May 13, 2020 -- Psalm 119:165 -- Great crises and greater peace

Great peace have those who love your law;

nothing can make them stumble.

Psalm 119:165 English Standard Version

The truth of these words is especially dear to me today. Over the last two weeks dear brothers and colleagues have been embroiled in the urgent question of whether or not our churches should be open in defiance of our civil magistrates (our duly appointed government). Those of you who have read my posts have seen the wildness of my passionate arguments—like a child learning to wield a sword slicing himself and others and things at random. What speaks to me is the peace that has followed the conflict. We had a Presbytery meeting on Saturday and though I was poised and ready for a fist fight, I was met with brothers who disagreed with me, but nevertheless, showed great restraint and kindness. In light of this, the power of this verse is especially true for me today.

We have great peace because God’s law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

We have great peace because as we have been forgiven in Jesus Christ so we are free to offer and receive such forgiveness.

We have great peace because we can disagree and not be afraid that the love of God and the love of brothers and sisters in Christ will be withdrawn from us.

We have great peace because the Accuser, Satan, will attempt to continue to stir up anger and doubt and sow insidious questions among us—but this we know: all our wrong-doing has been cast onto Christ at the cross and He has been punished in our place and therefore we have the righteousness of Jesus.

We have great peace because the Law of God is proven just and good and this law has led us to Jesus Christ so that nothing can make us stumble: our circumstances, our wrong-doing, their wrong-doing, our world—nothing can make us stumble beyond the grip of His grace. What comfort we have. What great grace surrounds us.

Those of you who know my story, may know that at the final classis meeting where my status was to be determined, I was not even allowed to speak. I was denied access to the meeting. It was staggering. Brothers and colleagues whom I’d know and worked with for decades all withdrew; it felt as if I was bereft of their love, their support. I confess I was stumbling over that. I confess I was starting to live in the straitjacket of those experiences, rather than in the wide expanse of God’s great peace.

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit reminded me that all of us are guilty before God. All of us are in need of the mercy and salvific work of Jesus Christ. As such, I did not stumble now, I rose up and blessed God for showing me what a church meeting, one that was filled with landmines of hard topics, what such a meeting could be like. The Spirit going before, sweeping the mines, the Spirit reminding us of the Word, of the Glory of God and the promise of how good it is when brothers live together in unity.

It was healing. I had forgiven my colleagues of my previous denomination. I have in the past asked for their forgiveness. Some responded. Some did not. Still, God is great and His Spirit is bringing healing to the greatest depths of our need. And recently through the events of the last two weeks, God has shown what great peace can exist among brothers who strongly disagree on things or rulings, but are united in the majesty of Jesus Christ and His truth.

LORD of Glory—streams of tears flow from my eyes because Your law is not obeyed. Mighty God of salvation, You have opened the way of salvation through Jesus Christ and we who know Your extravagant mercy plead for family members and friends who do not know the strong power of Your forgiving love demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ. Spirit of the Living God work in the hearts and lives of family members and friends, colleagues and neighbours, especially now, in these days of Covid-19 crisis where so many have no world-view adequate to comprehend or face the gut-wrenching consequences for employment, work, their future, their family, and mental health. Triune and blessed God, may the great peace of those who love Your law stand as a glowing witness, a lighthouse to draw many to Jesus Christ. Amen.