Bulletin Articles
Pen Points 17
Infinite Understanding
“Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5).
We may not agree with God. We may think we can do it better. We may think God unfair based upon our measly knowledge and understanding of reality. But if our response is to straw man God, to diminish who He is, to shortchange His knowledge and understanding because we somehow have things figured out that we think He couldn’t know or understand, then we have only deified ourselves in our own arrogance.
His understanding is infinite. If we won’t allow that this is the God of Scripture, then we are no longer talking about that God, but another god of our own making. And once we start making up our own gods, we put ourselves at the head of that pantheon and think that any god should be answerable to us.
Ruler and Shepherd
“For from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel” (Matt 2:6).
This is a compressed reference from Micah 5:2-4. It is no accident that “ruler” and “shepherd” are the chosen points of emphasis. Nor is it an accident that Matthew and Luke together stress this through 1) the visit of the wise men who ask, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” and 2) the visit of the shepherds who glorify God at the birth of Jesus. “Ruler” and “shepherd” are both seen in these accounts and shows how the Gospels intended to demonstrate the truth of these positions.
The rule of Jesus is characterized by the shepherding of His people. As King, His rule is absolute. As Shepherd, His leadership is loving and sacrificial (see John 10). The Ruler who shepherds His people has come. This is one reason the incarnation is so important.
The wise men came to worship the King.
The shepherds came to worship the Shepherd.
The good news is that this Ruler and Shepherd is also our Savior. And we all need that!
Be Thankful
When someone says, “I’m thankful,” to whom is this person thankful? Thankfulness is an expression of gratitude or appreciation, but to make sense, it must be directed to one who has given or made the circumstances possible in which that expression finds meaning. Just saying, “I’m thankful” into the air is pointless. Gratitude is meaningful when we recognize that one has given grace and we feel a sense of indebtedness for it.
Christians, of all people, should feel that sense of gratitude and therefore be thankful to God for what He has given. “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:15-16).
True Love
True love is not about infatuation, mushy feelings, and giddy joy. While these may occasionally attend love, true love is found in the trenches of life. Love is knowing that at the end of the day, you have each other’s backs. It’s working through difficulties and not having to fear that the next disagreement or bad mood will result in a destroyed marriage or friendship. True love is about forgiveness, reconciliation, steadfast loyalty, and absolute commitment. It is not just feelings, but is shown in dedicated action. It is providing support, lifting each other up, and seeking first the needs of one another. It is striving to love as Christ loved and gave Himself for us. It is hard work, but always worth it.
Grace in Truth
The grace of God through Jesus Christ is one of the most powerful concepts to consider. We stand in the grace of God as we have peace (reconciliation) with Him (Rom 5:1-5). As great as this is, it is also a concept that can be twisted, perverted, turned into a license to sin (Rom 6:1-5; Jude 4). This is why we must understand the grace of God in truth (Col 1:3-6). Since God has offered it to us, our response needs to be one of gratitude and thankfulness so that we will “continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43). Our confidence is to be in the Lord and the promises He makes, and our hope is firm and steadfast, the anchor of the soul (Heb 6:19). Our loyalty and faithfulness must be firm as well, never casting away our confidence in Him (Heb 10:35).
