COVID-19 - Lift up your eyes

Meditations in Revelation–the 7^th Plague and COVID-19

In recent times I have gained much value by meditating on Revelation as a letter of wisdom sent by Jesus to every generation of disciples. In this approach the prophecies of Revelation hold their greatest value in terms of the principles and wisdom that they teach rather than a definitive matching of their fulfillment to literal historical or future events. The idea is that a prophecy is the “speaking forth” (this is literally what the word prophecy means) of divine truth from the author of all truth. As such, we should expect to see multiple fulfillment of a prophecy over time. The fulfillment is a confirmation that the author is indeed divine and omniscient, but it is even more important in demonstrating the principle of the underlying wisdom and truth encapsulated in the prophecy.

It is with this perspective that I find the recent unprecedented events surrounding the coronavirus and the prophecies of Revelation 16 to be extremely helpful and comforting.

Revelation 16 contains the prophecies concerning the pouring out of the 7 bowls which are described as “God’s wrath on the earth”. They establish the principle that, although God has set many laws and systems in place in which man and nature operate, He has, does, and will intervene. He will exercise His wrath and does not remain passive.

The bowls are also often referred to as the plagues of God. God often uses the plague as a means for exercising His judgment and wrath. The plagues in Egypt, the snake plague in the wilderness and the plague inflicted on David after the numbering incident are some examples. Whilst God can exercise His judgment through natural disasters, such as earthquakes, droughts and floods, He is also able to inflict disease and virus. It is in this context that the COVID-19, as the 7^th identified human coronavirus, represents a potential fulfilment of the 7^th bowl of Revelation 16 amplifying the underlying lesson for us all today.

The COVID-19 virus that has caused unprecedented panic and global disruption, is the 7^th human coronavirus that has been inflicted on humankind. The first 4 coronavirus strains inflicted limited symptoms. The fifth and sixth coronavirus strains identified as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)  and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) both inflicted greater damage. COVID-19 is the 7^th strain of the virus which not only has potentially deadly symptoms but an extraordinary level of infection.

We read the following about the 7^th bowl in Revelation 16:17-21 (NIV):

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

There are most definitely echoes between this prophecy and the current coronavirus crisis.

The plague is poured out into the air. Although currently there is no evidence that COVID-19 can travel long distances in the air, one of its characteristics is to spread on very small moisture particles through the air.  This means it infects over a distance. Hence the advice for social distancing. Many viruses infect through specific exposure to blood, saliva or other bodily fluids. COVID-19’s high infection rate is characterized by its seeming ability to infect “over the air.” (1)

In the prophecy, the bowl causes lightening, thunder and an earthquake. Symbolically this huge storm and shaking of the earth can be seen every day as the world reels in its reaction to the devastating growth and impact of the virus. Terms such national disaster, calamity and state of emergency are being invoked by national governments as they react to the COVID-19 plague.

The 7^th plague of Revelation 16 leads to a very specific result. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. Babylon the Great represents the unified kingdoms of men. From Babel, when man unified his energy and intellect to build the great tower of Babel to reach heaven, to the great image of Babylon representing the unified kingdoms of men. In each case God intervenes by showing His power to divide and ultimately subdue the power of human kingdoms. Every day we are witnessing a dividing of the world at a level not even seen during the two great world wars. Borders are closed. Travel is banned. Cities are ordered to go into lockdown. The great city is being divided and the once glorious cities of the nations are collapsing.

And then islands flee, and the mountains are not found. Huge hailstones fall from the sky. There is fear and fleeing because of heavy burdens that are the consequence of the plague and the division it has caused. Symbolically the heavy hailstones are already starting to fall. From healthcare systems facing collapse to global airline businesses reeling from the travel lockdown. Forecasts of devastating unemployment and global recession are dropped liked one hundred-pound hailstones daily.

How does humanity respond to this demonstration of frailty? In Revelation 16, they curse God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. Man refuses to lift up his eyes to find a cure for the true cause of the virus but chooses rather to curse God and nature. If we consider the current COVID-19 responses, barring the odd inspirational exception which has called for prayer and perspective, most have looked inwardly and acted selfishly. Governments have boasted about their systems and capacity to handle the virus. Most, to date, have been embarrassed by their distinct inability to control the pandemic. Individuals have gone on panic buying sprees raiding pharmacies and supermarkets in search of items they believe will keep them alive.

I think the echoes are there to be heard. We are witnessing a fulfillment of the 7^th plague in our generation. There may be more fulfillments to come but this is one for us to observe. This should affirm our confidence not only in this incredible book of Revelation but more importantly in its author and the wisdom He is sharing with us. So, what is the principle of the prophecy? What is the wisdom for us to gain for living today?

We live in the most advanced and developed kingdom of men.  A world where technology has allowed for unparalleled development and wealth. A world where so many daily problems are solved through technology. A world united through efficient global travel systems and the Internet. Unifying thinking and propelling development exponentially. A world that has seemingly answered most of the important questions and is able to solve its own problems. A world that has lost the need for a God. The prophecy teaches us that God has and will intervene to remind even the most confident and self-sufficient that their unity, independence and self-sufficiency are an illusion. He has the power to pour out a plague into the air that in a matter of days will cause a great shaking and calamity. He has the power to divide the kingdoms of men.

Don’t be fooled, even the most sophisticated kingdom of man is built on a foundation of sand. When the wind and storms arrive, the house shakes, divides and ultimately collapses. You can curse God and die with the house or you can choose to lift up your eyes to see who is pouring out the bowl.

When the plague of serpents in the wilderness inflicted untold death and calamity on the children of Israel, they ultimately faced one of two choices. They could curse the snakes and do their best to avoid them, try to kill them or find a vaccine for their deadly bite. Or they could lift their eyes up to the pole with the bronze serpent God had  instructed Moses to make. If they chose to lift their eyes up at the serpent on the pole they lived. If they chose to focus on their own solution they died.

Jesus said: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Are we running around like everyone else trying to avoid the COVID-19 serpent? Is all our attention on the next possible bite or the drugs we can take to help us survive? Or have we looked up at the serpent on the pole? Have we understood who controls the plague, who divides the great city and who gives a life that is eternal?

In a crisis such as this It is wise to practice social distancing. It is even wiser to practice divine connection.

Almost every day the World Health Organization gives a press conference updating the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response of the various world governments. One wonders how many lift up their eyes whilst watching the spokesman. Above his head is the symbol for the World Health Organisation. A serpent on a pole. If you wondered if God was speaking above the cacophony of corona crisis panic. You have your answer.

(1)

Neeltje van Doremalen, a virologist at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), and her colleagues at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, have done some of the first tests of how long SARS-CoV-2 can last for on different surfaces. Their study, which has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that the virus could survive in droplets for up to three hours after being coughed out into the air. Fine droplets between 1-5 micrometres in size – about 30 times small than the width of a human hair – can remain airborne for several hours in still air.

A Radical Calling

A Radical Calling

Introduction

As we read the words of Jesus in the gospels we can sometimes become too familiar with his message. So many of his sayings and messages we have heard countless times before and consequently we find ourselves unconsciously glossing over the sentences. In a sense we think we have worked out Jesus, like an old friend he has nothing much new to say. We’ve heard it all before.

And over time, not willingly or consciously, we box Jesus into our developed view of him. We see only the Jesus that we have developed over time in our own mind. The problem is that the photograph developed from our box may not in any way resemble the true Jesus. And when we compare our photos of Jesus we may be surprised just how different our version of Jesus looks to the true Jesus.

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.” John 10:14 (NLT)

Some will think they know him and be mistaken.

On judgment day many will tell me, `Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.'

But I will reply, `I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized. ' Mat 7:22-23 (NLT)

So let’s be brave enough to challenge the box we may have put Jesus into. Let’s have the courage to check our image of him. How can we do this?

It requires us to listen to him with new ears. It requires us to come with new wineskins. To listen to familiar words without presumption or pre-conceived interpretation.

My Jesus Box

But before we listen to these uncensored words of Jesus, perhaps I should start by describing to you my Jesus box. Now I am sure, as I’ve alluded to earlier, my Jesus box may not be exactly the same as yours. But I am also reasonably confident that it will not be too dissimilar to the view that most of you have formed.

My Jesus is essentially a gentle and caring man. My Jesus loves God and all men. My Jesus especially cares for the disadvantaged and for those willing to confess their sin and weakness. My Jesus is intelligent and well spoken. My Jesus is very logical and can construct well thought arguments. My Jesus is balanced – a liberal to the conservatives and a conservative to the liberals. He is forgiving and patient. He is ever willing to listen and help. My Jesus makes so much sense. My Jesus is a peace lover and a lover of children and families. My Jesus is like a good solid middle-class South African family man.

I am not sure how similar my Jesus would be to your Jesus if you had to write a paragraph about how you think about Jesus? I hope the pictures would not be too dissimilar. The point remains that you would have your own view of Jesus. And between my Jesus and your Jesus we would want to be sure that we have found THE Jesus.

And who is this Jesus?

Luk 12:51-53 NKJV - "Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Luk 14:26 NKJV - "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

Luk 14:27 NKJV - "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Mar 9:47 NKJV - "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire

These are incredibly strong words from the “Bible” Jesus. If we listen to them carefully they use words like division, hate, cross and pluck.  In anyone’s language those are not the most comforting or balanced words and they certainly don’t fit well with my description of Jesus. So who is this Jesus?

Now before we get ahead of ourselves, I am not suggesting that these passages represent a summary of how Jesus is revealed to us in the Gospels. They most certainly do not. But these passages and many others like them are found in the gospels. They are in some way a part of this amazing man called Jesus Christ. And they can make us feel very uncomfortable or perhaps we have chosen not to take these particular passages too seriously.

These are the mind-blowing statements of Jesus, the ones that really challenge us and often don’t make sense to us. They present a radical Jesus. This Jesus is completely radical when it comes to your allegiance to him and his Father.

He is saying if joining me means the end of peace – so be it. If it requires division – then divide. And it must be done at the cost, indeed the abandonment of father, mother, wife, child or even a part of your body. Imagine a modern day politician or leader offering these terms to would-be followers!

This is difficult language and very extreme.

But this is a central theme of the message of Jesus. The message of complete and utter abandonment to him and to him alone. This is the foundation and hallmark of discipleship. The adandonment principle. The idea that Jesus cannot be followed with an “And”.

And as a living enactment of this principles it is made clear that his first 12 disciples abandoned everything to follow him:

Mat 19:27 KJV - Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

Jesus And …

We all want Jesus. We have come to learn of him and his ways and we want a relationship with Jesus. But we want Jesus with balance. Without wanting to sound irreverent, we want a portion of Jesus. We want Salt AND Pepper, Fish AND Chips, Curry AND Rice. Jesus AND a nice house. Jesus AND a busy job. Jesus AND best clothes. Jesus AND …

We want Jesus in moderation.

The problem as it seems to me is that he does not come in this package. He comes all or nothing. He will not be shared. He does not accept an AND. There is no Jesus AND …

The Abandonment Principle

Towards the end of Luke 9, Jesus outlines the key premise for true Christian discipleship. By any reading, it is a summary of radical abandonment.

Luke 9:57 NKJV - Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

In other words, if you want to follow me, you had better be ready to abandon the comforts of home. No soft bed, no roof to keep the rain off your head, certainly no air-conditioning. Even the birds and foxes have a better deal. I wonder where the would-be disciple went that night? Perhaps to the comfort of his own bed?

And now we get the message for the second time:

Luk 9:59-60 NKJV - Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."

If we can just hear these words at face value – we see once again how radical this Jesus is. A reasonable man would say that attending the funeral of your father rates as a really important thing to do. But Jesus will have none of it when it comes to following him.

And for a third time in verse 61:

Luk 9:61-62 NKJV - And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."

But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

It’s good manners to say good-bye. And besides, farewells are important for all involved. But Jesus says there is no place for Jesus And Goodbye – Just leave it and follow him!

And for a fourth time, to be sure:

Luk 18:22 NKJV - So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

So, if we are take these words at face value, then to become his follower we must be prepared to;

·      Become homeless.

·      Let someone else bury your dad.

·      Don’t even say good-bye to your family.

·      Give up all your possessions.

·       

Plainly put, a relationship with Jesus requires total, superior, and exclusive devotion.  Jesus was simply and boldly making it clear from the start that if you follow him, you abandon everything—your needs, your desires, even your family.

And then, just in case we have not got the abandonment principle clear enough, Jesus provides this as an encompassing premise for discipleship:

“Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

We often jump to the conclusion that the “carry his cross” is an allusion to his death and our need to be associated with it but in those days it referred to the main method of execution – You have to die to follow me. Kind of like in today’s language – Anyone who does not take up his electric chair cannot be my disciple.

Luk 9:24 NKJV - "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

This is the cost of Discipleship. Or as Dietrich Bohnoeffer ironically summarized it;

When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die

(Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1937) The Cost of Discipleship)

He was calling them to abandon their careers. They were reorienting their entire life’s work around discipleship to Jesus. Their plans and dreams were now being swallowed up in his.

Jesus was calling them to abandon their possessions. “Drop your nets and your trades as successful fishermen,” he was saying in effect.

Wherever you look you see this principle of Abandonment:

Sell all your possessions

Leave your family

Leave your nets

Leave your money changers

Cut off your hand

Let it go. Abandon it. You can’t take it AND me. I come alone.

The Loss of Discipleship

This is where we come face to face with a dangerous reality. We do have to give up everything we have to follow Jesus. We do have to love him in a way that makes our closest relationships in this world look like hate. And it is entirely possible that he will tell us to sell everything we have and give it to the poor.

But we don’t want to believe it. We are afraid of what it might mean for our lives. So we rationalize these passages away. “Jesus wouldn’t really tell us not to bury our father or say good-bye to our family. Jesus didn’t literally mean to sell all we have and give it to the poor. What Jesus really meant was…”.

And this is where we started … our view of Jesus … our neat and comfortable box for Jesus who is more concerned with catering for us than requiring us to abandon us.

We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with.

A nice, middle-class, Jesus. A Jesus who doesn’t mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who would not expect us to forsake our closest relationships so that he receives all our affection. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts, because, after all, he loves us just the way we are. A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who, for that matter, wants us to avoid danger altogether. A Jesus who brings us comfort and prosperity.

We are molding Jesus into our image. He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is who we are most comfortable with.

And the danger is that when we gather in our church buildings to worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves.

We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.

The Gain of Discipleship

And this is really the point. Not the house, not the car, not the family – they are mere symptoms of the real thing that needs to be given up. It is about abandoning self completely and utterly to him. As we saw in the God in Everything principle, it is only this level of abandonment that leads to utter trust and faith. And when we get to this level of abandonment we truly gain Christ. As Paul put it:

[8] Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ - Phl 3:8 NLT

To gain an intimate relationship with Christ requires abandonment of all of the garbage that gets in the way. And if I gain Christ I gain everything. Love. Peace. Joy.

The Post-Capitalism Corporation

The Post-Capitalism Corporation

Something has been on my mind for some time, certainly long before the obvious cracks and fissures begun to appear in the previous trailblazers of the capitalist system. Capitalism, a system with many merits, has in its very design its own demise. It’s free-market, laissez-faire foundation leads to the hording of the scarce resource, which powers the system – capital. Capital is horded into the hands of fewer beneficiaries whilst debt, the absence of capital, is spread amongst a growing majority. At some point the disparity of this counter-weight becomes so large that the system implodes on itself.

I have often argued that the individual solution to this is found in a more aggressive approach to handling inherited capital. Generations of capitalism weaken the system, allowing more capital to horded and intensifying the imbalance. One simple way would be to institute 100% inheritance tax. Although this is not as simple to implement. The principle is clean from a theoretical perspective. Remove the generation’s horded wealth and return it to the state at the end of the generation. Don’t allow it to be passed on and horded even more. The problem is that if this were instituted people would devise ways to distribute the capital before the death of the original capital collector. Others would argue that the state would just waste the capital anyway as the state is not good at managing and distributing capital.  Notwithstanding these challenges, I still believe this is an important consideration going forward. But the point of this musing is to look towards how the corporation is handled in a new dispensation.

Companies, especially those listed on a stock exchange, under the capitalist system are driven to maximize the product of capital – earnings. Maximization of profit for a given investment of capital, leads to a high Return on Equity, which is one of the key measures of share performance for any stock analyst. But something has to be done to make organization’s take the sustainability issue more seriously. The sustainability that I refer to is far more than Green Sustainability but also includes Economic Sustainability. That is, how do we make sure companies allow the system to sustain itself without aggressively contributing to the capital chasm, which is what they currently do? Current efforts to do this through Annual Reports and other soft measures will not make a real difference because they do not deal with the problem at the foundation of the system. Earnings maximization is at the centre of capitalism and this is where the sustainability agenda needs to make an impact. Society, represented by government, have only one real tool against earnings – Tax. God has death to curbs man’s longevity and escalating greed. Government has taxation to manage coporate irresponsibility and greed.

My proposal is that a society should work out what are the key sustainability issues for its unique economy. These might include employment, energy conservation, poverty alleviation, skills development and many more. Specific measures and targets should be developed for each of these sustainability factors. Unique taxations should be developed based on zero-compliance to these sustainability taxes (ST). If a company can demonstrate full compliance to the a sustainability tax it will receive a tax reprieve for the respective sustainability tax.

A brief example illustrates the point. Usual company tax is 28%. A further 10% sustainability tax is added to this company tax bringing the total tax to 38%. The numbers could be far less and of course issues of foreign investment and other factors need to be taken into account. But 10% works well for demonstration purposes. A company making R100 before tax profit will now only deliver R62 earnings to its shareholders. However, if it meets the sustainability tax targets for each sustainability tax it will gain a reprieve on the respective tax and return a higher amount to the shareholders.

Let’s take an example of employment sustainability tax. The tax to encourage employment might be set at employment growth at the same rate as before tax profit growth. So a company that grows its profit by 10% it would be required to grow employment by 10% - these rules could also be customized by industry.

Lets see what could happen here using larger numbers to make it seem real. A company with a workforce cost of R600m is able to grow its profits before tax by 10% to R500m. To make it simple let’s say the Employment ST accounts for the full 10% sustainability tax premium. At R600m workforce, the company shows 0% employment growth with a 10% profit growth. It therefore gets nor reprieve for the ST and returns after tax earnings to shareholder of R310m after taking 38% total taxation into account. Now the under the ST, the company is directly incentivized to look at investments into employment. It chooses to gain reprieved on the ST by growing its workforce cost 10% to R660m and reducing profit before tax by R60m to R440m. In this case, because of the 10% ST reprieve the Earnings is still higher than the R310m default after tax earnings.

What I like about this system is that it encourages corporates to rather invest directly into the sustainability agenda or else they simply give the money to the government to do it. It tries to find a balance between corporate and central responsibility to social and economic sustainability issues.

Anyway its just the beginning of some ideas…..

God in Everything

Finding Faith - God in Everything

INTRODUCTION

In the realm of faith, trust and abandonment to God, we often find ourselves challenged by the “God in Everything” principle. This principle or belief can be very difficult to accept especially when one is faced with certain trials.

I am of the opinion that any dilution of the principle is not in keeping with countless biblical examples and teachings. More importantly it would seem to me that accepting this absolute belief is a fundamental pre-requisite for the kind of faith and trust we are called to develop. Accepting and living this principle also helps us to understand and submit to the ultimate sovereignty of God’s will.

But if we are honest, many of us battle to believe this principle and find it difficult to accept especially when faced with difficulties.

Let’s explore this principle in more depth and in so doing we will uncover how it can become a little more challenging.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THE “GOD IN EVERYTHING” PRINCIPLE?

Essentially we mean that God is intimately involved in every activity or circumstance of our lives. On the face of it this might seem like an easy principle to accept but when we delve a little deeper it becomes more difficult.

The “God in Everything” principle does not say God is the author of every event or circumstance. That would contradict the doctrine of “Free Will” and in some cases make God guilty of sin.  But, no matter the origin of the event, or its original cause, this belief says that God is ultimately “at cause” by allowing or giving His permission for the event to impact us.  His Omniscience and Omnipotence mean that He is able to prevent any impact no matter the original cause. Nothing takes God by surprise and there is nothing He cannot stop or alter. So, from our perspective, any event or circumstance that impacts us must ultimately be “God Willing”. I hope you will agree that in general this make good logical sense. But lets take some time now to test this “God in Everything” principle at different levels of application.

(1) GOD IN GENERAL GOOD

We start with the one area any believer finds God’s involvement and presence very easy to accept - God in the good things of creation. Usually we have no problem with seeing God in these circumstances and accepting His intimate presence and involvement in them. After all, our fundamental concept of God is that he is Good – the English word “God” comes from a contraction of the word “Good”.  From beautiful mountain vistas, awesome coastal panoramas to stunning African sunsets, we are able to witness in awe the Master Artist’s brilliant brush strokes and immeasurable creativity. We see his handiwork in every detail, every brush stroke, every infusion of color and texture.

In such places we feel the very real presence of God – surely He is in this place. Often we retreat to these un spoilt marvels of nature to draw close to our Creator demonstrating our trust that He is in such circumstances.

David shared this recognition of God in the magic of nature:

Psa 19:1 NLT -The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.

Psa 19:2 NLT - Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.

For David, God is not just in creation, he is shouting at us through it.

I’m sure we can all wholeheartedly agree God is in the beautiful Creation.

(2) GOD IN PERSONAL GOOD

The next step in our journey of acknowledging God’s intimate involvement in the places and circumstances of our life is also reasonably well accepted but sometimes not that well practiced. Here we see God in the good things that happen to us personally. So if something wonderful happens, like the birth of a child, the healing of someone sick or the union of marriage, we are usually quick to accept God’s intimate involvement in the events. I say, “usually quick to accept” for I doubt any believer would reject this principle however sometimes we are not that quick to acknowledge Him in the moment of the blessing. In our joy of the blessing, we can sometimes get carried away and forget to praise and worship our God for his abundant blessings, failing to acknowledge him as the source of our success or happiness.

We often, perhaps mistakenly, refer to these good impacts as blessings from God. Indeed they are good and in that sense they most surely do qualify as blessings. However the implication can be that only immediately “good things” are considered as blessings. As we develop our “God in Everything” belief, we will learn that this kind of thinking can be dangerous as it can exclude God in the difficult circumstances that come our way.

(3) GOD IN THE DETAIL

So we can see God in the good things that impact us but have we come to believe that is involved and active in every detail of our lives? Do we perhaps find it difficult to think that He would be concerned about the everyday mundane things of our lives? After all, we often think to ourselves, He surely has huge issues to be concerned with. Surely He is not in the circumstance of my misplaced car keys and consequently it’s not something I would like to bother Him with. Or could He really be concerned about helping me find a parking place in the shopping mall? This is the God of the universe. However the “God in everything” belief means just that – everything – every minute detail. Two statements made by Jesus surely define this level of everything:

[29] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. [30] And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. - Mat 10:29-30 NIV

In essence Jesus was saying God cares for every single penny – he is not just interested in the pounds. Notice the detail – the sparrow does not fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And then to bring the level of detail to the next level, Jesus says the Father has even numbered your hairs. Its an almost incomprehensible concern for detail – God is in every minute atomic detail.

(4) GOD IN NATURAL DISASTERS

So far we have hopefully been relatively comfortable in seeing God in the good of nature and the good that impacts our own personal lives. Most religions believe in such a God. Things become a little more difficult when we start to consider the events and circumstances that we might describe as bad or evil.

Let’s start by considering the natural disasters of Creation. We have all seen the devastation caused by earthquakes, floods and Tsunamis and the terrible pain and loss of life that such natural disasters can wreak. Can we see God’s hand in these devastating events? It can be very difficult especially when we witness first hand the suffering that they cause. But once again we know that the Bible is quite clear that God is in control of all these natural disasters.

[7] I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things]. - Isa 45:7 KJV

This verse can often be viewed theoretically as a concise statement of doctrine. But the claim is penetrating and describes a very unique God. The nations around Israel had gods of light in opposition to gods of darkness and gods of peace at war against gods of evil.

But this verse is far more personal and stretches our capacity to trust and abandon ourselves to God. Ultimately God is saying that the grave darkness that descends after a disaster is His creation.

God controls every detail of nature – a principle that God made very clear to Job in the latter chapters of the book. He caused the great flood in the days of Noah. The Psalmist says:

[7] Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. - Psa 18:7 KJV

Many other bible passages show that God is in control of nature and clearly uses floods, earthquakes, famines and pestilences to work out His will on the earth. This step of trust in the “God in Everything” principle is often the first point of separation for many Christians. Many are unable to accept that a loving, caring and merciful God could ever allow or will such things to happen. But I am hoping that we are still walking together on the tightrope of trust.

(5) GOD IN PERSONAL SUFFERING

If so, lets take a few more steps out into the unknown and uncomfortable. How do we see God in the personal bad things, which impact our lives? So we have moved beyond the general natural disasters to the natural sufferings that impact each of us personally. No doubt, things become a little tougher. This is especially true when we consider an illness or death that impacts us personally. How easy is it to see God in this circumstance? We may be willing to call for His help in our suffering but can we accept that in some way he approved of the pain that we are suffering – that it was His will? And this is an important corollary to the “God in Everything” principle, namely the sovereignty of God’s will. We will come back later to consider how these two principles stand together as the foundation for true Christian faith. Can we see Him in the very middle of the suffering we endure? We can see Him clearly in the blessing, but is He as in focus in the cursing?

I would propose once again, that bible teaching and example is clear that God is most certainly in our personal suffering. This is where the “God in Everything” principle not only tests the level of our faith and trust but also becomes most powerful.

One of the great exponents of this principle was Job. Indeed he lived this principle in his life and it defined him as an outstanding character. After the personal tragedy summarized in Job chapters 1 and 2, Job’s confession of the “God in Everything” principle has rung clear throughout the ages.

[9] Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. [10] But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. - Job 2:9-10 KJV

Think carefully about this confession. Don’t allow your familiarity with it to dilute the power of its claim. “What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” This God of Good will allow me to receive evil. And He will be no less in the evil than He was in the Good. Job had a lot to learn about the purpose and cause of suffering and the ultimate sovereignty of God’s will and this is a key part of the book of Job. But Job did not have to learn about the “God in Everything” principle – this defined him as an upright and perfect man who feared God. It was never a dispute for Job as to who had ultimately caused his suffering. He was unwavering in his belief that God was the source of the suffering. Job’s issue was to do with another question that also plagues us – why had God chosen to inflict him? But that is not the specific topic under discussion here.

(6) GOD IN THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY EVIL MEN

So have you been able to take these further steps of trust in your acceptance of the “God in everything” principle? But there are a few more steps you still need to take which have proved too far for many in developing their “God in Everything” belief. We may accept God in a natural cause that impacts us personally, like a sickness or disease, but what about the pain that comes through the evil, sin or negligence of someone else or even yourself? When someone causes you pain directly it is so natural and obvious for us to focus our reaction to the pain on its overt cause – the evil person, the perpetrator of the crime. And, of course, we cannot see God in this because it is clear who caused the pain.

So at last we have found something that God is not in. No. Once again it would seem to me that bible principle and example teaches that God is most certainly in these circumstances. More importantly, I propose that if we are unable to bring ourselves to believe in this extent of his omnipotence and omniscience, we will never truly abandon ourselves to him in peace. We will never develop the kind of faith and trust he requires of us. We will never lose the fear.

These are big claims to make as they deal with the very foundations of our discipleship – our faith and trust. Shortly we will consider some examples from the Bible that clearly demonstrate this extent of the “God in Everything” principle. But before doing this, let us consider some basic logic, which shows how critical it is to accept this principle.

DON’T WORRY – GOD IS IN CONTROL

On numerous occasions, the bible implores us to find our rest and peace in God - To abandon our fears and worries and to find solace in His care.

Jesus says:

[25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? [26] Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? ... [28] And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: ... [30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith? - Mat 6:25-26, 28, 30 KJV

Paul says:

[6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. - Phl 4:6-7 KJV

The Psalmist says:

[6] The LORD [is] on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? - Psa 118:6 KJV

Isaiah says:

[1] But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine. [2] When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. [3] For I [am] the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt [for] thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. - Isa 43:1-3 KJV

The message is the same each time – Do not fear – Trust God – He has you covered.

So with that principle well-established lets think about the matter of God in the evil actions of men. If God is not ultimately in control of all the potential evil that can be caused by others, how can we accept this principle? If these acts are not subject to His sovereign will then they can hurt me despite His good will towards me.

The reality of life is that many of the things that I would have cause to fear are evils which come from the works of men – the drunk driver, the fraudulent businessman, the callous thief and violent hijacker. I do well to fear these if God is not in control of their impact on me.

But Jesus says “Take no thought”, and Paul says “Don’t be anxious”. If God is not in these circumstances I cannot accept these claims.

So the logical conclusion has to be that if we are to develop this level of trust, if we are to truly abandon ourselves to trust in God, without concern or fear, we have to believe God is in Everything. And we mean everything. As His children, we are under His protection, and nothing will impact you, no matter the source without it first passing through His ring of control that surrounds you.

This trust that God’s will is ultimately being fulfilled in these circumstances can be very difficult to accept but I think the logic above is compelling of itself. One of the main objections to this belief that God is in our personal suffering caused by evil men, concerns cause. Someone will object and say, “How can you blame God for the tragedy caused by the drunken driver?” Surely God did not cause the man to be drunk and smash into the car? Is God the author of the sin? Clearly he cannot be. And clearly God did not cause the man to drive in a drunken state. Men and women are working out there own free wills in a myriad of different ways making decisions that God will not influence. However, when these decisions come into the realm of God’s children, when they impact the lives of those who have taken their rest in Him, He becomes actively involved. And his protection and presence will not allow any impact unless it is acceptable to His sovereign will and for the ultimate good of His child.  When we see the circumstances of life from this perspective we see the causes that the world sees as secondary causes in the context of the one under whose protection we are engulfed. We come to appreciate, indeed to see and trust in, what I like to call the Ring of Fire.

THE RING OF FIRE

The bible provides some striking imagery to help us see and imagine this ring of protection. I like to see it as a ring of fire. Nothing will pass through God’s ring of fire without His approval – absolutely nothing. This idea of the ring of fire comes from the beautiful Psalm that says:

[7] The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. [8] Oh, taste and see that the LORD [is] good; Blessed [is] the man [who] trusts in Him! - Psa 34:7-8 NKJV

Surrounding each of us is a heavenly encampment – in another place the angels are described as fire much like the Cherubim who protected the way to the tree of life.

 [4] Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire. - Psa 104:4 NKJV

So the picture is that we are surrounded by God’s presence and it is revealed as protective ring of fire. Nothing will pass through the fire without his approval.

This is the idea of God’s protection and presence that was presented to the Children of Israel when they marched through the wilderness. His presence was displayed through the pillar of cloud and fire. Israel’s trust needed to extend to the belief that no matter what the enemy tried to do, they would not succeed unless under the authority of the Lord’s fire.

A wonderful illustration of this principle is found in the story of Elisha’s servant and the king of Syria.

[14] Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. [15] And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" - 2Ki 6:14-15 NKJV

This is a classic case of concern for suffering brought about by evil men. The enraged King of Syria wanted to capture Elisha and sent a great army to capture an unarmed Prophet and his servant. No doubt we can see the evil King of Syria in the story. But do we see “God in Everything” – where is God in this story? Well he is the Ring of Fire and nothing will impact His children unless He approves.

[15] And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

That’s just how we feel when we are surrounded by the troubles and worries of this life. Like large armies with horses and chariots they encompass us until at last, so focused on them, we cry out “Alas What shall we do?”

And the answer – open your eyes. Look for the ring of fire that will never leave you.

[16] So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who [are] with us [are] more than those who [are] with them." [17] And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. - 2Ki 6:15-17 NKJV

This is the amazing ring of fire that protects the children of God. Elisha’s servant is given the special sight that helps him to see the ring of fire and he is left speechless. The enemy is nothing when compared to the presence of God.

God says, “My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest.” Belief and complete trust in this Ring of Fire is a principle foundation for complete faith and trust. It is the secret to living a restful life in Christ. Nothing else will enable a soul to live only in the present moment, as we are commanded to do and to take no thought or concern for the morrow. Nothing else will take all the risks and supposes out of the believer’s heart.

[3] He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. [4] Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. [5] The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. [6] The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. [7] The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. [8] The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. - Psa 121:3-8 NLT

And this understanding allows us to develop love and patience towards those who might harm and hurt us. We see them only as instruments for accomplishing his tender and wise purposes toward us. And although we know God is not the author of the this human evil, unless we see him as “at cause” in the matter how can we ever say “Your will be done.”

GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL

Only if we have developed a faith, an abandonment of trust that extends to this level of “God in Everything” can we live under the Sovereignty of God’s Will. For if we believe He is completely in control, no matter the detail, no matter the original cause, then we can be sure that it is always His will for us that is supreme. These two principles stand together as the great pillars upon which true Christian faith is founded. First – that God is in everything. Second, that His will is therefore always at cause and we must submit to its ultimate purpose, which is to save us.

[13] for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. - Phl 2:13 NIV

This submission to the sovereignty of God’s good purpose has practical application in the life of the disciple of faith. Sometimes when we are impacted by severe trial and suffering, notwithstanding our belief in God’s presence in the circumstances, we find ourselves filled with fear and anxiety. It can be difficult to simply change these emotions even though we might confess to the principles we have discussed so far. But, what we can always do, is to start by declaring the sovereignty of His good will and by submitting to it in word and deed.  We may find ourselves facing a particular trial or suffering and feeling fear and anxiety – ultimately God wants to remove these responses from us but its not very simple to change the way you feel. But what you can do is dictate your will, your desire. If you are able to see God’s will as supreme in the circumstance, then a good starting point is to simply declare that God’s will be done and to commit to submit your will to the sovereignty and good pleasure of His will.

EXAMPLES OF GOD IN EVERYTHING BELIEVERS

One of the most vivid demonstrations of conviction in God’s active presence and cause in trial is found in the confession of Joseph to his brothers. After all Joseph had suffered at the hands of his evil and envious brothers, he does not see them at the centre of the events that molded his life. Instead he sees God at cause:

[4] And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I [am] Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. [5] "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. [6] "For these two years the famine [has been] in the land, and [there are] still five years in which [there will be] neither plowing nor harvesting. [7] "And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. [8] "So now [it was] not you [who] sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. - Gen 45:4-8 NKJV

This is a classic case of a man who saw God in every situation. Surely he was in Egypt because of the envy and greed of his brothers? Surely he had lost all these years because of their hatred and wickedness? The fact was, as Joseph states, that the brothers were indeed responsible for selling him into Egypt. But Joseph new that ultimately God was at cause – God was in the circumstance working out his will and good pleasure. And so he says “For God sent me.” “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God.”

And what of the amazing conviction of Daniel’s three friends? The enraged Nebucahdnezzar orders them to worship his image and they refuse. Listen to their conviction of God in Everything:

[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. [17] "If that [is the case], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver [us] from your hand, O king. [18] "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." - Dan 3:16-18 NKJV

They were not focused on Nebuchadnezzar and his cruel soldiers. Surely these men were the cause of the cruel sentence and surely God was not in this situation? But for the three friends God was right in the middle of the situation. They are sure that the Ring of Fire surrounds them and nothing is able to get through it unless it is given permission. Our God is able to deliver us but even if he chooses not to save us, we know His will has been worked out. Nebuchadnezzar is enraged and orders the furnace made 7 times hotter than normal and the three friends are thrown into fiery abyss. But the Ring of Fire surrounds them – even a furnace 7 times hotter than normal cannot penetrate the power of the ring unless it is God’s will. And when Nebuchadnezzar looks inside He sees a fourth person - one like the son of man right in the middle – He is at cause in the situation. And when they come out – not even their hair is singed and they don’t even smell of smoke.

CONCLUSION

Finally and perhaps the most stunning example of the God in everything principle is demonstrated in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here the perfect Son of God is found unarmed and in prayer with his disciples. But the evil manipulating Jewish leaders arrive with an band of soldiers armed with swords and staves to arrest the innocent Son of God. No doubt they were evil and they made the decision to arrest Jesus of their own free will. But Jesus was absolutely sure that they had no power against him accept God gave it to them. He was more aware than any of us of the ring of fire that surrounded him always.

So he says:

[53] "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? - Mat 26:53 NKJV

He can see the ring of fire, just like Elisha and he knows that the decisions of those evil men, no matter how determined and seeming powerful could never harm him without the Father’s permission. He can see 12 legions of Angels, and what made it even more difficult for Jesus is that he knew he could call them into action.

But as we have said before, the “God in Everything” principle stands together with submission to the Sovereignty of God’s Will. Because God is in everything, we submit to His will and allow him to work in us His good pleasure.

And so Jesus said, “Your Will be done, Not as I will but your Will be done.”

And in this place of utmost abandonment to God’s Will, no matter the circumstance, no matter the cause, is found the secret to a life of peace and happiness. When we attain to this level of God in Everything, to this level of Faith, we cry out with Jesus, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.”