Rest, Relationships, and the Altar of Busyness

By Ife J. Ibitayo

It’s downright amazing how much time Jesus spent hanging out with people. Many of Jesus’ best teachings took place on comfy dining couches with 1st century AD comfort food. He was a man on a mission, relentlessly marching toward the cross. Yet somehow, He found an abundance of time to sit down and chat with others along the way.

For the past couple months, I’ve also been seized by a mission. I’ve been plugging away at work each day and typing up a storm each night. I’ve been cramming ministry into the free spaces and filling up every last crevice with errands and unanswered emails. It would be an understatement to say that I’ve felt a little busy. But I’ve come to see unique dangers in my present situation.

Importance of Rest

The first danger of busyness is that it often comes at the expense of rest. As we go to bed later, wake up earlier, cut our lunch breaks shorter, and extend our workdays longer, we squeeze out the Sabbath rest God offers us.

I’d contend that the fourth commandment may very well be the most despised of them all. In university, we applaud the students who sustain themselves on a well-balanced diet of coffee and Adderall, cramming in hour after hour studying for their examinations. On the job, we reward our employees who forgo vacations, sick days, and holidays to finish one more task. This disease has even infected the church! We praise pastors who are perpetually stretched thin, caring beyond their capacity, serving beyond their ability.

But consider that God rested on the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2), even though He didn’t need it. Then He blessed the Sabbath (Genesis 2:3a). Then He declared it holy—set apart, special (Genesis 2:3b). And throughout the Old Testament, God continually rebuked His people specifically for not keeping the Sabbath (Isaiah 58:13, Ezekiel 20:12-13, Nehemiah 13:15-18). Clearly rest is an extremely important concept to God, and people who are perpetually busy will struggle to find time to rest.

Importance of Relationships

Secondly, busy people will find it challenging to enter into deep relationship with others, especially God. Many people are familiar with the story of Mary and Martha. The God man in the flesh had come over for dinner. But the sisters’ attitudes toward Him were polar opposites. The NIRV says, “Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was busy with all the things that had to be done” (Luke 10:39-40).

I really like this translation because it captures well the tension of Martha’s situation. There were many important things that “had to be done”: cooking, cleaning, serving. Often times when we read this passage, we can dismiss the meaningfulness of Martha’s tasks, but they were quite important. If no one cooked, no one ate. Imagine letting God go hungry! But there was “one thing” more important than serving God, and that was listening to Him (Luke 10:41-42).

 Take a look at Matthew 7:21-23, and you’ll see a similar story. There are many who will serve God mightily—prophesying in His name, casting out demons, healing diseases, and working miracles, but Jesus will turn them away at the gate to heaven. Why? Because they were too busy “serving” Him to get to know Him.

The Altar of Busyness

God created us to work. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” And God didn’t just create us to work, He created us to work hard (Ecclesiastes 9:10) and to work excellently (Colossians 3:23). But we must not sacrifice rest or our relationships on the altar of busyness.

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'”

(Matthew 11:28-30)

Strolling Through the Storm

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Have you ever wondered why Jesus walked on water? He could have sailed over the Sea of Galilee with His disciples when they left (Matthew 14:22). Or He could have teleported like Philip did, taking the Divine Express to His next destination (Acts 8:39-40). Why did Jesus break the rules of physics to commit such a miracle? And why did He allow Peter to join Him, walking on the waves like steppingstones ((Matthew 14:29)?

On Top of It All

If you’re like me, this pandemic has pushed you to your limit. You’ve been asked to do the impossible for the past year and a half: Watching your kids while wrapping up work on your computer screen, waiting “just one more month” before life can return to normal, finding joy in the middle of a pandemic, and loving others from the midst of isolation.  Many days I find myself barely treading water, let alone walking on it!

This experience brought me back to Jesus’ miracle. Keep in mind that this water was not a placid, peaceful surface like you might see in a suburban swimming pool. Gale force winds blasted back and forth. Monster waves heaved the disciples’ boat up and down like a wooden boy toy. But in the midst of this chaos, Jesus was walking.

A better way to translate the Greek word peripateo in this context was that Jesus was “strolling.” He was strolling through the storm. In this way, Jesus demonstrated His mastery over all of life’s circumstances. Whether it be earth, sea, or air, nothing could stop Jesus’ steady, unhurried progress.

The book of Acts is the story of the steady, unhurried progress of the gospel throughout the ancient world. The entire Bible is the story of Jesus’ steady, unhurried progress restoring the entire universe. And your life is the story of Jesus’ steady, unhurried progress transforming you into the person He designed you to be.

Under the Waves

Which brings me to Peter. By asking Jesus to allow him to walk on the waves (Matthew 14:28), Peter was asking Jesus to grant him His perspective. Where everyone else saw a storm to sink into, Jesus saw a surface to stroll on.  That is why Jesus didn’t tell him, “Stay back.” Rather, He commanded Peter, “Come here” (Matthew 14:29). He wanted Peter to experience the serenity of His grace, the greatness of His power, and the glory of His provision in the midst of the storm.

But Peter didn’t remain on top of the water for long. He saw the wind and heard the crashing waves. As fear clutched his heart, he plunged beneath the surface (Matthew 14:30). But that was not the end of Peter’s story. He screamed for Jesus to save him, and Jesus didn’t wait for him to “raise his faith.” He grabbed onto Peter and didn’t let him go. He rescued him out of his watery grave and set his feet back on solid ground.

Conclusion

Jesus extends His arms to us as well. He says, “Come, stroll on the sea with Me.” And if we ever start to sink into the waves, He’ll too ask us, “Why did you doubt” (Matthew 14:31)? Because our safety is never in doubt; He’ll always catch us.

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

(Isaiah 43:2)

The Rot of Jealousy (How the Mighty Fall Pt. 3)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1, “Mighty Presumption”, click here. For Part 2, “Putting First Things Second”, click here.

The last nail in the coffin of Saul’s leadership followed hot on the heels of a great victory. The shepherd boy David had just defeated the giant Goliath with a sling and a stone. The Israelites had routed the Philistinian army, and the conquering heroes returned home to much singing and fanfare. The women broke out in song, “‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!’ But this made Saul very angry. ‘What’s this?’ he said. ‘They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!’ So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David (1 Samuel 18:7-9).” Jealousy was the final rot that toppled the tree of Saul’s legacy.

Jealousy Rots Happiness

Firstly, jealousy wreaks havoc on our emotions. Jealous leaders are short-tempered (1 Samuel 20:30), fearful (1 Samuel 18:12), and paranoid (1 Samuel 22:13).

The stability of our emotions is rooted in the source of our identity. If we define our leadership based on something that’s continually evolving like the progress of our graduating class or Fortune’s top 500 CEOs, our emotions will always be in flux. When we feel like we’re ahead, we’ll be on top of the world, riding high on our surging pride. But if we fall behind, which we inevitably will at some point in our journey, we’ll be crushed by the weight of unmet expectations. Our identity must be rooted in something fixed and unchanging if we ever want to develop emotions that are tranquil and harmonious.

Jealousy Rots Friendship

Secondly, a jealous leader will drive away key advisors and associates. David served in Saul’s inner court long before he himself became king. Every day he soothed the king’s frayed nerves by strumming masterful songs on his lyre. But the day following David’s defeat of Goliath, Saul tried to impale the young man on the tip of his spear, twice (1 Samuel 18:11)! He even attacked his very own son, Jonathan, when he protected the shepherd boy (1 Samuel 20:33)!

Jealousy will transform our closest allies into our bitter rivals. If we hold on to this emotion, we’ll soon find that it really is “lonely at the top.”

Jealousy Rots Leadership

Lastly, jealousy prevents leaders from fulfilling their responsibilities as a leader. Saul enlisted Israel’s best and brightest to hunt down one of his most loyal citizens (1 Samuel 24:2). So distracted was he by his hunt for this shepherd boy that a foreign nation was able to penetrated deep into his territory in the meantime (1 Samuel 23:19-27)!

When a leader fixes their gaze on someone else, of course they won’t be in a position to lead their own people well. It’s like you’re driving your family on the highway in your beat-up Prius while staring out your window at the Maserati cruising next to you. It’s just a matter of time before you–and everyone with you–suffers harm. We have to fix our gaze straight ahead on whatever God has called us to do if we want to finish it well.

Conclusion

When Saul fell into jealousy, his kingdom fell as well. His sons died in battle (1 Samuel 31:2). His people fled from their homes for their very lives (1 Samuel 31:7). And his dying moments were ignoble and pitiful (1 Samuel 31:3-5). If we let jealousy consume our leadership, it will consume all we hoped to build as well.

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

(Proverbs 14:30)

Clumsy Man in the Hands of a Perfect God

By Ife J. Ibitayo

While shopping at Wal-Mart last week, I knocked over a bottle of Dove body wash. I fumbled it like a loose football, and it slid under the shopping cart of a fellow shopper. The skinny Asian woman graciously handed it back to me. As I bent over to accept it, my glasses fell off my face. The woman smiled and asked, “Is this some kind of trick?” like a charade or a comedy act. I grinned back sheepishly and thought, Unfortunately, this is a way of life.

I’ve been notoriously clumsy ever since I was young. Slamming doors are the mortal enemies of my delicate fingers. I’d swear that invisible stub magnets are attached to my pinky toes. And I can only thank God that I didn’t grow up in any cities that iced over frequently. I slip well enough all on my own!

The Weight of My Imperfection

In spite of my clumsy ways, I’ve also ironically struggled with perfectionism my whole life. Growing up in a Nigerian household, I was implicitly and explicitly taught that “A” was the standard. Anything less was failure, and I applied this lesson ruthlessly to every area of my life. I strived to be an “A” student, an “A” brother, an “A” son, an “A” engineer, an “A” writer, and an “A” Christian because anything less was not acceptable. My college experience could be summed up by Matthew 5:48: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Perfection is not an easy weight to bear. I remember getting my first report card in grad school and being shaken at receiving two A-minuses. My GPA only went down from there. I’ve always striven for perfection, but over time, I’ve become devastated by the overwhelming chasm between where I am and where I think I should be.

The Strength of His Perfection

This reality is why I’m uniquely passionate about the Christian concept of grace. Grace is unmerited favor, receiving what you do not deserve. In the book of Ephesians, Apostle Paul said, “We were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:3-5). I am not good enough to be an “A” son. I don’t have what it takes to be an “A” employee all day every day. And I will never be an “A” Christian. But none of that matters.

God chose me because He loves me. I’m not subject to His wrath because of His mercy. I am heaven bound because of His grace. None of these realities are contingent upon my performance. They are rooted in the unchanging nature of my God (Hebrews 13:8).

Conclusion

The title of this article is a reference to Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” In that message, Edwards’ describes our plight in horrifying, vivid detail: “Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead…and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf.” The shackles of my sinfulness weigh down my wrists. The mistakes of yesterday enfold my throat. The inky abyss awaits to swallow me whole if I trip just one more time.  But something arrests me.

As Paul said in the book of Ephesians, “But God.” In spite of my imperfection, because of His perfection, my salvation is sure. Each teetering step I take is steadied by the hand of my invisible Father. His perfection is stronger than my clumsiness, and it’s greater than all my mistakes.

“My God, His way is perfect: The LORD’s Word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.”

(Psalm 18:30)

Putting First Things Second (How the Mighty Fall Pt. 2)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1, “Mighty Presumption, click here.

Greatness comes from putting first things first. If you want to be a great basketball player, you have to master the core principles of the game—taking care of the ball, shooting high quality shots, and the like—and never lose sight of them. If you want to be a great engineer, you have to maintain a strong knowledge of geometry, algebra, and calculus. No amount of sweettalking will save you when your poorly designed bridge crumples. This same principle applies to great leadership.

In the book of 1 Samuel, the LORD commissions King Saul for his last God-given assignment, destroying the wicked Amalekites and razing everything they owned. Saul and his men did wipe out the Amalekites, but they “spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and spared the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed” (1 Samuel 15:9). The prophet Samuel was again called on to rebuke the king, and their conversation revealed the several ways King Saul failed as a leader.

Putting Humility Second

Samuel begins his chastisement by saying, “‘Although you once considered yourself unimportant’” (1 Samuel 15:17). There once was a time when King Saul was simply Saul. He was a mere farmer who worked the ground (1 Samuel 11:5). He was so afraid of leadership that he hid among a pile of baggage when his reign was announced (1 Samuel 10:20-22)! But power corrupted his view of himself. When Saul ascended the throne, he no longer saw himself as Saul the man, but Saul the king. And kings do whatever they please.

Jesus Himself affirmed that the heart of good leadership is not pleasing yourself but serving others. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave” (Matthew 20:26-27). No one with a proud heart will bend their backs to serve others.

Putting Purpose Second

Secondly, Saul lost sight of the reason God had given him this mission in the first place. When Samuel called him out for disobeying the voice of the LORD, Saul rebutted, “But I did obey the Lord…I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” Keep in mind that when an animal was sacrificed to the Lord during that time, the one who offered the sacrifice would then consume part of the offering themselves.

So easily, when success comes, we too can lose sight of our original vision. We can start a hospital to help, a nonprofit to serve, or a church to love. But when funds start pouring in, we can be tempted to help others and help ourselves, serve others and serve ourselves, love others yet love ourselves more. An organization without vision is like a lamp without oil, in mortal danger of being snuffed out (Revelation 2:4-5).  

Putting God Second

In desperation, Saul made one final plea. He cried, “‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24). Saul’s last excuse was that he was pressured into his actions by his followers.

When a leader becomes subject to the desires of their followers, they are no longer a leader. Leaders lead by definition. They point their followers to someone or something greater than themselves: a cause, an ideal, or a moral principle. In this case, King Saul and his subjects’ obedience to God would have demonstrated that they were the LORD’s people, driven not by material gain but spiritual truth. They would have fulfilled the greatest commandment: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’” (Mark 12:30). Instead, by giving into the masses, King Saul demonstrated that he loved the approval of others even more.

Conclusion

Greatness requires humility, purpose, and obedience to a higher calling. When we lost sight of any one of these, we won’t only lead ourselves astray, we’ll mislead all those who follow us. But when we maintain all of these in spite of success, riches, and fame, then we’ll truly be great leaders.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

(Matthew 16:33)

The Freedom of the Terrifying Truth

By Ife J. Ibitayo

I recently read an article about a number of anti-vaccine radio hosts who died of COVID. This got me thinking, “What happens when your beliefs are rooted in something other than reality?”

We all hold fundamental beliefs that we think are self-evident like “We should all have a right to choose” and “Love is love.” We hold to such statements because, just like gravity, they ground us. They provide a comforting framework through which we can make sense of our dizzyingly complex world. But comfort is not a sufficient reason to hold on to any belief.

The Terrifying

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “I still believe that freedom is the bonus you receive for telling the truth. Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” This truth resonated strongly in March 1965, when the suffering of the black community viscerally confronted white America.

The United States government passed the Civil Rights Act the year before. They were attempting to legislate desegregation from the top down. But it could be argued that the dismantlement of “separate but equal” institutions did not begin in earnest until Bloody Sunday. On that fateful afternoon, racist local law enforcement brutally beat down Martin Luther King Jr. and thousands of others. It could not have been comfortable for any “upstanding, moral” American to come to terms with the vile ugliness of complacency lying in their souls. But only when our nation was awoken from its slumber could it continue the hard work of reconciliation.

This behavior is not anomalous. It’s a worsening trend. 2 Timothy 4:20 says, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.” Now is that time. In the internet age, we can find voices that preach whatever message we want to hear. We live in a generation when many are entrenching themselves in their worldviews, attempting to block out the terror of reality.

The Truth

But Martin Luther King Jr.’s statement still rings true today, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Grounding, orientation, only comes when we submit our preferences to the one who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Someone once said that no one holds the market on truth, and there is some validity to this statement. No politician, no preacher, no blogger has got it all right. That’s why we must be willing to question and challenge them. But we ourselves don’t know it all either. That’s why we must be willing to humbly retract and correct ourselves. Yet truth does exist. And if it can’t be found with humanity, maybe it can be found with the one who made us all.

“‘You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’”

(John 18:38)

Mighty Presumption (How the Mighty Fall Pt. 1)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Saul was a tall, handsome young man from a wealthy Israelite family (1 Samuel 9:1-2). He was the prototypical eligible bachelor, the B.C. Ryan Seacrest. And God chose him to be the first king of Israel.

The prophet Samuel anointed Saul and gave him an incredibly detailed list of signs to confirm his calling (1 Samuel 10:1-7). His parting words were, “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do’” (1 Samuel 10:8).

Flash forward a week later and Saul and his troops were stationed in Gilgal. Tens of thousands of Philistines troops had gathered like storm clouds less than ten miles away. The Israelites were scattering in fear, literally hiding under rocks and inside tombs (1 Samuel 13:6). And the appointed time for Samuel to arrive had come and gone. So Saul took matters into his own hands and sacrificed the offerings reserved for Samuel himself (1 Samuel 13:8-9).

As soon as Saul had finished offering the offerings, Samuel arrived. The prophet rebuked the king saying, “How foolish! You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command’” (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

How the Mighty Wait

There was a very important lesson that God was trying to teach Saul in this situation, and that was the importance of waiting on the LORD. As leaders, we are taught to be proactive, not reactive. We are taught to do, not wait. But waiting is exactly what God wanted the newly elected king of Israel to do.

Psalm 27:14, a Psalm written by the “man after God’s own heart,” says a very peculiar statement, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” Sometimes the most courageous action we can do is wait. Insecure leaders need to control every situation. They think that if they don’t do something, everything will fall apart. But secure leaders know that God is faithful. They believe that when God said He is “good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25), He meant it.

How the Mighty Submit

The second important lesson that God was trying to teach Saul was the importance of obedience. In 2012, UC Berkely conducted a study that verified that the rich and powerful are more likely to break the rules than those of lower social economic classes. They believe they’re above the law, the ones who set the rules of the game rather than obey them.

This same mindset applies to many leaders. Saul knew the command he received from the prophet Samuel. God said wait, but Saul thought he could be the exception to God’s command. But no leadership exists apart from the LORD, who we all must submit to (Romans 13:1).

Conclusion

Wait and submit. People don’t usually associate these two verbs with good leadership, and clearly these two guidelines don’t apply to all situations. But the greatest leaders know when to wait, and the best guides know when to follow.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Walking in an Afghan’s Shoes

By Ife J. Ibitayo

In the past couple weeks, stories on the plight of the Afghan people have filled the news. I’ve never seen anything quite like this. In the space of a few short months, an extremist Islamic regime toppled a US-backed democratic government. And the crisis continues. Many Americans are waiting with bated breath to see if our troops, our citizens, and our interpreters will safely escape the country. But those important individuals represent only a tiny fraction of the nearly forty million people who live in Afghanistan today.

In Another’s Shoes

Some have spoken of the value of “walking a mile in another person’s shoes,” but very few of us will have that experience unless life forces us to. There once was a young lady who had a crush on me in college. We had been good friends for over a year, but I just didn’t feel the same way about her. I saw the frustration in her eyes, heard the sadness in her voice. I witnessed her pain, her near rage, but I couldn’t relate to it.

Flash forward nearly a decade and I understand it all to well (see “Heartbreak Hero”). Soon after my own heart-rending experience, I was tempted to call her up and beg for her forgiveness. I’d do anything to heal her anguish then because I wish someone could heal my pain now. By sharing a similar experience as her, I gained unparalleled empathy for her.

Conclusion

Here in the United States, we’re fortunate. It’s practically inconceivable that our own democratic government will be usurped by tyranny. It’s unlikely that we’ll have terrorists storming our homes, threatening our safety. We’ll probably never find ourselves trying to escape the United States for our dear lives. But imagine if we we were? Imagine if you were?

I don’t know what I’m asking for us to do. Whatever it is goes beyond shaking our heads and clucking our tongues, beyond political parties and impeachment. It may begin with fasting and prayer. It may end with money wiring and a plane ride. But let it be something. We may not be cramming into planes to escape the only country we’ve ever known, but other people just like us are. If we never end up marching the streets of Kabul to protest extremism with them, we can still be Jesus’ hands and feet to the refugees that come to us.

“‘Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

“‘Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”

“‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. ”’”

(Matthew 25:34-40)

The God of the Incredibly Ordinary

By Ife J. Ibitayo

If Disney has taught us anything, it’s that life should be incredible. Our prim, perfect neighbors are superheroes, and our evil math professor is a nefarious villain. We’re the protagonist, of course, waiting for our adventure to begin. But for some reason we’re still in the prologue.

Prophet Isaiah said, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it” (Isaiah 43:18-19)? But I don’t. There must be something more than my ordinary desk job on a typical weekday, staring out my window at the setting sun.

Finding the Incredible in the Everyday

Sometimes it feels like God is mysteriously absent from the present. It’s easy to find Him in the past if you read the Bible. He parted the Red Sea, deposed kings, and walked among us. According to Scripture, God worked incredible acts thousands of years ago. And God has promised that He will do incredible things again. He will descend from on high, riding on a brilliant white horse—like every romance lover’s wildest dream—and He will slaughter all His foes in a final, glorious battle (Revelation 19:11-21). He will wipe away every tear from our eyes and make all the wrong things right. But what is God doing right now?

He is our sustainer, our provider, and our healer. When the Bible ascribes titles to the LORD, they are not spoken in the past or future tense but the present tense. He is our Prince of Peace (Isaiah 53:5) in the middle of our present chaos. He is our Mighty Warrior (Zephaniah 3:17) in the battles we’re fighting today.

Finding the Incredible in the Ordinary

I’ve also come to understand that the ordinary is not the same as the mundane. Author G.K. Chesterton once said, “Perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, ‘Do it again’ to the sun; and every evening, ‘Do it again’ to the moon.” God has seen countless sunrises and sunsets, yet He never grows weary of seeing them all over again.

Yet I all too often do. I ignore the warm orange sun descending below the horizon, splashing bright reflections on the pond across from my apartment. I forget about the thousands of bright flowers growing in the soft grass lining the streets I bustle over. Large black headphones block out the chorus of serenading songbirds as I hurry on my way. And I’m even too preoccupied to really listen to my bumping jams. Every day I neglect the wonder of the Creator in every moment.

Conclusion

The prophet Elijah had an indescribable encounter with God. In the lowest season of his life, the LORD spoke to him. He sent a tornado, an earthquake, and a wildfire, but God wasn’t present in any of these great acts. Instead, He came in a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13).

We want God to wow us, but He wants to woo us. His love letters are subtle yet incredible if we take the time to read them.

“In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.”

(Psalm 19:4b-6)

The Distance Between Our Foundation and Our Cornerstone

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Even when my parents were struggling to make ends meet, my mother still insisted on sending me to a Christian private school. She hoped to instill in me a love for Christ through consistent messaging at home, at church, and at school. Now my faith is deeply personal, and those early, formative years planted the seeds for it.

However, I didn’t embrace my faith as my own until middle school. When I was transplanted from a private school to a charter school, my new classmates challenged my faith. They forced me to do some serious introspection and answer, “What is the foundation of my faith?” Without that jolt, I’m not certain when, even up till now, I would have answered that question.

A similar shift is occurring throughout the United States. For centuries, the USA was known as a Christian nation. We used to be “one nation under God.” Now we’re many nations under many gods all sharing the same flag. Numerous Christian values that formed the atmosphere we breathed have been uprooted, and we suddenly find ourselves surrounded by strangers.

It’s a bit like senior year of high school. We were on top of the world, but now we’ve “graduated” and find ourselves at the bottom again. The many bastions of society that we took for granted in earlier years have been overturned. Mothers’ right to choose has silenced unborn babies’ right to live. Fluid gender identity has transplanted fixed biology.  And many Christians are furious. In rage, they’ve leapt onto their social media accounts and stormed the ballot boxes to reinstate the sacred principles they believe form the bedrock of Christianity.

Our Cornerstone

But that was not the focus of Christ, our true cornerstone. At the start of His ministry, Jesus described His purpose here on earth as “preaching good news to the poor, proclaiming freedom to captives and sight to the blind, setting free the bound, and declaring the favorable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). To put it another way, Jesus’ mission was not to transform the government but to transform the governed. He was focused not on policy change but heart change. He spent far less time with the governmental and religious elite of His day and far more time with the destitute and downtrodden.

Now Jesus was angry too. But He directed His anger at the conmen who’d taken up shop inside His holy temple (Matthew 21:12-13). He had no patience for those who saw the gospel as a means of gain rather than great treasure in and of itself (1 Timothy 6:5-6). But toward the lost—the prostitutes, the tax collectors, and foreigners, Christ’s primary response was compassion (Matthew 21:14) and friendship (Matthew 11:19).

Conclusion

Anger is justified. There is quite a bit to be angry about from this past year: the lives this virus has cut off, the dreams this pandemic has shut down, and much more. America is changing significantly in many uncomfortable and frustrating ways. But we should let that anger drive us to love others more, not less. We should use our hands to vote, but then we should use our fingers to help.

1 John 4:18 says, “perfect love drives out fear.” It has the power to drive fear out of the hearts of immigrants who’ve moved into our neighborhoods and just maybe out of our own as well.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

(James 1:27)