Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
[Colossians 3:18]

Colossians doesn’t have much to say about submission. Paul doesn’t expound here on what submission is, or to what extent we are called to submit–he just commands it, and calls it fitting . That little word “fitting,” though, is an excellent place to begin talking about submission, because it answers a crucial question: why should we submit?

It’s not in my nature to be submissive. Even when I was a child, there were few times when I felt compelled by peer pressure to do anything. I remember very coherently in junior high wearing clothes that I knew were not in style, and I think I rather revelled in nonconformity. I’ve also tried to do whatever I thought was best regardless of what others thought. I don’t think I’m an overly domineering or bossy person, exactly, but I can be a know-it-all and I can also be pretty unyielding when I think I’m right.

So, bringing this into the sphere of marriage–I do quite well at being submissive, as long as Seth wants me to do what I want to do! But stray off that happy path and… well, there’s a reason I’ve picked submission as my topic du jour!

There do seem to be a few women out there who are more naturally submissive, stemming from anything from an internalized need to please or being “good-natured.” But I suspect that for most of us, we’re born rebellious and submission is continually a matter of internal conflict. So… we might think that being submissive is a virtue. We might think we’re doing pretty well. Conversely, if we’re not doing so hot on the submissiveness score, we might think we’re still okay, because, after all, it’s awfully difficult and so few women get it down pat. Maybe we’re not as virtuous as we could be, but it’s not like we’re living in sin, either, right?

But then Paul uses that little word, “fitting.” Not “submit as is a beautiful expression of love,” not “submit to earn rewards in heaven,” not “submit so others may see and learn from you,” but submit because it’s fitting.

I think that’s a bit of an archaic word in English, but the Greek is quite clear. The word is aneko (with macrons that I can’t get to show up), which carries the idea of attaining. In other words, do exactly what you’re supposed to do. Submission isn’t anything “extra,” it’s par for the course. If you’re submissive, you’re being what a wife is expected to be. Describing a Christian wife as “submissive” should be no more spectacular than describing a banana as “yellow.” Do green bananas exist? Sure, but nobody wants them. And when someone asks what color a banana is, the only answer that comes to mind is “yellow.” Similarly, “submissive wife” should be redunant; when we think “wife,” we should think “submissive;” and when we think of unsubmissiveness and wife in the same breath we should be appalled. It’s impossible to be a good wife without being a submissive wife.

Another thing worth noting from this passage: Paul doesn’t say “submit to your good husbands” or “submit to your husbands because they love you and deserve it.” He specifically sets the command in a very different context altogether: it’s fitting in the Lord . Our submission is unconditional, in the sense that it doesn’t depend on the character or actions of the man we’re married to. If we find it easier to submit to our husbands when they’re being nice and wonderful, then we’ve got to check that our submissiveness isn’t stemming from the wrong motivations! We submit because we are commanded and created to do so. And while it takes more endurance and strength to submit to bad husbands, or even to good husbands when they’re being unkind, God promises us the grace to do so.

There’s a reward that comes out of submitting when it’s difficult, too, but I’ll save it for a later entry.

This post is part of a series. You can read the introduction first or view all the posts together.

I was much struck by this story a few weeks ago when I first read it, and as I tried to retell the story today I realized that I’ve been retelling it rather frequently lately, because it made such a big impact on me, and that I should perhaps just quote it outright:

At times [Spurgeon] would be so absorbed in his great mission, when about to preach, that on his fiancée [Susannah Thompson] entering the vestry, he would fail to recognize her and merely greet her with a handshake as if she were some casual acquaintance or visitor. Once there was a more trying experience still. C. H. Spurgeon was to preach in a large hall at Kennington on a certain afternoon and Miss Thompson accompanied him thither in a cab. The pavement outside the building was thronged with people as were also the entrance hall and staircase leading to the auditorium, and the maiden had hard work in struggling through the mass of people and trying to keep near her lover. Suddenly he turned in at a side door on the landing, leaving Miss Thompson to manage as best she could in the throng eagerly pressing forward to get into the hall. The burden of souls was resting heavily upon the preacher, and occupied with the momentousness of the message he was to deliver, he had forgotten all about his poor fiancée.

Miss Thompson’s feelings at what she considered an unpardonable slight, may easily be imagined. “At first,” she says, “I was utterly bewildered, and then, I am sorry to have to confess, I was angry.” She at once returned home, without making any further effort to get to a seat, her indignation and grief increasing momentarily. But the young girl possessed that best of gifts a wise and loving mother, who with the greatest tact sought to soothe her daughter’s ruffled spirits. “She wisely reasoned,” says Mrs. Spurgeon, “that my chosen husband was no ordinary man, that his whole life was absolutely dedicated to God and His service, and that I must never, never hinder him by trying to put myself first in his heart. Presently, after much good and loving counsel, my heart grew soft, and I saw I had been very foolish and willful; and then a cab drew up at the door and dear Mr. Spurgeon came running into the house in great excitement, calling, ‘Where’s Susie? I have been searching for her everywhere and cannot find her; has she come back by herself?’ My dear mother went to him, took him aside and told him all the truth; and, I think, when he realized the state of things, she had to soothe him also; for he was so innocent at heart of having offended me in any way, that he must have felt I had done him an injustice in thus doubting him. At last, mother came to fetch me to him, and I went downstairs. Quietly he let me tell him how indignant I had felt, and then he repeated mother’s little lesson, assuring me of his deep affection for me, but pointing out that, before all things, he was God’s servant, and I must be prepared to yield my claims to His. I never forgot the teaching of that day; I had learned my hard lesson by heart, for I do not recollect ever again seeking to assert my right to his time and attention when any service for God demanded them.” The incident closed happily with a cozy tea at her mother’s house, and Mrs. Spurgeon speaks of the sweet calm which reigned in the hearts of all after the storm of the afternoon.

When a few weeks later the preacher was to fulfill an engagement at Windsor he wrote and asked his fiancée to accompany him, adding, “Possibly, I may be again inattentive to you if you do go, but this will be nice for us both, - that Charles may have space for mending, and that ‘Susie’ may exhibit her growth in knowledge of his character, by patiently enduring his failings.”

[From here, from The Life of Susannah Spurgeon by Charles Ray, which, incidentally, is also published in a book called Susannah Spurgeon: Free Grace and Dying Love by The Banner of Truth Trust.]

Oh to have such a thorough understanding of our own insignificance in the scheme of more important things! This is only one story, but when I consider the underlying thought processes on the part of Charles and Susannah’s mother (and then Susannah herself as well), it’s really mind-boggling. To be so distracted by the things of God!

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
[Colossians 3:18]

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands….let the wife see that she respects her husband.
[Ephesians 5:22-24,33]

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
[1 Peter 3:1-6]

Wifely submission is a complicated topic. I once posted an open query to a group of my friends, asking what, practically, submission “looks like.” I wanted a mental picture. I wasn’t married yet–I’m not sure Seth and I were even dating–but I figured there had to be some underlying attitude that characterized submissive wives: something I could emulate in my future marriage. I received no substantive response. We know we’re supposed to “submit,” but articulating exactly what that means on a day-to-day basis can be much more difficult!

I want, over the next few weeks (or perhaps a month and a half or so!) to do similarly to what I did with the cultivating heavenwardness “series”, by writing another set of posts focusing on submission. I’m a bit more organized going into this one, because I’ve been working on it for a while, and also because I want to focus on the important things moreso than just the things that I “like”. I’m not writing to cultivate a desire for something I already know is good (e.g. heaven) so much as writing to sear my own heart and conscience to better serve my husband and glorify God.

I’ll try to write the first entry tomorrow.

Noël Piper has recently started posting on the Desiring God Blog, for which I am thankful. Most “A-List” Christian women bloggers seem to go out of their way to make sure that their readers know that their posts are intended for women, explicitly drawing on the “Titus 2″ tradition, and largely confining their posts to discussions of how to be a good home-keeper, wife, and mother. I’ve seen instances on such blogs where, if a heavily theological issue comes up, the woman blogger will ask her husband to do a guest post to address it, instead of addressing it herself. Mrs. Piper’s two posts thus far are not in that exclusive tradition and contain no disclaimer warning men away. On the contrary, she writes in a blog authored almost exclusively by men, and quite probably read most often by men. And in her latest post, she sets out to expand upon her husband’s latest sermon!

I appreciate that. I struggle much with the issue, all the more because Christian women who blog subjects that can only be defined as “theology” seem to be a rare breed. For that matter, Christian women who write theology books seem equally rare–Elisabeth Elliot is the only one that really comes to mind, and even she does it in a very roundabout way. And yet, nowhere in the Bible does it say “women shalt not speak of the wonders of God except in the presence of younger women and small children,” does it? But that seems to be the consensus nevertheless.

How far removed we have become from the likes of Susannah Spurgeon, who throughout her entire life was very much in public ministry, whether in her little books of “Personal Notes On a Text”, her notes in The Sword and the Trowel publication, or in her immense work of gathering funds and selecting texts and recipients from the countless poor British pastors who applied to her for aid. Of her published devotional works, she wrote, “[the Lord] lead me into this unthought-of service, and most graciously has He hitherto sustained me in it; first giving me in my own heart the joy of His Word, and then enabling me to minister of that rejoicing to others.” In other words, what God taught her from His Word, He enabled and led her into sharing in book form. Moreover, she said, “its one aim and object is to summon the Lord’s people to bless and praise His Holy Name.” What a broad and far-reaching goal, and how immediately applicable to Christians of all ages and genders!

I wonder if she–and Noël Piper–don’t have a better grasp of the role of women than many of us seem to have today. When Priscilla and Aquila (how interesting that Scripture puts her name first!) took Apollos aside to “[explain] to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (ESV)), do we presume that Aquila did all the talking while Priscilla stood meekly by? When we learn that Philip the evangelist “had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied” (Acts 21:9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. (ESV)), or when Paul gives instruction that women are to cover their heads while prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. (ESV)), do we try to redefine the Greek word to mean something less than it does? When Paul writes of “women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel” (Philippians 4:3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (ESV)), what does he mean? If he wrote of “men, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel,” would we assume something different?

These questions bother me immensely. On the one hand, we have the clear directive that “women should keep silent in the churches” (1 Corinthians 14:34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. (ESV)) and Paul adds that “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man” (1 Timothy 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (ESV)). John Gill’s succinct exposition of the latter passage is a common interpretation:

Timothy, no doubt, received much advantage, from the private teachings and instructions of his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois; but then women are not to teach in the church; for that is an act of power and authority, and supposes the persons that teach to be of a superior degree, and in a superior office, and to have superior abilities to those who are taught by them.

And so, all things considered, it seems that the argument could be made that Scripture’s commands for women to remain silent applies only within the church; that only men should be invited to preach or exhort in worship services. Yet even that is not so clear-cut: does the command apply to Sunday School? (Yes, presumably, since it’s still in church.) Does the command apply to night-time Bible studies held at the church? (Again, presumably.) Does the command apply to Bible studies held informally in people’s homes? (Not by the same logic, since it is not in or affiliated with church. And yet, would a woman teaching a Bible study to a mixed group in her own home still be “exercising authority over a man” even though it’s outside of the church context?) I don’t know all the answers. It doesn’t help that the traditions we’ve built up to supplement Scripture cloud the issue. And yet the question is of vital importance.

When it comes to Christian women blogging, some concrete answers must be found! For instance, I’m assuming that none of you reading here think that what I’ve been doing in writing thus far has been wrong, even though many of my posts are much more theologically-oriented than the average female Christian blogger. But there are things I’ve been learning from Scripture that I have not shared; things where perhaps many of you would disagree with me. If I shared those things with the same conviction that I’ve shared my belief in God’s unwaveringly astounding grace, would I suddenly be out of line merely because I would be controversial? There have been subjects debated in the blogosphere of Christian male bloggers lately–if I weighed in on some of the debates, would I be overstepping my bounds? Am I regulated to discussing only the “obvious” parts of Scripture and those which immediately concern homemaking? (And even to the latter–since most women are “older” women compared to me, am I overstepping my bounds to discuss even the home?)

It is not my intention to be flippant or irreverent here; the issue is utterly serious. I am a housewife; I have deep respect for the many women out there who do a better job at homemaking than I do. I learn from them and I appreciate their testimonies of love for their families. I also have deep respect for the roles God has created for men and women, and in theology I’m as complementarian as they come! But legalism is no better than liberalism, and the examples of Susannah Spurgeon, Elisabeth Elliot, Noël Piper, and women in Scripture itself stand in stark contrast to the lack of boldness displayed by many women bloggers today. We’re putting our lights under bushels! Does it glorify God to have so many blogs where women pour out their ideas about how to please their husbands and raise their children, but never ponder publicly on pleasing their Lord and Saviour? Does it glorify God to pontificate endlessly on how wonderful “dear husband” is, while reserving few words to describe the magnificence and majesty of God Himself?

We should be as gutsy as Susannah Spurgeon:

In these days of daring infidelity, and awful treason against the Most High, I count it an unspeakable honour to be permitted to testify to the power of the old truths, and the pleasantness of the old paths, and the unfailing faithfulness of God in the fulfilment of each and all of His precious promises; and though my voice is less than a Whisper amid the roar and turmoil of conflicting opinions and blasphemous theories, I know that God can hear it, and that He will accept the loving tribute which my heart thus offers to Him.

We too live in days of daring infidelity and awful treason against the Most High. Shall we also testify to the power of the old truths, or are we content to share recipes and laundry-folding techniques? May unbelieving readers never read our blogs and conclude that our whole life is swallowed up in serving our husbands and maintaining a good home! Instead let us confront them with the reality of the Gospel and the beautiful arrangement God has set forth wherein we serve our husbands and maintain a good home because, and only because, we are serving the Lord Most High and our true Delight is exclusively Him.

“Be anxious for nothing…” says Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (ESV) do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (ESV), in a handy little catchphrase that we memorize in kindergarten Sunday School and use for the rest of our lives to establish the stolid fact that worry is a sin.

And worry is a sin. But I was thinking last night as I was lying in bed and being a little bit anxious about some things, that using that verse simply to condemn worry is really quite missing the point.

Suppose I found myself in a great palace for a visit. The king, who is ruling an absolute monarchy, has servants that hop-to when he says so, and he has a truly impressive supply of food and wealth. In a very real sense, this king can truly accomplish anything he wishes–certainly anything I could think of on an individual level. Suppose, too, that this king is no tyrant, but is reknowned for his kindness and graciousness. No one starves in his kingdom. And suppose that I am at the palace as his special guest. As I’m being shown around the palace grounds, the king, who knows that most days he’s going to be in court and in meetings, turns to me and says, “by the way, don’t worry about a thing. If you need anything, just ask.”

If the king’s word is law, then it would be just to interpret his words as a command not to worry. And for me, as his guest, to worry about something he is more than capable of providing would be ungrateful at best and, in a sense, sin. But in light of the surrounding situation, to focus in on that single phrase and build a philosophy around it–instead of focusing on the larger picture where the king is clearly anticipating every need and meeting it–would be a serious error of perspective. The king didn’t mean for his guests to go around focusing on not-worrying, he meant for his guests to focus on how wonderfully and perfectly he provides for them! And the guest who sits in their room wondering where their next meal is going to come from is nothing short of foolish and blind.

That was a very thin little allegory, but it really struck me last night. The problem isn’t worrying; the problem is failing to understand and trust that God does and will take care of us. There’s a reason why Paul didn’t just say “don’t worry” and leave it at that; he finished the thought by saying “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” That’s the answer to worry!

To some extent, I think I’ve suffered from an over-familiarity with this verse. It seems like at a certain point, you’ve got the thing memorized so much that it can stop making vibrant sense. And so I have this idea in my head that we’re supposed to block worry out of minds somehow, and “just” pray about it instead. From a human standpoint, that’s not very encouraging. I have to psych out my mind to get it to stop focusing on the bad (worry) and then I have to kneel next to my bed and compose a prayer about it, too? Like, oh, boy, not only do I not get to think about this stuff that my mind is burning with, but then I’ve got to pray about it? And that’s going to help me how? Clearly this is not the attitude that believers should have toward prayer, but the fallen part of me would really like to think that way sometimes. Prayer doesn’t always seem like a practical solution to our very practical problems.

What I realized last night, though, is that the solution to worrying isn’t to worry less; it’s to know God more. The guest in the king’s palace who’s worrying about his dinner shouldn’t just sit in his room and think, “the king said not to worry, and so even though I think this is really worrisome, that I don’t know where my dinner is coming from, I’m just not going to think about it. I’m just going to sit here and try my best not to worry.” That isn’t what Paul says! He says don’t be anxious, but, i.e., instead, make your requests known to God. In other words, if you don’t know where your dinner’s coming from, stop moping in your room, go find the king, and tell him you’re hungry!

As an aside, this idea just blows me away. God is so infinitely more powerful and mighty and deserving of complete obeisance than the king in my little story. I think the verse recognizes that too, in elaborating that our requests are to be “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [lit., grateful language],” not just “God, give me some food!” Even still, though, the idea that we can approach the most infinite Being with “everything” (!) and make our requests known… God isn’t a king who expects us to stay in our rooms and take whatever He “just happens” to hand out; He tells us to make our requests known to Him! That’s mind-boggling. Can we even imagine such graciousness?

To return to my main point, I think part of the problem I face with seeing prayer as a real solution to worry is that prayer can seem more akin to sending a message via courier to the king to tell him I’m wondering about dinner than it is to go and talk to him myself. (Or maybe a better analogy would be that I text messaged His phone.) And so there’s room to wonder, did He get my message? Is He taking care of it? Does He really care about my dinner tonight? Is there any food in the house? But the reality is that God has already answered all those questions, and promises with all His Being to fulfill His answers.

• God gives us good things all the time. In fact, all good things are from Him. So we should know from experience that He will fulfill our needs. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (ESV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (ESV)).
• God is able to do more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (ESV) Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (ESV)).
• “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (ESV) And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (ESV), see also Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (ESV) For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (ESV), James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (ESV) You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (ESV), 1 John 3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. (ESV), John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (ESV) Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (ESV)).
• God causes all things to work for good for those who are called (Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (ESV)).
• We can’t begin to imagine the good things God plans for us (1 Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is written,
  “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
  nor the heart of man imagined,
  what God has prepared for those who love him”– But, as it is written,
  “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
  nor the heart of man imagined,
  what God has prepared for those who love him”–).
• God promises to “supply every need” (Phillippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (ESV) And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (ESV)).

Either God is true in every particular, or He’s true in no particular–if I’m counting on Him for salvation, how much more I should count on Him for the lesser things!

I think I appreciated the blog (linked a few days ago in the “asides”) of Al Groves and his family so much because in so many ways, their situation is precisely that which I dread: both he and I had rare primary cancers that are “treatable” in the initial form, but with reasonably high potential for secondary cancers down the road that are intrinsically untreatable.

The next time I go to have scans done, I could very well find out that I have one of those incurable secondary cancers. That’s a very intimidating thing to live with: to know that I could feel perfectly healthy, but go to a routine doctor appointment and come home with a number measured in weeks or months called “life expectancy.”

If I haven’t been clear on this before, let me be very clear now: that is what I struggle with, cancer-wise–knowing that this precise scenario is more likely than, say, me being in a car accident. And I’m one of these people who wants to plan everything out. I am not spontaneous. I like to control my environment. And if I’m going to suddenly get the news that I’m going to die, well, I’d like to at least feel a little bit sick first so I can grow accustomed to the idea before having it thrust upon me, you know?

Mainly I’m afraid of how I will react, if that situation ever comes to pass. When you’re sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for results that are either “completely clear” or “imminent death,” let me tell you, it’s hard to prepare yourself mentally. It’s so stressful every time I go, because either I have to just ignore the possibility of the latter (and if it ever happens, be completely off-guard), or meditate on the possibility (and if it doesn’t happen, waste untold hours in useless stress). It’s a lose-lose situation from a human standpoint. But it’s really, really important to me to be in a position to react correctly if I do get the “bad” news.

(And yes, yes, I know the “right” answer–pray and trust God, and be prepared to be content with either situation, and don’t be anxious–but that’s very much harder to live than it is to say. I haven’t perfected the knack yet, and I don’t know that I will until I’m in heaven!)

All that to say… the reason the Groveses’ blog was so encouraging to me is because it helped me see a real, visible outworking of what to do in that situation. It makes me feel better prepared. It makes me less stressed. It makes me better able to praise God. I wanted to jot down some specific “lessons” I learned from the site.

• Don’t discount miracles. This is really big for me, because I tend to (at least live like I) believe that God very, very, very infrequently heals people who medically have “no hope.” And I didn’t get the impression that the Groveses expected a miracle, but they were very precise in making sure that they still accorded God, not cancer, the credit for death. They used words like “medically incurable” and didn’t dwell on “I’m going to die” in a matter-of-fact way. Just because doctors give you a month to live doesn’t mean that you know your time.
• Don’t dwell on death. Again, they were realistic about the probabilities, but I loved the entry where he talked about flossing his teeth, and clearly he was very involved in people’s lives right up through January. There almost seemed to be a “when it happens, it happens,” attitude which I think (reflectively) is hugely important.
• In the process of dying, death becomes more comfortable. This is closely tied to the previous point; I found it amazing and very uplifting that as the end grew more obviously near, the family seemed to grow more at peace with the fact. Instead of becoming frantic and “only one more week!” there was the emphasis on how much better heaven would be than earthly suffering. It just goes to show how God uses suffering and pain to prepare our hearts better for heaven, and it it is a great encouragement to me to know that if my day ever comes, I can at least reasonably hope that similarly, God will make sure that circumstances collide so that I and those around me are glad to see me go before I actually have to go. This was a really important point for me, and I hope I’m expressing it comprehensibly.
• “Dealing” isn’t necessary. At least not publicly! Seriously, though–part of understanding these previous three points is the logical conclusion that we shouldn’t borrow tomorrow’s troubles for today. It’s very hard not to do so (especially for someone like me!), but it seems like it is better to trust that whatever unhappy news tomorrow might bring, God will give us enough grace to survive it… tomorrow. And trying to prepare ourselves ahead of time for unhappy news we think might be coming is, in a way, evidencing a lack of faith in God to provide for us when it actually happens.

I don’t know the Groves family, obviously–I don’t know anything about them beyond what I read on their blog, which I read from beginning to end as I sat at my computer and cried and cried for their joy and for their loss and for their unwavering faith. And I don’t know that they would agree with these four things I learned from them. But I am so thankful for their testimony, because God used it in my heart in a very practical and immediate way, both cautioning and comforting me.

I would again encourage everyone to read the blog, starting at the beginning (and reading at least the beginning and end, if not the middle, although it’s all worth reading)–it is immensely encouraging and amazing evidence of what a gracious and all-powerful God we serve.

This is part of a series. You can read the introduction first or view all the posts together.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism poses the question, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer to that question and today’s “why I want to go to heaven” are one and the same.

Our primary and sole purpose now is indeed to glorify God (”whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” 1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (ESV) So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (ESV)) and rejoice in Him (”rejoice in the Lord always,” Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (ESV) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (ESV)). And our primary and sole purpose in heaven will continue unchanged. We’ll be a lot better at glorifying Him, yes, but it has always been, and shall always be, that for which we were created.

In an assembly-line world, full of everything from multipurpose 4-in-1 printers to three-sizes-fits-all sweatshirts, I think it can be hard to grasp the concept of a truly single-purposed object. The things we surround ourselves with often do many things satisfactorily, but do few things extremely well. That’s why we have different “levels” of gadgets depending on whether, for instance, the printer is going to be used by a mom in her home or a printing company in the workplace. We also make lots of substitutions. When I don’t have cooking spray, I use canola oil. I use the same kind of flour to put in many different baked goods. When we don’t have good nails to use to hang pictures, we use whatever nails we have. We’re adaptable and flexible, by God’s marvelous design, and so it isn’t a big problem that most of us don’t know how to mill our own flour exclusively for each specific cake, or forge an ideally-shaped nail for each task.

So when we speak of being created for a single purpose, I’m not sure how much immediate meaning that connotes in our minds. One thing engineering can show us–as countless human tragedies have attested–is that when you try to use a part for something other than its intended use, chaos can result. If you apply forces to a metal pin in different directions or strengths than the pin was intended, the pin may twist and strain and eventually break. And so bridges and buildings have come falling down, simply because the builders tried to use parts to do things other than what they were created to do.

And it’s the same way with us. We were custom-tailored, fashioned by God with the greatest care, intended for one chief object: to glorify God. And when we’re acting outside of that original intention, we too get twisted, strained, and breaking. We were designed to glorify God, and we don’t do other things well.

But right now, we’re like metal pins in a bridge that’s collapsing. In a fallen world and in fallen bodies, we are not glorifying God perfectly nor are we enjoying Him completely.

In heaven, we will be in a perfect situation, perfectly fulfilling our intended “use.” If spending eternity glorifying God sounds uneventful now, it’s only because our understanding is incomplete: Scripture is very clear that God is our ultimate joy, and glorifying Him is our greatest occupation. Now we see as through a glass darkly, but in Heaven, nothing will fill us with such excitement as worshipping God! It’s like if we imagine our perfect, most ideal job, with the best benefits: the type of job where we jump out of bed in the morning because we can’t wait to get to work because we love what we do and we know we do it well–and that’s the description of our job in heaven!

And so, today’s reason why I want to go to heaven is because there is nothing better, nothing more enjoyable, nothing more pleasing, and nothing more fulfilling, than doing what I was designed to do! And that’s an idea I can only begin to grasp, but it’s such an amazing and awesome thing that I can’t wait to understand it in full!

This is the last of the ten posts. I might extend the series with two or three closely-related posts, also on the subject of heaven, but not specifically “why I want to go.” I’m not one hundred percent decided yet, but I have some thoughts floating around that I’d like to work through.

This is part of a series. You can read the introduction first or view all the posts together.

This is often mentioned as “the” reason we should want to go the Heaven. And yet it’s also a reason that is completely meaningless to the lost person and also to our sinful “flesh.” I think it’s a fair observation that most people, given the choice between streets of gold or being with God, would get more excited about the former, albeit in ignorance. And frankly, even though I “know” which of the two is the real reward, the fact is still that the idea of being in the presence of God for eternity doesn’t always excite me as much as it should.

So in this entry, my aim is to cultivate excitement in my heart about the idea of being with God forever.

In Psalm 16:8-11 I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (an absolutely beautiful psalm, by the way), David (or, prophetically speaking, Christ) writes of his experience in the presence of God. The last line bears repeating–”in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures evermore.” That is the simple reality of the presence of God.

Fullness here is a Hebrew word which means literally “satisfaction.” In God’s presence there is a satisfaction of joy. I think that’s a worthwhile distinction to make; telling someone that there’s a banquet in the next room that’s full of food is very different from telling someone that there’s a banquet that will completely and perfectly satisfy their hunger. Inasmuch as we can understand the concept of “joy,” we should understand that God’s presence represents the absolute ultimate in the experience–in God’s presence, our joy skyrockets to become so immeasurably full that we can’t even think of wanting any more. It makes me think of those moments when, humanly speaking, I think I’m perfectly satisfied and “all is right with the world,” and yet if I dwell on that thought long enough, I can always think of something that could be a little more perfect. But in God’s presence, joy itself is complete and lacking nothing.

Joy itself can be a recondite concept. In various Hebrew-English dictionaries, the word used in this passage is defined as blithesomeness, glee, mirth, gaiety, gladness, making merry, and pleasure. It occurs ninety-three times in the Old Testament. It’s used in Judges 16:23 Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” (ESV) Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” (ESV) Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” (ESV) to describe the way the Philistines rejoiced to find Samson delivered into their hand; in 1 Samuel 18:6 As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. (ESV) As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. (ESV) As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. (ESV), the way the women of the cities came out singing, dancing, and playing music to rejoice in the defeat of the Philistines; in 1 Kings 1:40 And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. (ESV) And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. (ESV) And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. (ESV), the reaction of the people to the crowning of King Solomon; in Ezra 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, (ESV) But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, (ESV) But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, (ESV), the way the old men who had seen the first temple rejoiced when the foundation of the new one was laid; in Proverbs 15:21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead. Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead. Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead., “folly is joy” to the unwise man; in Proverbs 21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich., the one who loves pleasure shall be poor; and in Song of Solomon 3:11 Go out, O daughters of Zion,
and look upon King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart. Go out, O daughters of Zion,
and look upon King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart. Go out, O daughters of Zion,
and look upon King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart., Solomon’s wedding day is called “the day of the gladness of his heart.” I’m going into all of these examples because the distinction between “joy” and “happiness” is a tricky one, and perhaps over-emphasized. I find it easy to start thinking of “joy” in somewhat dreary terms, as something that doesn’t necessarily feel good, but rather is a sort of resignation and acceptance that God is sovereign and good and that He knows what’s going on, and the idea that that is sufficient. And there’s a sense, I think, in which that’s true (minus the dreariness!)–our joy in Christ certainly isn’t founded in the moment, but in eternity. And the joy we are called to have in the midst of suffering surely cannot mean that we must be all laughter and no tears.

But I think that to completely disassociate “joy” from emotions and, yes, happiness, is a mistake. In the passages above, Scripture uses the word to refer to very momentary things. Sometimes we see non-believers experiencing joy, as in the case of the Philistines; sometimes we see joy being used sinfully, as to the unwise man in Proverbs. In other words, at least in the way this specific word is used in the Old Testament, it seems to mean, in a primary sense, an emotion. So, when we learn in Psalms 16 [16:1]Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. [16:1]Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. [16:1]Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. that in God’s presence there is satisfaction of joy, it means more than just that we’ll be perfect and so we’re going to be “joyful in God’s plan.” It means that as the Israelites felt joy in victory over their enemies, as Solomon felt joy on his wedding day, as people felt joy as their beloved temple from their childhood was rebuilt, and as the fool takes joy in his folly, in God’s presence there is joy! Joy that makes you dance and sing and be merry, joy that makes our hearts light–this is not a boring or obligatory joy, but a real and present emotive joy!

Pleasures evermore is a somewhat misleading translation, I think; the word means more “delight” or “pleasant” than “pleasures,” and the words carry very different connotations, at least in my mind. The word seems most often to refer to people, situations, or music being pleasant, as in 2 Samuel 1:23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions. “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions. “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions. Samuel 23:1 [23:1]Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” (ESV) [23:1]Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” (ESV) [23:1]Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” (ESV), Psalm 81:2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp. Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp. Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp., Psalm 133:1 [133:1]Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity! [133:1]Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity! [133:1]Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!, Proverbs 24:4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches. by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches. by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches., and Song of Solomon 1:16 Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.
Our couch is green; Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.
Our couch is green; Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.
Our couch is green;. I can’t read Hebrew, obviously, but I don’t believe that this means that God’s presence is surrounded with “pleasures” so much as it means that God’s presence is eminently sweet, pleasant, and delightful. (I’m somewhat confused, because the word seems to be an adjective, but the translation clearly makes it into a noun, which really changes the sense altogether. Notably it’s also translated as a noun in Job 36:11 If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness. If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness. If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness., but it seems to be adjectival nearly everywhere else.) The word for “evermore” can be translated as eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, and everlastingness.

So, in addition to containing the satisfaction of felt joy, God’s presence is also enduringly sweet. I find that very comforting, in view of the fact that I think being in God’s presence would also be a little scary. It’s like that oft-quoted passage from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, when the children ask “is He safe?” and the beavers respond, “no, but He’s good!” Yet even though He is the God of the universe, almighty and omnipotent, and although He does as He pleases and created the world in a breath–even though if there was anyone Who is intimidatingly great and awesome, it is surely God–His presence is pleasant. His presence is sweet. His presence is delightful. It’s a wonderful thing to be in the presence of God!

And so, just from this one verse from David’s pen, the presence of God is so unbelievably enticing that I’d like to pack my bags right now! God is so gracious.

This is part of a series. You can read the introduction first or view all the posts together.

This is an expansion of part of yesterday’s post more than a truly new point. But it occurred to me today that rejoicing in the tangible benefits of being a new creation (yesterday’s post) and rejoicing in the One who makes us new creations (today’s) aren’t identical concepts, and I wanted to linger over the latter concept before moving on. More specifically–rejoicing in the culmination of the sanctification process and in the Sanctifier.

Scripture is very clear that God is now in the process of sanctifying us ([bible]2 Thessalonians 2:13[/bible], [bible]1 Peter 1:2[/bible]), conforming us to His likeness ([bible]Romans 8:29[/bible]); making us holy ([bible]1 Thessalonians 4:7[/bible]). The Greek word for sanctification is hagiasmos, from hagiazo, which carries both the sense of acknowledging something to be holy (i.e., “hallowed [hagiazo] be Thy name”) and the sense of actually making something holy, by purification and separation.

The word “sanctified” makes me think of a pile of grain, where God’s going through and pulling out all the pebbles and leaving the wheat. Scripture makes it clear that sanctification is connected to salvation (”God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,” 2 Thes. 2:13, above), and on one level, it seems like that’s where the real “journey” of life is–we begin as completely lost in sin ([bible]Ephesians 2:1-3[/bible]), and God gradually transforms us through the renewing of our minds ([bible]Romans 12:2[/bible], [bible]Ephesians 4:21-24[/bible]) until finally, in heaven, our sanctification is complete ([bible]Philippians 3:21[/bible], [bible]1 John 3:2[/bible]).

And the sanctifying process is all God. Of ourselves, none of us do good ([bible]Psalm 53:2-3[/bible]). Scripture uses the word dead: dead people don’t do anything! But God, through His mercy and grace, makes us alive ([bible]Ephesians 2:4-5[/bible]) and conforms us to Christ. This is all now, before we die–God works in our hearts.

In heaven, the process of getting rid of the “old tent” involves God completing that process. I love how everything in Scripture points to us still being individuals in Heaven–instead of getting cookie-cutter identical new bodies, God renews our old ([bible]Romans 8:23[/bible]), somehow making us perfectly in His image without losing us in the process. Another mystery of heaven that I don’t really comprehend! Nevertheless–I’ve tasted the joy of sanctification here on earth; I’ve seen little things in me that God has graciously (and sometimes painfully!) corrected, and it is delight to the soul. The idea that the process will be (painlessly!) culminated in heaven is intoxicating. It’s like someone who’s eaten little bits of chocolate being told that they’re going to a complimentary chocolate buffet (except multiplied an infinite number of times because comparing chocolate to sanctification really doesn’t make sense on the scale of joy). Heaven’s a buffet of sanctification!

In my study today, I came across this poem, which goes very well with the subject.

This is part of a series. You can read the introduction first or view all the posts together.

2 Corinthians 4 and 5 offer immense comfort in the midst of earthly suffering, and have been very near to my heart over the past ten months. I had taught on the passage to a small group of high school girls a few years ago, which seared it into my mind almost the point of memory–and as it has come to possess so much more immediacy to me now, I am amazed at how God provided for my then-future need of encouragement so far ahead of time! It never fails to astonish me when I see how something I thought was relatively insignificant at the time turns out to be a really major thing God was doing for the future. How awesome God is!

In reference to my seventh reason for wanting to go to heaven, i.e., “This Old Tent,” three verses from chapter five are most obvious:[bibleblock]2 Corinthians 5:2-4[/bibleblock]”This tent,” in context, refers to our bodies. Our fallen bodies. And in them we are groaning and waiting for the “redemption of our bodies” ([bible]Romans 8:23[/bible]). I think there are at least two dimensions to this–that which Paul expounds in 2 Corinthians 4, which seems to speak quite clearly (if not exclusively) of physical suffering due to being in an earthly body, i.e. persecution, also “wasting away,” which strikes a chord, I think, with anyone who’s aware of the fact that they’re dying, be it of disease or old age; and spiritual suffering due to being in an earthly body, as Paul expounds in Romans 7 and 8, for instance in 7:18, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”

In Heaven, we will be clothed in heavenly bodies–”our heavenly dwelling,” to quote the verse above. I love way Paul uses his vocabulary here–the word translated as “tent” means hut or temporary residence; the word translated “dwelling” means architecture or structure. From the very beginning, these bodies we’re living in weren’t built to be our permanent home! It’s easy to forget that and get upset when the roof starts to leak. The reality, though, is that when our little tents get too worn down to be usable shelters anymore, we get to move into real houses! I think that if we looked at life as a camping trip, we’d be rejoicing when our tents started to show signs of wear and tear–because with every new sign of deterioration, we’re one step closer to getting some seriously superior structure to live in.

The other side of this, of course, is that in heaven we won’t be contending with the flesh anymore. Physically speaking, we won’t have tiredness battling with our desire to worship God in the morning, we won’t have our bodies’ faulty chemistry enticing us to depressed periods, and we won’t ever fall asleep in church! And spiritually speaking, our “body of death” ([bible]Romans 7:24[/bible]) which still holds us “captive to the law of sin” ([bible]Romans 7:23[/bible]) is going to be gone forever! [bible]1 John 3:2[/bible] says that when Christ “appears, we shall be like him”! [bible]1 Corinthians 15:51-52[/bible] says that “we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” [bible]Philippians 3:21[/bible] says that Christ “will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.”  Our sin nature will be gone.

I can’t adequately understand the magnitude of that thought. No more sin. No more inclination to sin. We’re all born sinners, and God by His grace creates new hearts within us–but still none of us alive know what it’s like to be freed of our fallen flesh. But in heaven, we’ll know fully!