Confident identity - a time for everything *

NORSK
Today, I feel very fortunate to be able to participate in a "Confirmation". It is our oldest grandson, Adam, who will be confirmed as loved by God and of us who appreciate him and love him as the good boy he has been and the great man he has become.

It is important for every individual to be confident in his identity. I believe that Jesus’s confidence in his identity made it possible for him was fulfill the mission he had come to accomplish. In the passage I have been studying in the past week, Jesus says:

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
John 16:28

He had just told the disciples that “the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God”. Through their faith in him, they had helped to confirm him. At the same time, Jesus knew that they would ‘be scattered, each to his own home and leave me all alone’ (2). They would therefore fail in the crucial moment.

• We seek confirmation from people around us, but people will not always be there for us.
• We seek confirmation in what we do, but we will not always be able to do what we want.
• We seek confirmation in what we have, but what we have can never confirm us as human beings.

Therefore, it becomes so important where I have my identity, and I want to have my identity in Christ. That is my greatest wish for Adam as well. Of course, I hope that he receives material gifts and provisions for what he needs every day; opportunities to be affirmed through exciting and challenging jobs; and not the least, that he will continue to be confirmed by people who love him. However, the only affirmation that comes with a durability guarantee is the confirmation in Christ.

‘Manna’ for today:

Where do I have my identity?

-----------------------------------
(1) Adam, you came as a blessing, have been a blessing and are a blessing. We pray God's continued blessings upon your life!

(2) John 16:32
* 'A time for everything' is connected with the Bible's teaching about a 'season for every activity' Eccl 3 This series is about the teaching in the ime between Easter and Pentecost  

Knowing when to remain silent - a step on the journey

"There is a time for everything", the ecclesiastic wrote and then followed a tirade of opposites such as the following:

“a time to be silent and a time to speak”
Eccl 3:7b

Most likely I was more inclined to overspend the time to speak in the past, and I was probably regarded as rather ascetic in my use of the time to be silent. However, I have become more conscious of the importance of taking a deep breath and testing out the art of listening rather than speaking. Sometimes I succeed, but not always.

After Jesus had affirmed Peter and told that his confession was right, he came with an exhortation that must have seemed strange for his disciples:

Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Matt 6:20

A couple of days back, I stated that it is important for others that I confess who Jesus is. Therefore, it may seem a little strange that Jesus came with this message.

The quote from Ecclesiastes is part of the explanation. It was important for Jesus to 'buy time'. Jesus knew that the scope of time he had to teach his disciples about what would happen in Jerusalem, was limited. If the disciples began to spread the news that Jesus is the Messiah, he could risk being stoned before they reached Jerusalem. I think the simple explanation is that Jesus needed every minute of the journey to the preparation and teaching of the disciples. In a few days’ time, I will return time set aside to speak.

Today I am reminded about how important it is to listen to what the Lord says when it comes to art of being silent.

‘Manna’ for today:

God, tell me when it is right to remain silent!

-------------------------------------
* Something made me silent even when I was young

Affirmation gives confidence in ministry

NORSK
Yesterday I read how Paul “passed the baton” to Timothy. Paul had on several occasions confirmed Timothy both in personal words and greetings, but also by reminding him of the prophecies made about him. This affirmation gave Timothy authority and confidence for the ministry he had already taken on, and the challenges ahead.

by them (the affirmations) you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience
1 Tim 1:18b-19a

Faith is a precondition for all work in the kingdom of God, and when leadership roles are in focus, it is extremely important that the conscience is a vital part of the decision-making. If not, it can quickly end up with abuse of power. Following up the quoted verse, Paul mentions that some have rejected the conscience. 

These are really difficult verses, where Paul states that he has delivered them to Satan. However, it appears that this is not done in revenge, but rather that it will lead to repentance. This is also God's way of passing judgement. He leaves people to their own lack of judgment and their own misdeeds (1). There are many who then will come to “their senses” and return “home” (2). I have met some of them.

Today I am reminded of the importance to affirm disciples in general and particularly those who are going into special ministries in the Kingdom. They need it to wage the good warfare, having faith and good conscience.

Today 'manna':

By affirmations you may wage the good warfare

--------------------------------------
(1) “Since they didn’t think it was worthwhile to acknowledge God, God abandoned them to a defective mind” Rom 1:28a
“Their own way I have recompensed on their heads”
Ezek 22:31
(2) The Parable of the Lost Son