Randy Alcorn's Blog, page 22

What Does It Mean to Turn Our Eyes upon Jesus?

Note from Randy: My daughter Angela recently shared a message on Hebrews 12:1-2 at a women's gathering at our home church. Both of our daughters, Karina and Angela, are Christ-centered women and wonderful wives and moms who serve their families and churches remarkably well. They are very wise, and I have learned a lot from both of them. 

This message that Angie shared was no exception. She says, “Fixing our eyes does not mean merely glancing at Jesus now and again. Fixing demands all of our attention. So we need to look at Jesus with a laser focus.”

Hope you enjoy these reflections (modified from the original message she gave).

Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus

By Angela (Alcorn) Stump

The author of Hebrews starts chapter 12 by telling us that the Christian life is like running a race:

“Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Now let me start by stating I’m probably the last person who should be explaining what it’s like to run a race! I have never in my life entered a running competition. My entire running career basically consists of the mandatory mile I was forced to run in high school PE classes. 

But even those of us who were never track stars can figure out why it makes sense for the Christian life to be compared to a race. Running takes perseverance and discipline, and even when you’ve prepared as best you can, your body may fail you or the course might have twists and turns you didn’t see coming. 

How Can We Run with Endurance?

We’re all running this race, and there are struggles, joys, and confusion when we don’t always see the path God has laid out for us—or fear when we do see the path, but it doesn’t lead to where we want to go. 

“Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us” (Hebrews 12:1a). Does anyone else feel encumbered? What is dragging you down as you run this race? Anxiety, insecurity, exhaustion, shame? What extra weight are you holding on to that God may be asking you to lay down? 

How about the sin that so easily entangles—anyone else getting really tired of sin? Those potholes we’re repeatedly falling into, the things that constantly seem to be tripping us up? Anger, pride, jealousy, laziness, lust, greed… 

With all these things holding us back and the sin causing us to fall on our faces, how in the world are we supposed to run with endurance the race that is set before us? 

By fixing our eyes on Jesus. 

The most important thing is not reflecting on who we are or what our race looks like. It’s acknowledging the One who not only gives us strength to run our own race but who also has already run the race for us. And because He ran it perfectly—something we could never do—He won the prize that we could never win, and here’s the best part: He offers US that prize as a free gift.

We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, “...the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

What Does “Fixing Our Eyes” Mean?

 “Fixing our eyes” does not mean merely glancing at Jesus now and again. Fixing our eyes demands all our attention. We need to look at Jesus with a laser focus. So, if we’re told to lock in on who Jesus is, it seems appropriate to stop and ask: Who IS Jesus? 

In the quiet of our own hearts, when we “fix our eyes on Jesus,” are we looking at the true picture of Jesus, as revealed in Scripture, or the picture of Jesus we have in our minds based upon our own experiences? Are we worshiping the Jesus of the Bible, or the Jesus in our imaginations? 

As I was preparing for this message, I started rereading my dad’s book It’s All About Jesus, which IS actually—as it turns out—all about Jesus! Listen to these words from Randy Alcorn (or “Pops,” as my family calls him): 

Because no other historical figure is as widely known, multitudes live with the illusion that they really know Jesus, when in reality they simply have various impressions about Him…As a result, it is hard to imagine any subject more fraught with confusion, misinformation, and deception than the subject of who Jesus really is. And what a quandary! The most important person who has ever lived is also the most misunderstood. 

Since nothing is more important than who Jesus is and what he has done, naturally there are no greater truths—and in turn, no more pernicious and destructive heresies—than those concerning Jesus. 

And here’s where Pops really drives it home: 

Our faith in Christ is only as good as the authentic reality of the Christ we believe in.  

Even if we had hours–or weeks or years–we could never unpack who Jesus is completely. We’re barely even going to scratch the surface! But if we are called to fix our eyes on Him, it is vital that we study who He really is.

Why Does Studying Jesus Matter?

I’ve been part of many Bible studies over the years, and I’ve heard people ask—and have asked myself sometimes when I’m up to my eyeballs in “homework”—why is it so important that I learn these things? Isn’t it enough to know that Jesus loves me and that I love Him? 

My favorite response to that is a quote from Jen Wilkin: “The heart cannot love what the mind does not know.” 

The deeper we dive into the study of Jesus, the more our minds will begin to comprehend the depth of the love He has for us, and the cost He paid to be with us. That is when our hearts can truly be stirred. That is when worship becomes more than just a rush of feelings, it becomes an expression of true love, with roots that are grounded in reality. 

But we all realize it can sometimes be hard to reconcile what we know in our minds with what we feel in our hearts.  

Side note about feelings: there’s something you should know about me. I hate to cry. It‘s not so much the actual tears; it’s that they represent losing control. I’m normally a really laid-back person, but the one thing I feel the need to control is my emotions. Part of that is just my personality—I was never one to cry at Hallmark commercials. And part of it has been nurtured by my job as a critical care nurse. I worked in the ER for 16 years, and I can’t tell you how many horrific things I’ve seen. But I couldn’t do my job if I let my emotions control me. When you’re doing CPR on someone, you can’t be thinking about their family in the waiting room.

It’s not that I never let my emotions out; it’s that I’m afraid that if I can’t control the time and place I let them loose, my emotions will stop me from getting the job done. I want to be strong and steady, and to me, tears—at least the ones that come without my permission—are cracks in my wall of pride, and they show weakness.  

But not allowing emotion to dictate my work life can carry over to my spiritual life. It’s often easier for me to do the tasks of the Christian life—whether I feel like it or not—and take pride in the knowledge I’ve obtained about God, rather than sit in the unpredictability of how I may feel about God during any given circumstance.  

Our pastor, Greg Cahalan, said in a sermon that “our feelings reveal what we think or believe about something.” That hit home for me, and I realized that often when I start to feel a lot of emotion surrounding my faith, my first thought is to squash those feelings because they could end up revealing that deep down, something I believe about God is actually wrong. I do not like to be wrong! 

So I pretend I always believe the right thing, because I never allow my emotions to tell me otherwise. This is not truly fixing my eyes on Jesus. It’s looking at Him only when I feel like I’m in control, giving Him my mind only, and then looking away when He asks for my heart.  

Now, there are definitely two sides of the pendulum that swings between the head and the heart. and while I lean more toward one than the other, as most of us do, I havebeen on both sides: I’ve taken pride in my know-it-all approach to theology, and I’ve also found spiritual highs and lows based on my feelings alone.  

We can’t find the perfect balance on our own. We need help. 

How Can We Love God with Our Minds and Hearts?

I’m reading Fix Your Eyes by Amy Gannet (the title seems appropriate, doesn’t it?!) which talks about the correlation between theology (the study of God) and doxology (our heartfelt worship of Him). Here’s what she says:  

To bring both knowledge of God and worship of him back into harmony, we need someone to do a work within us. We need someone who will pull theology out of the abstract, put fresh pen to the paper of our hearts, and rewrite our desires until we heed the call to know AND love God. And we need someone to take that desire, call it forth, fan that flame, and make our worship a more marvelous offering to God than we ever could have done on our own. In other words, we need an Author and we need a Perfector of our faith. 

His name is Jesus.  

So, if the most important question we can ask ourselves is who is Jesus, and we know the answer can’t be based entirely upon our feelings or experiences, how can we know the truth? We go to the Bible. To good books by authors who are faithful to what Scripture teaches. If something you believe about Jesus contradicts something the Bible says, be willing to admit you’re wrong and ask God to give you a love for who He truly is and not what you think He should be.  

And when you’re studying, please don’t let this knowledge stay in your mind alone. Invite the Holy Spirit to plant these truths deep into your heart. 

Let me close with a few quotes from It’s All About Jesus which is filled with both Scripture and insights from Bible scholars and authors that are–indeed–all about Jesus. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and let Him capture both your mind and your heart:

Jesus is the Lion of Judah (Rev 5:5) and the Lamb of God (Rev 5:6) He was lionhearted and lamblike, strong and meek, tough and tender, aggressive and responsive, bold and brokenhearted. —John Piper 

If Jesus is the Bread of Life, loss of Jesus means starving. If Jesus is the Light of the World, loss of Jesus means darkness. If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, loss of Jesus means wandering alone and lost. If Jesus is the resurrection and the life, loss of Jesus is eternal death. And if Jesus is the Lamb of God, sacrificed for our sins, loss of Jesus means paying that price for ourselves.  —Rebecca McLaughlin 

If you know Jesus, then the hand holding yours bears the calluses of a carpenter who carried a cross for you. When he opens his hand, you see the gnarled flesh of his nail scarred wrists. When you might think he doesn’t understand your pain, realize you don’t understand the extent of his. —Randy Alcorn  

God, thank you for reminding us that as we struggle in this race of the Christian life, turning our eyes upon Jesus is the only way to endure. Help us to turn to you with both our hearts and our minds. May we be diligent to study who You are, and Lord, when we turn our eyes upon who Jesus truly is, may our hearts be filled with love and gratitude that overflows into a lifetime of worship. Amen. 

Photo: Unsplash

The Incredible Blessing of My Father’s Difficult Final Months

Note from Randy: Ruth Wood, reader of our magazine Eternal Perspectives, shared this wonderful follow-up to an article we included in the latest issue, and later on my blog: God’s Heart for the Elderly and Infirm Reminds Us of the Sanctity of Senior Life. What she wrote is remarkable and powerful, demonstrating a miracle of grace that took place in her dad’s life. While he couldn’t control his physical and mental decline in his final months, the decisions he made throughout his life played a role in how he responded to his suffering, and I think there will be eternal reward for it.

Likewise, often we too are unable to control certain things in life, but instead of surrendering to the bad parts, may we determine, with God’s help, to turn them into good. “For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the afflicted with salvation” (Psalm 149:4). “I sought Yahweh, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

Dear Randy, 

I can’t help but respond to your article, “God’s Heart for the Elderly and Infirm.” I have been distressed by the way even Christians sometimes talk about euthanasia as a possible way out at the end. As you’ve often shared about Nanci, this last stretch home can bring some of the most important and meaningful days of our lives. 

For those who may be struggling with end-of-life decisions, my father’s story may give some food for thought. When he suffered a stroke at age ninety-five, it slurred his speech, affected his ability to swallow, and paralyzed his entire left side. Worst of all, however, was that it knocked out the part of his brain that regulated fear. Every few minutes, his panic escalated so far out of control that he began screaming in terror. Day and night he screamed, finding relief only in short segments of sleep. In the beginning, in order to monitor his condition, his doctor was cautious about medicating too much because this would cause other problems. 

The agony of watching Dad suffer like that was unbearable. I begged God to give him a quick end. But Dad was otherwise robust and exhibited a fierce will to live. The doctor said that death did not look imminent. I absolutely did not want to hear that. How could someone live in such a state? But God had an important lesson in store for me. Dad lived for nine more months, and we would have missed an incredible blessing had he died when I wanted.

My dad’s close walk with the Lord became externalized in an unusual way after his stroke. I’ve mentioned how his panic attacks led to screaming. But soon what he began doing to help himself in those out-of-control moments was switch from screaming to shouting prayers, or scriptures, or he sang songs with fervor, his good right arm raised in worship, gesticulating with emphasis. We were all astounded. 

During these episodes, Dad shouted his praise to God, he shouted his thanks, he shouted as he interceded for each one in the whole family clan, he shouted for mercy for himself. Eventually an attack would subside, and he’d have a few minutes rest. Then off he’d go again, singing at the top of his lungs—hymns, children’s Sunday School songs, folk songs, his entire repertoire of music. Day and night, with each attack he sang and sang, and I, being a trained musician, could have cared less that he was terribly off key now. To me, his songs, his prayers, and his unbelievable faith under these circumstances were beyond beautiful.  

After his hospitalization, he was transferred to a nursing home, and over the next nine months, he sang so much, his speech actually rehabilitated to the point that we could understand him better. At the nursing home they began medicating him more so that the frequency of his episodes were much lessened, but they still broke through and continued to cause great torment. Dad kept praising and worshiping through it all. I have memories of walking down the hall, and long before arriving at his room, I’d hear him belting out yet another tune. How a stroke victim still had the force of such a full-throated voice was beyond me.

Despite the losses and indignities Dad faced as a result of his stroke, he was not a complainer. Instead, he continually expressed his appreciation to those around him. He prayed for and spoke blessings over people as they came to his room. It was not uncommon for him, in the middle of a conversation, to grasp your hand and say, “Let’s give thanks” or to tell a staff member, “I’m praying for you.”

Mom spent a lot of time with him, and in the evenings, they kept to their habit of having devotions together. She’d read a Bible passage and devotional, they’d pray, and then as always, they’d sing together. Dad’s favorite song in those grueling nine months had become, “Oh That Will Be, Glory For Me.” As the end neared, it was the only song that he still sang. All the others in his repertoire seemed forgotten.  

The day came when his voice gave out, but still, his lips kept moving as over and over he mouthed the words: When all my labors and trials are o’er, and I am safe on that beautiful shore, just to be near the dear Lord I adore, will through the ages be glory for me . . . 

We shed many tears as we witnessed Dad’s suffering. However, he astounded us with his single-minded focus on what mattered most—his love for people and for God. Unable to read or watch much TV, he would trace lines in the air for hours. When asked what he was doing, he said that he was imagining the throne room of God. Truly, he ran with his eyes fixed on the prize. What a difficult, final stretch home, and yet, what a finish! 

Dad had worked in a lumber mill until his retirement, so he had not accrued great wealth. Nor did he have a single Christian ministry accomplishment to his name. However, he was a man of integrity, a great husband, father, and grandfather. And in the end, he taught his family how to die well. We would never trade this priceless legacy for anything. 

End-of-life decisions can be so challenging and will be increasingly difficult as our generation is handed options our parents never had. People can find themselves in complex situations that are unimaginably painful, and we surely need to have compassion and do all that we can to alleviate suffering. But suffering is a great mystery. And sometimes, the Lord calls us to walk a very hard path. Will we release control and trust Him to orchestrate our end according to His good purposes? He will give strength. He will give courage. And regardless of how messy and impossible and even horrific the journey may be, take heart. Remember that great blessings ride alongside great suffering! 

Be still my soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end 

P.S. The photo captures my parents during devotions at the nursing home.

Right Now, We See the Underside of Life's Tapestry

Ever been to a football game at half time when the band forms words or pictures in the middle of the field? They look great from up in the stands. But have you ever thought about what they look like from the sidelines? Pointless, confusing, apparently meaningless. We see life from the sidelines. God sees it from the stands. As we gain perspective, we leave the sidelines and start working our way up. 

God's Higher Perspective

Isaiah 55:8 says, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” God cares about the pain and suffering of this world far more than we do. We must learn to trust Him while we wait for His completed work.

While speaking about evil and suffering, sometimes I’ve asked audiences: “How much do you know? Let’s say you’re the smartest person who’s ever lived, and that you know .1% of all there is to know in the universe. Is it possible that in the 99.9% of all that you don’t know, there is enough good in the universe to outweigh the evil? Is it possible that in the 99.9% you don’t know, there exists a good God, and even a rational explanation—if you were smart enough to understand it—of why a good God would permit suffering? Is it possible that evil and suffering, bad as they are, have been used to accomplish good purposes?”

The Wrong Side of the Tapestry

In my novel Edge of Eternity, after seeing many events of this life that are terrible, something happens to the main character, Nick Seagrave:

A vast fabric stretched across the sky. Bending back my head, I saw on the fabric countless unsightly lumps and knots, like thick, rough yarn with frayed strings.

Suddenly, [my companion] Marcus beside me, I was yanked up into the sky and pulled through a hole in the center of the fabric. Now I was on the other side, the topside. I looked down and saw a beautiful work of art, like needlepoint or cross-stitching, a magnificent tapestry. The yarn and threads had been perfectly knitted together in elaborate design by the hands of a master craftsman.

I saw in the center of the tapestry the Woodsman on a tree. I saw how a senseless murder, history’s worst act of betrayal, was the centerpiece of a glorious design. Surrounding it I saw other tragedies, absurd and incomprehensible events that now had clear meaning and purpose.

“It’s stunning,” I said to Marcus. “Before I saw only the underside, the ugly knots and frays. I never saw the design, the beauty.”

“No wonder,” Marcus said. “Until now, you have always lived on the wrong side of
the tapestry.”

Often we look at suffering from our perspective and forget that God sees from another vantage point.

G.K. Chesterton’s character, Father Brown, said, “We are on the wrong side of the tapestry.” How true. We see the knots, the snarls, and the frayed underside. But God is on the right side of the tapestry—the side He is weaving into a beautiful work of art.

Trusting the Master Weaver

Corrie Ten Boom, who survived a Nazi death camp, often quoted the poem “The Weaver” by Grant Colfax Tullar when she spoke to audiences:

My life is but a weaving

Between my God and me.

I cannot choose the colors

He weaveth steadily.

Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;

And I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper

And I the underside.

Not ’til the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Will God unroll the canvas

And reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

In the weaver’s skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares;

Nothing this truth can dim.

He gives the very best to those

Who leave the choice to Him.

Corrie wrote, “Although the threads of my life have often seemed knotted, I know, by faith, that on the other side of the embroidery there is a crown.” We may not always know what the Master Artist is doing in our lives. But the important thing is, He does. And we can trust Him.

Photo: Pexels

What If the Church Had a “Looking Forward Day”?

We received this thought-provoking letter from a reader named Richard Higby. As you read, consider what it might look like for your family and church to implement his idea of a day celebrating and looking forward to Christ's return and the coming New Earth.

In my book Happiness, I write about how the observances of Christ’s birth and resurrection have been commandeered by our culture and distanced from their true biblical and historical meanings. Rather than abandon these holidays, we can infuse them with their biblical significance. We can also celebrate other “holy and happy days” that our culture doesn’t recognize and therefore won’t distort.

Wouldn’t it be great if children growing up in Christian homes looked forward to additional God-centered holidays—ones they could invite their unbelieving friends to join? Wouldn’t it be fitting if church was known as the place that celebrates more than the world, rather than less? Worship, camaraderie, and unity would be hallmarks of such events. But one of the greatest payoffs would be reestablishing followers of Jesus as people of profound happiness who are quick to celebrate the greatness, goodness, love, grace, and happiness of our God.

I like Richard’s idea of a “Looking Forward Day,” as in “looking forward to a new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home” (2 Peter 3:13). Or maybe just “New Earth Day” where we look forward, but also remember Eden, where God looked at all He had made and said “it is very good“ (Genesis 1:31). And above all, we can celebrate Christ’s blood–bought promise, the promise God made to the human race, that there is something far, far better He intends for us and the earth—and nothing will stop it from one day coming at last!

Dear Mr. Randy Alcorn,

This letter has long been in my heart and mind as my wife and I have been deeply touched by your books and teachings regarding the events surrounding the second coming of Christ, Revelation, and Heaven. We have read most of your books and watched many of your teachings/sermons on YouTube. Your thoughts, words, and passion to share the powerful, life-changing truths of God's Word and Kingdom with God's people has greatly encouraged us, as I'm sure is true of countless others.

My wife and I were raised in Christian homes, Christian churches, and schools. We’re now 76, empty nesters with my precious wife of almost 56 years.

My career began in the engineering field, and in 2000 I became a Care Pastor in a local church. For the past 23 years I've been doing that—and loving it! Making a difference is what I live for. I have been privileged to teach many times on the very things I have heard you teach and write about.

The reason I'm writing is to share the burden I have for instilling a greater eternal perspective within the Body of Christ, which you mention regularly.

In your book We Shall See God, based on Charles Spurgeon's devotional thoughts on Heaven, you write:

Every taste of joy is but a foretaste of a greater and more vibrant joy than can be found on Earth now. That's why we need to spend our lives cultivating our love for Heaven. That's why we need to meditate on what Scripture says about Heaven and to read books, have Bible studies, teach classes and preach sermons on it. We need to talk to our children about Heaven. When we're camping, hiking, or driving or when we're at a museum, a sporting event, or a theme park, we need to talk about whatever we see around us as signposts of the New Earth.

As you so well state, having an eternal perspective changes everything! So here are my thoughts:

Every year the Christian church spends the month of December to remember and celebrate the birth of Christ—Advent...and we should do this.

Every year the Christian church spends 40 days or so to remember and celebrate Good Friday and Resurrection Day...and we should do this.

Many Christian churches remember and celebrate Ascension Day; we should do this.

As far as I can see—and I believe you would agree—the only event yet to come in this “church age” is the second coming of Christ.

My heart for raising eternal perspective awareness within the Christian church is to create an annual "Looking Forward Sunday" (Or any other name that fits well) into the Christian calendar whereby we take seriously Peter's words:

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Peter 3:11-14)

Mr. Alcorn, is the Church looking forward to Christ’s return as Peter encourages us? The Church might have been looking forward to it back then, but is this happening today?

Having an eternal perspective wipes away most of the stuff we find ourselves drawn to and on which we fix our eyes...this is our "blessed hope"!

I am not a man who is “so heavenly minded that I'm no earthly good”; nor am I a man who is “so earthly minded that I'm no heavenly good,” but I DO look forward to Christ's return and encourage others also. —Richard Higby (name and letter used with permission)

Photo: Vecteezy

How Can Christians Have a Better Response to Mental Health Issues?

I’ve known a few people with perpetually sunny dispositions, but my own nature is reflective and, at times, melancholic. I’ve experienced seasons of depression, both before and since coming to faith in Christ—some due to my personality type and emotional makeup (and perhaps genetics), some triggered by my long-term physical illness (insulin-dependent diabetes), and some the result of adverse circumstances.

When I blogged about my depression some years ago (see here and here), a few people expressed shock that someone who had written about subjects such as grace and Heaven could ever be depressed! I had to laugh, since far better people than I have experienced far worse depression, including Martin Luther, John Owen, and William Cowper, to name a few.  I studied the life of Charles Spurgeon who battled depression, and found comfort in the fact that godly men and women had walked the same path I was walking. (There are also medications that help some people, as well as counseling and psychological help, and I’m grateful for them. When used wisely, they can certainly be part of God’s common grace.)

In April, Pastor John MacArthur made some comments about PTSD, OCD, and ADHD that have created a firestorm of discussion among Christians about the subject of mental health. Some believers strongly disagree with him; others agree. I think this is a good opportunity for Christians to think critically about this subject, and have honest conversations about mental health and where our approach needs adjusting.

I also want to state my appreciation for much of what John MacArthur has done and stood for. I met John years ago, spoke with him at a Desiring God conference, enjoyed a lunch with him, and have personally benefited from some of his books. Plus, one of my daughters and sons-in-law graduated from the college where he is the chancellor, the Master’s College, and my other daughter attended there one year. I deeply appreciate John’s dedication to the inspiration and authority of God’s Word, even though I sometimes disagree with his perspectives.

Pastor and author Gavin Ortlund, who runs the YouTube channel Truth Unites, had quite a few concerns with MacArthur’s thoughts on mental health. He writes, “…this way of thinking is sadly common in many churches. It is crucial to develop a better response to mental health, with a more robust doctrine of common grace.”

In this video, Gavin responds to MacArthur. What he has to say is so good, and he also includes the video clip of MacArthur so you can hear those comments first:

As a follow up to his original comments, John MacArthur was on Allie Beth Stuckey’s podcast sharing about his new book, and at the end of the episode, he provided some further explanation:

If you’d like to read more on this subject, here’s another response to MacArthur, written by a Christian psychologist. And this one, by O. Alan Noble, in which he seeks to see the kernels of truth in MacArthur’s comments. He writes, “I know it’s not popular to talk about ‘nuance,’ but [mental health] is a nuanced issue that must be addressed with grace and humility.”

For biblical counseling-related material, I highly recommend CCEF (Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation).

Let me end by saying that if you are dealing with depression or another mental illness, it may be short-term, or it may be long-term, but if you are God’s child, know this—it is temporary, and “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18, NASB). For sure, depression, every other mental disorder, and all unhappiness will forever end when we meet Jesus, the one who “will wipe away tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8).

Photo: Unsplash

God’s Heart for the Elderly and Infirm Reminds Us of the Sanctity of Senior Life

One of the many problems facing Western society is that we worship youth and make the elderly disposable. Euthanasia, which is legal in my home state of Oregon, is simply abortion of the elderly, disabled, and terminally ill. The same logic and arguments and appeals to “compassion” and quality of life and financial concerns are used for both.

God’s perspective on the elderly is vastly different. He told the Israelites, “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am Yahweh” (Leviticus 19:32).  God has a purpose for the elderly, up to their last moment of life. He describes gray hair as “a crown of glory” (Proverbs 16:31). That’s why God’s command to care for the weak and needy includes both the unborn, at the very beginning of life, and the elderly, at the very end: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3-4).

Happily, there are societies around the world that do venerate the elderly, and they are examples to us. Think of the experience and wisdom the older person has gained in all his or her years of life. They have so much to offer others. “Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12) is a command we should take seriously! And even those elderly people who seemingly don’t have much, or even anything, to offer are still to be honored because they are human beings made in God’s image, precious to Him. (I was very touched by this Worldview Moments video, where Dr. Del Tackett tells a personal story about the joy he saw in a woman who loved music. What a beautiful story, showing how life matters at every stage.)

The Best Is Still Ahead

There is deep comfort in knowing that our believing loved ones, as they age and weaken, have not passed their peak, as the world imagines. They have yet to reach their peak. And if a peak is ever reached in the next world (I doubt it will be), there will never be a subsequent decline. The thrill of being in the presence of Christ will never wear off, and the adventures ahead of us will always be better than the ones behind. Our God offers not the end of longing, but the continual fulfillment of it—infinite joy and gratitude to the One who did it all for us. Our believing loved ones, whether parents or children or spouses or friends, will be there to greet us, likely eager to show us some favorite places. For those who know the grace of Jesus, the ultimate reunion awaits us.

In the meantime, often God uses waning health and vitality not only to increase impact on others who benefit by caring for the elderly (my father and I gained a much closer relationship in his final years, when he needed my help), but by preparing the sick and elderly for Heaven. It is easier to let go of this world when there is no realistic hope that our health will improve, but only get worse. Now the whispers of Heaven become glad shouts of invitation: “Come here, where all will be right—not again, but for the first time!” As the blind relish the promise of sight, and the lame the promise of full mobility, the sick long for health, and the old long for the fresh vitality of youth.

What about When the Elderly Is...Us?

After playing tennis at an athletic club, I overheard two retired men saying, “We’re not much use anymore, are we?” They were joking, but only sort of. They seemed to feel it was mostly true.

Our physical and mental abilities can and will decrease over time, but may we as God’s children never feel useless. We can always pray, and we can usually speak and mentor and reach out in the name of Jesus, and show the love of Christ and the wisdom of having invested our lives in Him.

Psalm 92 says of the elderly, “They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green” (v. 14). God describes His people as those “who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you” (Isaiah 46:3-4).

Susan Hunt writes in Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture:

Old age, when life becomes quieter and slower, is prime time to reflect on the power of the gospel to change us. It is also a time when we are tempted to think small—to think about our aches and pains, our disappointments and unrealized expectations. Will we be good stewards of our old age? Even as physical strength diminishes, will we pursue our destiny—knowing God?

As we grow older, let’s not sit in the rocking chair looking back at those days when we served God. On the contrary, let’s serve God with greater zeal. Let’s pour ourselves into serving others for the glory of God. None of us knows how much time we have left in this world, but in terms of eternity, the time for all of us is very short. No matter what our age, we can all benefit from this perspective. As missionary C. T. Studd put it, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

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Bitter Ingredients, Good Outcome

Like many psalms, Psalm 71 contains both complaint and praise:

Even when I am old and gray,

do not forsake me, O God,

till I declare your power to the next generation,

your might to all who are to come.

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God,

you who have done great things.

Who, O God, is like you?

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,

you will restore my life again;

from the depths of the earth

you will again bring me up.

You will increase my honor

and comfort me once again.

I will praise you with the harp

for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praise to you with the lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

My lips will shout for joy

when I sing praise to you—

I, whom you have redeemed.

—Psalm 71:18–23

The unknown psalmist speaks on behalf of God’s people of all times, declaring that God has done great things while honestly affirming, “You have made me see troubles, many and bitter.” Notice he recognizes not merely that bad things have happened but that his good God has had a hand in them.

No sooner does God’s child say this, then he declares his confidence that his destiny lies not in his many bitter troubles, but in God’s sovereign and gracious plan for him: “You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.”

He knows that as surely as God is God, his Redeemer will not forsake him. For the God of purpose has written a grand story, and the final glorious chapter, one that will never end, has not yet been acted out on Earth’s stage.

Psalm 71 joins countless Scriptures in assuming the truth revealed in Romans 8:28—that God will, in the end, bring a magnificent outcome to what now, at times, seems dismally bitter.

There is an all-inclusiveness in the “all things” of Romans 8:28. No translation says each thing by itself is good, but that all things work together for good, and not on their own but under God’s sovereign hand. Romans 8:28 declares a cumulative and ultimate good, not an individual or immediate good.

Before my mother would make a cake, she used to lay the ingredients on the kitchen counter. One day I decided to experiment. I tasted the individual ingredients for a chocolate cake. Baking powder. Baking soda. Raw eggs. Vanilla extract. I discovered that almost everything that goes into a cake tastes terrible by itself. But a remarkable metamorphosis took place when my mother mixed the ingredients in the right amounts and baked them together. The cake tasted delicious. Yet judging by the taste of each component, I never would have believed cake could taste so good.

In a similar way, the individual ingredients of trials and apparent tragedies taste bitter to us. Romans 8:28 doesn’t tell me I should say, “It is good,” if my leg breaks or my house burns down or I am robbed and beaten or my child dies. But no matter how bitter the taste of the individual components, God can carefully measure out and mix all ingredients together and regulate the temperature in order to produce a wonderful final product.

When Paul says, “for the good,” he clearly implies final or ultimate good, not good subjectively felt in the midst of our sufferings. As his wife, Joy, underwent cancer treatments, C. S. Lewis wrote to a friend, “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”

Father, the psalmist and Lewis didn’t deny the painfulness and bitterness we must swallow in this fallen world. Neither do we. But with them we affirm both your power and your commitment to us, your children, to do what will ultimately be best for us. Despite the repulsive flavor of some of its ingredients, give us a foretaste of that delicious chocolate cake you have promised. Thank you that though we could never turn the bad into good, you can, you do, and you will. It is why you are called the Redeemer.

Excerpted from  90 Days of God's Goodness .

Photo: Unsplash

Imagine Meeting in Heaven Those We’ve Forgotten or Only Briefly Met, and Who God Used in Our Lives

Have you ever wished you had a better memory to recall the people you’ve met throughout your lifetime? I have often wished I could call up recordings of conversing with people I’ve met at churches, conventions, airports, and many more places. I suspect we will be able to recall conversations and “chance” meetings when we see those people again in Heaven, and instantly bond over what we had once completely or largely forgotten. I think that will be delightful, and we will suddenly understand that we owe this person thoughts and even life directions that we never realized.

It is more obvious to consider those we know we owe much to, such as parents, grandparents, and teachers, and it’s clear that we’ll know and recognize our loved ones and friends in Heaven. But how many people—including people whose names we never knew—said or did something that impacted us profoundly? Perhaps one day we will realize it, and I think we'll be stunned and amazed how God used that stranger—and perhaps that angel in disguise (Hebrews 13:2)—to encourage, warn, or rebuke us. Or perhaps their words or actions prompted us to explore new directions or go to a particular place where God did a particular thing in us that molded us and shaped us into Christlikeness.

I think this could even extend to animal encounters that we had in this life, and since there are biblical grounds to believe there will be animals on the New Earth, perhaps we will see a dog, a frog, or a hog and remember what we had forgotten, or realize, for the first time ever, what we never knew.

For certain, we won’t be dumber once we get to Heaven; we’ll be smarter, with better memories than ever:

Ephesians 2:6-7 says, “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace.” The word show means “to reveal.” The phrase in the coming ages clearly indicates this will be a progressive, ongoing revelation, in which we learn more and more about God’s grace. This may well include learning how God was working in our lives in ways we weren’t aware of at the time. And it will all be to His praise and glory.

What joy awaits us in reacquainting ourselves with people, angels, and animals that God brought into our lives for a purpose we never had a clue about!

Browse more resources on the topic of Heaven, and see Randy’s related books, including  Heaven .

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A. W. Tozer on the Constant, Wonder-Working Jesus

When I'm asked what writers had the most profound influence on me as a young Christian, I always say there were three, and they continue to influence me today: C. S. Lewis, A. W. Tozer, and Francis Schaeffer. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy, a fabulous book on the attributes of God, is my favorite nonfiction book of all time.

Here are some reflections from Tozer about Jesus (from Tozer on the Son of God: A 365-Day Devotional):

Because change is everywhere around us at all times on this earth and among human beings, it is difficult for us to grasp the eternal and unchanging nature and person of Jesus Christ.

Nothing about our Lord Jesus Christ has changed down to this very hour. His love has not changed. His compassionate understanding of us has not changed. His interest in us and His purposes for us have not changed.

He is Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is the very same Jesus. Even though He has been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, and made Head over all things to the Church, His love for us remains unchanged.

It is hard for us to accept the majestic simplicity of this constant, wonder-working Jesus. We are used to getting things changed so that they are always bigger and better!

He is Jesus, easier to approach than the humblest friend you ever had! He is the sun that shines upon us, He is the star of our night. He is the giver of our life and the rock of our hope. He is our safety and our future. He is our righteousness, our sanctification, our inheritance.

You will find that He is all of this in that instant that you move your heart towards Him in faith!

See Randy's books  It's All About Jesus  and  Face to Face with Jesus .

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How to Avoid Making an Idol of Your Marriage and Spouse

A thoughtful young man asked me:

My wife and I were talking about idols, and wondering to what degree marriage, or your significant other, can become an idol? We talked about the idea that something is an idol if you would be discontent without it. But we know that marriage is such a gift from the Lord, and you are more united to that person than any other person. We thought of you, and wanted to ask your thoughts on this?

When the apostle John wrote to Christ-followers near the end of the first century, most had nothing to do with carved idols. Still, his final words to them were, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). The New Living Translation captures the meaning this way: “Keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”

In the Christian worldview, created things are a means to help us delight in God. The problems start when we believe we can find more happiness in God’s creation than in God Himself.

Remembering What’s Primary

What helped Nanci and I most avoid idolatry in marriage was that over the years, we came to say—and to really believe—that we were each other's second best friend. Based on John 15 and His sacrificial love toward us, Jesus was our best friend. No one else was close to taking the place we had in each other’s lives, but we would always put God first. We knew that we needed to look to Him to meet our deepest needs because He is the primary, and we are the secondary. 

It is not always easy to think of that person you love so much as being secondary in any sense. But your spouse must be, because as C. S. Lewis pointed out, whenever we make the secondary primary, we ruin the secondary. In The Great Divorce, he illustrated that with a woman who swore she loved her family, but by making them first in her thinking, she imagined they owed her some great debt of gratitude because of all she had done for them, supposedly out of love. But there was no way they could fulfill her expectations and in her selfishness, which she thought of as sacrificial, she was always disappointed in them, and drove them away and made their lives miserable. That's what idolatry will do to something that should be good and pure and healthy. 

Tim Keller wrote:

To live for anything else but God leads to breakdown and decay. When a fish leaves the water, which he was built for, he is not free, but dead. Worshiping other things . . . cannot deliver satisfaction, because they were never meant to be “gods.” They were never meant to replace God.

Idolatry Is a Heavy Burden

For me and for Nanci, reminding ourselves that God was first guarded our relationship from being idolatrous. We did not mistake each other for Jesus or see each other as a substitute for Him. Of course, learning that lesson required trial and error. Early on in our relationship, it was easy to be so enamored with each other and our love for each other that we could put each other before Jesus, without thinking of it that way.

We knew we loved Jesus, but we loved each other so much and that love for the person physically in front of us was fresh and new and visible. So I think at times we did in fact put the human we loved above the God-man we loved. Not only was that unhealthy spiritually, but it was also unhealthy for our relationship, because we simply could not live up to each other's expectations.

Once we learned our lessons the hard way, that took the pressure off both of us. Having a spouse who looks to you to make him or her happy all the time is a heavy burden to live under in a fallen world under the curse, and where we still experience the sin nature that is constantly fighting against our new nature. No one can be successful in fulfilling another person’s deepest needs, and it imposes a constant stream of pressure and disappointment and frustration. The implication is, "Sometimes I am not happy, and since it's your role to make me happy and satisfied, you’re failing me." Someone may not mean to say that, but that's the message the other partner gets when your marriage is an idol. It simply cannot provide what you are expecting or demanding of it. 

Only our omnipotent, all-sufficient Savior is capable of meeting our deepest needs. The best we can do as marriage partners, soulmates, and second-best friends is look to Him to meet our deepest needs and encourage each other to do the same. There is great joy in helping each other look to Jesus! That is when marriage truly reflects the picture of the relationship between Christ and His bride that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 5.

The Priceless Friendship of Jesus

God used my wife to meet deep needs in me, and He used me to meet deep needs in her, but He was our greatest source of happiness and contentment. That's why both of us could live without the other when He chose to take one of us home to Heaven first. And He has truly been my best friend.

The friendship of Jesus He promised in John 15 has been my daily reality. I tell myself that Nanci is literally living in the presence of her best friend, and I am experiencing and sensing His presence with me every day. So at her death, neither of us lost our best friend. He is still with both of us, even though we are not yet reunited.

Nanci is at a higher level of relationship with Him than she has ever been, and I believe in a lesser way, so am I. This is the proof that our marriage was not our idol. We didn't worship it or each other; we worshiped Him, the only One worthy of worship.

When a spouse dies, it’s normal for grief to be intense, because the only way to avoid grief is to avoid love, and the greater the love, the greater the grief. However, when grief remains inconsolable over a period of time, it's a sign that quite possibly you are looking to your partner, even after their death, as your primary need-meeter. In other words, this exposes your idolatry. How much better to reach that conclusion and express that to each other in your lifetime. Nanci and I did, and I am profoundly grateful. (However, it’s never too late to come to the right conclusion, and to ask the Lord to help you make Him first! Every day we walk with Jesus is a second chance.)

Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

I can't live without Jesus, and while I don't want to live without Nanci, that is the way it is, and for now I must. I am sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:10. I love that we are to be always rejoicing, instead of always sorrowful—the joy eclipses the sorrow.

When I remember Nanci, which I still do daily two years after her homegoing (which was on the other side a homecoming), it’s true I experience a certain amount of loneliness for her. What I tell people is: I am not lonely in general; I am lonely for Nanci in particular. That delivers me from having to search for a new primary need-meeter, since while she was chief of the secondary, she was not the primary.

The memories are so good and so precious that they make me smile and fill my heart. At first after her death, it was nine parts sorrow for every one part joy. A year later, it was five parts of each, and now it is nine parts happiness and one part sorrow. I look forward to seeing her again. I have wept often, but I experience more joy in reflecting upon her than I do sorrow. There is no despair, only gratitude.

I can’t tell you how thankful I am for those last four years of being her primary caregiver, and seeing the power of God in her life. My second best friend led me daily to the feet of my best friend Jesus, and I will be eternally grateful to both Him and her. Had she or our marriage been my idol, my present grief would be a profoundly different experience, and much less healthy than it has been. It's been hard, but still healthy.

Traveling Heavenward Together

I still find immense happiness in reading Nanci's journals she kept during her cancer years, and pondering the quotes she wrote out by hand from Charles Spurgeon, John Piper, Paul David Tripp, Andrew Murray, and many others (I smile when I see a quote that sounds familiar, and then under it she has written “Randy” 😂). There is such delight in remembering the things we did together all over the world with each other and our children, including the wonderful vacations and the ways we served the Lord, gave to God's kingdom, and invested in eternity together. Knowing her death was coming soon, we could honestly say to each other, with all our imperfections and because of His forgiving grace: we had no regrets. 

A couple of weeks before she died, Nanci was sitting up in bed, and I was holding her hand and she said, smiling but in tears, “Randy, thank you for my life." I said in tears, "Nanci, thank YOU for MY life." I thought it was so beautiful that we saw our lives as so intertwined, we really had become one. God had used us in each other’s lives to grow us spiritually, and to make us better lovers and followers of Jesus. 

More Resources for Further Reflection

Here are some resources I hope might be helpful:

I listened to this 11-minute Ask Pastor John that I hadn’t heard for years. It doesn’t get much better than this. The entire portion is worth listening to, and it’s all in the transcript at that link. He asked three good questions, but it was the second that most resonated with me:

2. Does your affection for and delight in your husband detract from or diminish your delight in the word of God, the people of God, and the service of God? Or does your affection for him, your enjoyment of him deepen and intensify your love for Christ, your enjoyment of his word, and your engagement with his people?

“Happy is the husband, and happy is the wife, whose love for each other is secondary to their love for Christ.”

In other words, the first suggestion asks, what are the effects of losing your husband? And the second suggestion asks, what are the effects of the ongoing presence and enjoyment of your husband? Jesus says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

I think he would say, whoever loves husband or wife more than me is not worthy of me. We can measure the superiority of our affection for Jesus both by what would happen if we lost our best earthly beloved and what happens while we enjoy our best earthly beloved.

Here is a 45-second clip on idolatry.

Here is a 7-minute video on idolatry, taken from a message on happiness.

This is an article I wrote on idolatry, and this is an article that has some good points in it about how you can know if your marriage becomes an idol.

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