Psalm 67

The first time I remember paying attention to Psalm 67 was when reading notes that Jim Elliot had made in his journals. Appropriate, considering his interest in the subject that interests the psalmist: the nations of the earth.

In the years following 9/11, nations new and ancient have occupied our attention: Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia and Georgia, Libya and South Sudan. Some nations, like South Sudan, should receive more of our attention.

If we would allow this psalm to renew our minds, our interest in these places would go beyond our own national security, beyond our questions about the economy and price of gas, and beyond even a love for democracy and freedom. The writer of Psalm 67 prays for the nations to be rightly related to God. How would this happen?

His first prayer is for God’s blessing on His people, the Jews, a blessing that he hopes will result in the nations’ praise of, fear of, and joy in God. We haven’t seen this yet. How would this happen?

The Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon piques our interest as we watch her observe God’s blessing on Israel and as she then praises Yahweh (2 Chronicles 9:1-8). But this leaves us unsatisfied. Has God answered the Psalm 67 prayer? What kind of blessing would result in the nations’ being rightly related to God?

The answer is found in the New Testament, where we read of God’s blessing on the Jews in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah . . . “that the Gentiles (the nations) might glorify God for His mercy” (Romans 15:8-9). We wait to see further fulfillment of the psalmist’s prayer when Jesus will exercise His full, visible rule over this planet and its nations. But in the meantime, you and I as (mostly) Gentiles from the nations rejoice and glorify God for His mercy to us. Undeserved mercy! Why did we respond to the gospel when North Koreans will die without hearing Jesus? How will they call on someone whom they will never hear?

There is a right way to think about the nations of the earth. Jesus is the only way for these nations to be rightly related to God. We glorify Him for His mercy to us. And those mercies are adequate motivation for us to present our bodies in living sacrifice . . . that the nations might experience such mercy and thus glorify God. And South Sudanese brethren have known greater sacrifice.

Summer 2011 Report

We have returned to the U.S. following a three-month visit to Uruguay, which we began in late May. The primary reason for the trip was to oversee the ministry of Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha in the city of Pando while Don and Pat Garwood were in the U.S. for a short furlough. The Garwoods are Déborah’s father and stepmother and serve with Maranatha Bible Missions. Thank you for your part in sending us. We will continue to need your prayers.

The Garwoods have diligently worked for years on the side of railroad tracks that more or less form the boundary of a particularly difficult area of town. Some of these northern barrios tend to be known for crime and vice and are more economically challenged than are many other areas in Uruguay. Déborah’s brother (Daniel), and his wife (Viviana), faithfully help with morning Sunday school and the Sunday evening preaching service. For thirteen weeks we had opportunity to better acquaint ourselves with a group of people that came to one or more of the four regular weekly meetings. Don and Pat are eager for help in making disciples of these and other contacts.

Other towns across the Uruguayan pampas are in need of clear gospel testimony and sustained Bible teaching. In other nations the landscape is even bleaker. But we are encouraged by the condition of the Uruguayan churches, and we look forward to their being further strengthened and used by God to proclaim His glory in this region and elsewhere around the world. Our future ministry will focus on training laborers, as we work alongside these churches, national pastors, and faithful missionaries. The warm welcome we received from people—some connected to the EMU churches, others not—encourage us that there is a definite place for us here.

During these months John Mark attempted to emphasize certain themes (as did Déborah in a couple of encouraging, well-attended ladies’ meetings): understanding of the gospel, recognition of God’s control of everything (Dan. 4:35), and identification of God’s good purposes (Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28-30). We encouraged memorization of these verses and reading through the gospel of John. On our final Sunday evening, we heard testimonies of the Lord’s work in people’s hearts, followed by a time of food and fellowship they had planned.

We were also able to have regular contact with some of the EMU ministries: JM attended a couple of morning prayer meetings with the Montevideo-area missionaries, visited Camp Emmanuel, and sat in on a Bible institute class. Many opportunities arose to see other pastors and friends. We’re thankful for friendships strengthened, and we’re hopeful that the Lord will use in the future what we experienced these months. The primary benefit of our time in Uruguay may have been our own learning and the further preparation that it provided for our upcoming return. Please pray that we, along with Matías and Kristine Espinel, will be able to move permanently within this next year. We have reached 43% of EMU’s goal for our financial support; the Espinels are receiving 54%.

During the fall we will again travel to the western U.S. and Canada, beginning with three weeks in Alaska, where JM plans to visit churches, preach and teach, see friends, talk with pastors, and share information about the work in Uruguay. Please pray for encouraging services and conversations in which the Lord will accomplish His purposes among His people through His Word. Thank you for the many ways you encourage and help us.

Jesus to a man with wealth, youth, and influence

Do you desire eternal life? Or, in other words, do you want to enter the kingdom of God, do you want to be “saved”? Jesus says that only God is good. Jesus is both God and good. You are neither. When confronted with God’s law, you fall short (especially if you consider how Jesus heightened the standard). Even if you can in some way say that you’ve kept the impossible law of God, you still lack: “Leave everything for My sake and the gospel’s sake; you’ll be abundantly blessed in this age and receive eternal life in the age to come,” says the One who died and rose to give eternal life to those who respond in this way. Cling to everything (your god, your goodness) to lose everything; follow Christ to gain all.

Mark 10:17-31 (also Matthew 19:16-30; and Luke 18:18-30)

Your place in society cannot keep you from pleasing God.

According to Luke’s gospel, your place in society cannot keep you from pleasing God. Jesus’ identification of the Samaritan (10:25-37); his commendation of Mary (10:38-42); and his story of the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31) give hope that such classifications as race, gender, and economic position are no liability for the one who would please God. The fatal liability is one’s pride that refuses to place him or her in the only category for which Jesus offers hope: the category of sinner (5:30-32). Justified sinners can please God as His grace works in them.

Prayer for us and for Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha:

• Reliance upon God’s grace for faithfulness in regular Bible reading;
• Complete trust in God’s sovereign hand (Daniel 4:35);
• Admiration for the Lord Jesus for his works (in John 5, those of future judgment and of giving us eternal life); and
• Encouraging meetings for the Garwoods in the U.S. during these months, as well as the rest that they need.

Our Trip with Jona

Written Wednesday, 25 May 2011

When our nephew Jonatán was five years old, we took him along with us on a month-long trip to Uruguay. Our 1981 diesel Oldsmobile took us first from South Carolina to Miami. Jona sat in the front seat, between Deborah and me (though now with kids of my own, I’m wondering if he was really supposed to be up there). We had no children at the time; but Jona as a five-year-old counted for maybe three. A theme that developed in the front seat was—directed to him to encourage calmness—“If I crash, you crash.” He liked it. In Costa Rica, rather late in our layover, we decided to try to tour as much of the country as we could in half an hour or so. Barely returning to our gate in time—Jona in tow—we caught our flight to the next layover in Lima, Perú. Our memories of Lima include running Jona in the airport to tire him out, following one of his dad’s suggestions to us.

The purpose of our trip was both to visit family and to continue surveying the possibility of returning someday for the sake of the gospel. A more deliberate theme for the trip came from the first few verses of Psalm 105: “Make known his deeds among the people. . . . talk of all his wondrous works.” I distinctly remember talking with Jona about some of this. And certainly our trip included some opportunity to make God known—a daunting and humbling idea for sure—as we at least a few times talked about what God had done.

As I write—sitting in the same Costa Rica airport en route to Uruguay with my own energetic five-year-old—we are finishing the first month since Jona’s life was taken by cancer. At his memorial service several people spoke; but much of the time was taken up by recordings of Jona’s own testimony. With the psalmist David (Jona’s middle name), Jona talked of God’s lifting him from the miry clay and setting his feet on a rock. And he did this before an audience of a thousand people. But the audience in reality was much, much larger. For twenty months believers from literally across the globe watched this young man respond to God’s dealings with him. Jona’s life and words tell of God’s work in one of His children.

Though we acknowledge many God-given talents that Jona enjoyed, if we’re honest we have to admit that in many ways he really was a rather ordinary guy. The chemotherapy was excruciating. He told us in his memorial service of even wanting to end his own life, due to the effects of the treatment on his body and mind. And he of course struggled with sin along with the rest of us. But his life was one that knew God’s grace: God’s saving grace given to him in the gospel and His ongoing, sustaining grace, also given to Him in Christ. And in his weakness and ultimate death, he made known God’s deeds and talked of His works “among the people.” It was God’s grace at work in ordinary weakness. That offers hope for my own five-year-old (and seven-month-old). And it provides hope for ordinary people like me.

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works (Psalm 105:1-2).

Prayer for men

Please pray for men, and for men that will be men. We do want to see whole families discipled. And we value every person whose heart the Lord has opened. But if it’s true that we should gravitate toward people, we want to deliberately run toward the men. Please pray for desire in the hearts of men to lead their families and the church.

This past Sunday afternoon, M (a man) visited the preaching service. He has known the pastor’s family, his sister-in-law attends services, but this was his first visit. Please pray for profitable future contact.