been learning French since last July.  We toured the building and met several American families who are there studying French to use on the field in other locales.  Lori and Chris think they will know enough French by the end of the summer to graduate and head off to Cameroon where they will begin their ministry.  Next we walked around downtown and made our way past the Olympic museum (Albertville hosted the Winter games in 1992).  After we got back to the house, Chris drove us to see a Medieval City that sits atop Albertville.  This city controlled the trade that was coming in from Italy, Switzerland back in the middle 1800’s.  It is still a functional village, but with more modern establishments in the buildings.

We sat down for a yummy Savoie (pronounced Sa-vwa) dinner consisting of a potato, onion, bacon, cheese casserole.  This is a staple in the Savoie region and tasted delicious.  We topped it off with some Swiss chocolate and Apple Crisp.  After clearing the dishes we talked some more about the ministry and then shared prayer requests followed by a time of prayer with them.

We are so glad to have the Gasslers as missionaries at REPC and can’t wait to see what God will do with them in Cameroon…

Tomorrow we leave to go back to Paris and then home the following day!!!

You’ll never guess where we were today…the jungle!  No that’s not a typo.  We were in the jungle. Now it’s not what you think.  A jungle is a little enclave of refugees who are seeking asylum from a host country, in this case France. We visited one today with Paul Sydnor just south of Lille.  When we arrived, it was dusk and some of the men, who were mostly from the country of Eritrea (North Africa), were gathered inside one of the 4 small building structures playing cards and talking.  The buildings were very rudimentary and small, though as many as 70 people will live in this jungle at one time. They had a generator for heat and light, outhouses for bathrooms and a potable tank for water.

Because of the transience, you can visit this jungle on any given week and see some of the same people or a whole new group of people.  Paul said that most of the ones in this jungle are trying to get to England, because they either speak English or have family there; however, it is very difficult to get into England.  Most if not all of them who hop into an open bed of a truck at a nearby truck stop or who have paid to be transported in the back of a truck are discovered at the border through some pretty sophisticated equipment like infra-red body heat scanners and breath analyzers, which detect excess CO2.  They are usually sent back into France where they will repeatedly try again.
Aside from visiting these jungles to pray and encourage these people, Paul is trying to work with other churches in the area who will care for their needs while they are there.  For the longest time it has been illegal to help refugees in their plight, but according to Paul that has been relaxed somewhat.

We also visited an Armenian refuge family who live in a housing project in Lille.  They had previously been in Austria for 8 years trying to gain asylum there, but their application was rejected because their paperwork got messed up through no fault of their own.   They were forced to come to France, where they don’t speak the language, and the mother and father pretty much stay in their apartment all day while their son goes to school.  It is next to impossible for them to find work without papers, so they need the church to come alongside them and help them.

Prior to our going out with Paul, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a local French restaurant with the whole family and since the Sydnors are still trying to master the French language, we all ordered somewhat blindly.  Thankfully, everything was delicious and no escargots were harmed in the process :-).  We really enjoyed getting to know the family, especially their two sons, Luke and Noah.  They are outstanding young men.  Noah is almost 18 and is a year away from university where he would like to study linguistics and Luke, who is almost 16, is a rapper.  You can watch some of his rap videos, which were filmed by his brother, Noah, on Youtube by searching for Luke Syndor.

Tomorrow morning we take an early train (6.54am) to Albertville, where we will visit our last REPC missionary Chris and Lori Gassler.  We are looking forward to meeting them and getting to know them better and their upcoming missionary work in Cameroon.