In Psalm 36:8, David thanks God that His people may “drink from the river of your delights.” Here, the word for “delights” is the plural of “Eden”, and the “delights” are the occasional sips God provides us that point to a past and future paradise. These “delights” strengthen our hope of heaven and strengthen us to live in this world for Him. Jesus provided such a moment for His disciples in the event known as the Transfiguration, when Jesus took His disciples Peter, James, and John up a mountain for a vision of His future glory. Matthew records in his gospel that Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.”[1]
Moses and Elijah also appeared and spoke with Jesus, perhaps representing the law and the prophets of the Old Testament and how it all pointed to Jesus. Peter wanted to make this moment last, and offered to “make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”[2] But it was not intended to last long, yet.
The Transfiguration was a preview of heaven, a sneak peek into what eternity will be like, a promise of future blessing under Jesus, the glorified King. The fulfillment of everything the law and prophets hinted at will be realized. However, Moses and Elijah soon disappeared, Jesus and His disciples descended from the mountain, and the disciples very soon struggled as we all do, but they persevered as we also must.
Pray that God will make eternity real to His people today, even if for only a moment, giving a “drink from the river of your delights” and strengthen us to live for Him.
Each June 18 in in the African nation of Zimbabwe, a festival is held to remember the service of Bernard Mizeki and his martyrdom on this date in 1896. As recently as 2005, almost twenty thousand attended the festival at a time when Zimbabwe had massive food shortages and an unemployment rate of 80 percent!
As profiled in the book “Clouds of Witnesses” by Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom[1], Mizeki found Christ, was baptized, and became a missionary under the influence of an Anglican order in Cape Town, South Africa. He planted[2] a one-man mission among the Shona people in an area then known as Theydon, now part of Zimbabwe. The Shona worshiped a creator-deity they called Mwari and sometimes practiced the killing of twin babies and the murder of those identified as sorcerers by their leaders.
Mizeki befriended Shona Chief Mangwende, learned their language in one year, translated key Biblical texts and Christian creeds, held Anglican services, and sought to reform the practices mentioned above. He also identified with and invested in the Shona by marrying a Shona woman, teaching children and others to sing, and providing medical care. His work prospered, and many came to believe.
However, opposition to his work began to grow, especially from those who saw his work as an assault on their culture and authority. On the night of June 17th, 1896 he was assaulted in front of his home and had a spear driven into his side. It seems Mizeki’s removal of some “sacred trees” was the last straw. Then the account gets truly interesting.
Multiple accounts by Africans and Europeans attest to a “great and brilliant white light” and “a noise ‘like many wings of great birds’” around the hut where Mizeki was laid while his friends cared for him, seemingly near death. There was a “strange red glow” around Mizeki’s hut and afterward his body was gone, never to be seen again. Jean Farrant, who documented witness accounts in her book on Mizeki, says each person must decide what to make of this, but that “something happened that night which to the Africans was beyond explanation, which frightened them very much, and left a deep impression”[3] This event is still celebrated today, and others have taken up Mizeki’s work.
Soli Deo Gloria!
[1] Noll, Mark A.; Nystrom, Carolyn. Clouds of Witnesses: Christian Voices from Africa and Asia (2011). This post is drawn from chapter 1. [2] John 12:24 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” [3] Farrant, Jean. Mashonaland Martyr: Bernard Mizeki and the Pioneer Church (1966). P. 216-22. Cited in Clouds of Witnesses P. 30.
Day or night, we are here above you. We speak a universal language understandable to all people, and we share our message with every part of the world.
But we aren’t really interested in talking about ourselves.
It is our pleasure and joy to serve our Maker for your benefit and His glory. He has perfectly equipped us for our tasks.
One of your poets once said it this way:
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.”[1]
We were here before you were, but our Maker was here before us and will be here when we’re gone. For you, He has us mark the days and seasons. We give light for you to see, warmth for your comfort, and energy for your food to grow.
He asked us to tell you of His power and His love for you. We are not here by accident, and neither are you. Whoever you are, the sun rises for you and the rain falls in its time. He ensures it.
The Apostle Paul says that God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”[2]
Today, rejoice in the regularity of the heavens, which declare to all people in all times and places that the eternal God cares about them.
The Gospel of Mark records two miraculous feedings of multitudes. The first was mainly a Jewish crowd of about 5,000 in Mark 6:30-44; the second was a mainly Gentile group of about 4,000 in Mark 8:1-9. These two stories are very well known, but if you read on Mark adds this about Jesus’ disciples in 8:14 – “Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.”
On this verse Warren Wiersbe remarks: “It must have grieved Jesus that His hand-picked helpers were so spiritually obtuse. The fact that He had multiplied bread on two occasions and fed over ten thousand people had apparently made little impression on them! Why worry and argue over one loaf of bread when you have Jesus in the boat with you?”[1]
When well-known Bible stories have little impact on us, remember that these disciples knew the story even better than we do – they were there! Jesus did not give up on them and will not give up on us.
Have you forgotten to trust Jesus with something today? He desires to be “in the boat with you” in constant fellowship. Ask Him to take your anxiety and to supply your daily bread. He never forgets.
[1] Wiersbe, Warren. Be Diligent (Mark) (1987). P. 97.
Joshua, Moses’ hand-picked successor, was very aware of the consequences of failing to trust God. After being delivered from Egypt, Israel was led to Canaan – their promised land – and God had Moses “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel.”[1] The purpose of the spy mission was not to decide whether or not to move into the land. God promised to give it to them. However, when the 12 spies returned, 10 of them said “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”[2] Only Joshua and Caleb said they should take the land anyway, because God’s promise and strength was enough for them. Because the people rebelled, trusting 10 disloyal spies rather than Him, God said Israel must wander the wilderness for years and only Joshua and Caleb would live long enough to enter the land.
After taking 40 years to make what could have been an 11-day journey[3] to the Jordan River where Israel would enter the land, God knew, and Joshua knew, that divided loyalties could doom everyone to another 40-year wilderness adventure.
Arriving at the flooded Jordan River, some people may have doubted whether Joshua get them across. Joshua had just become their leader, and perhaps the failure of Moses, who recently died, meant the failure of their dreams of the promised land. After all, they saw the Red Sea part for Moses. Could Joshua get them over this river?
Then in Joshua 3:15 we find this note: “(now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest)”. Why is this phrase important? Israel arrived at the Jordan at the most difficult time to cross. The river would be as deep and as wide as ever, and likely the current would be stronger as well. A sensible person would avoid crossing at this time, but God chose the most “difficult” time to perform this miracle to show that nothing is difficult for Him. This phrase is there because entering the promised land should glorify God and God alone.
By coming to the Jordan specifically when it “overflows all its banks” God wanted to remind His people that only He can and will deliver them. The Red Sea wasn’t parted because of Moses; it was parted because of God. God could deliver Israel without Moses, but Moses couldn’t deliver Israel without God. It was never about Moses. Likewise, Joshua wasn’t going to get them to their land; God was. The flood gave the people no reason to credit Joshua for their success.
As instructed, this is how they crossed the flooded river: “as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.” – Joshua 3:15-17
Joshua was very clear about giving God credit, and it’s a lesson for Christians in all times and places. When God raises up leaders, He also reminds us that they are but men and tools in His hand. They are also profoundly fallible. 10 out of 12 human leaders being wrong left Israel wandering for 40 years. Only God leads anyone to salvation and only when they trust Him alone for it. He often works through fallen human leaders, raising them up to lead His people, not because He prefers sinful leaders over virtuous ones, but because there is no other kind of person and because He is jealous for His own glory.
Is there a flooded river God wants you to cross? When we attempt things that only make sense because God told us to do them, we may be more likely to do or witness something that glorifies God and God alone, because only He could do it.
Are there rivers you have crossed in the past? Like God told Joshua after this crossing to lay memorial stones so they would never forget (see Joshua 4), make sure to keep a record of God’s power and faithfulness in your life.
Sometimes life is hard on purpose. Sometimes the river is flooded because God wants to show you something awesome.
Therefore, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9b
Driving Toward the Morning Sun 