One of the Greek philosophers – Heraclitus – famously quipped, “The only constant in life is change.” While that statement seems obvious, our perspective and the season we currently inhabit either aids or prohibits our ready access to that constant of life. For example, if things are going well, we might not want the change to come, and vice versa with a bad season. However, in life up today is down later, and wretched one moment can be pretty good the next. One of my famous quips is based off an observation of an ill-founded statement that humanity makes, “I just hope I can make it through this.” Me: “You will. One way or another.” Our goal is not to get through it: that’s a given. The goal is to get through it honorably, with joy, and reaching out to feel after Him who stands beside us and walks the pathway with us. This helps govern our perspective, manage our seasons well, and deal with the inevitable changes of life with a mature and seasoned outlook of wisdom. My daily reading currently has me in the Jeremiah-Daniel stretch. Every time I pass through these books, I’m reminded of how different prophets lived the same timeframe with different perspectives and places: Daniel lived as a well-tended slave boy from his youth in the king’s palace, Jeremiah lived in the squalor of what remained of Judah with the dregs of society, while Ezekiel lived in the slave camps with the manual laborers in Babylon. Same time, same situation (captivity), but different perspectives with some shared seasons but diverse ones as well.
A Palace or a Chain Gang: Take a poll of any demographic in the world, and people will raise their hands to live in a palace before a prison. Ezekiel’s prison was manifestly seen as one who made little rocks out of big rocks. Daniel’s prison was more of a gilded cage. Jeremiah’s prison had no bars but was openly barren. (Lamentations 1) Yet, these diverse situations with a common factor of captivity led to the same perspective and manner when dealing with the changes of their situation. Jeremiah faithfully ministered as a prophet by recalling to mind the Lord’s mercies and faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:20) Ezekiel continued to minister to the people in his personal misery, even after losing his wife. (Ezekiel 24) Daniel stood faithful before a king even when his life was on the line for continued obedience to God. (Daniel 1, 2, 6) The point is that faithfulness and service is not beholden to circumstance. We oftentimes – wittingly or unwittingly – fit our faithfulness and service into boxes of justification based on circumstances. “I’m so busy,” “There are things going on with us right now,” etc. These three prophets had every natural justification (for different reasons) to cease prophesying as God called them to, but no amount of circumstance from a king’s house to the lowest hole changes the reality and relevance of what we are called to do as God’s people and the household of faith.
Results-Oriented Thinking: Man has struggled with thinking of something as inherently good or inherently evil based on circumstances. The oldest book of the Bible had the main character’s three friends engage in a long conversation that basically boiled down to this, “Hey, Job! You must not be living right. Look what’s happening to you. Get right with God, and these things will go away.” Unlike Job’s case – he did nothing wrong – Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel knew from God’s direct counsel that their circumstances were for the general evil of the nation. They were enduring this chastening along with everyone else even if not the culprits of the degradation of their society. Caleb and Joshua had to walk for 40 years in the wilderness just like the rest of the nation of Israel even though they did nothing wrong and stood tall in delivering their report after spying out the land. (Numbers 13-14) Our circumstances may be because of the general condition of sin in this world, personal transgressions, the sins of others, or a combination of some or all. None of these catalysts move the needle of what is expected of us whether up or down, full or hungry. etc. What the Lord requires of us is simple. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8) Our whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) No matter what. Regardless of the season.
Keep the End in Sight: While Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel knew how long the captivity in Babylon would last (70 years) based on God’s direct prophecy to them, our captivities and prisons in life may have durations not known to us in the moment. Regardless, knowing or not knowing the time is of little importance. What is important is that knowing deliverance is coming moves the needle of our perspective in the now to more closely align with where our service and faithfulness should be. We may be decades away from our Jubilee, or it may be close at hand. Our troubles may soon be cut off by death, the Lord’s coming, or His kind providence moving some mountains into the sea. No matter the particulars, what happens when we keep the end in sight? Jacob labored for 14 years to have Rachel as his wife. No he did not labor 7 for Leah and 7 for Rachel. He labored 14 for Rachel. How did it seem to him even after the deception of his uncle Laban? They seemed as but a few days based on the love he had for his bride. (Genesis 29:20) When our adoration for our Husband is high, the result will be twofold: 1. Bright hope for the now (I Corinthians 15:19) and 2. Greater expectation for the future both in this life and the life that is to come. (I Timothy 4:8) Beloved, when we know the end of the story by His faithful word, the battles of today become easier knowing the war is won, and the struggles of tomorrow seem less heady because of what we know is to come some sweet day.
Having our perspectives grounded and rooted in reality keeps the circumstances of the day from being so troublesome. It also keeps our “games of comparison” from taking over our thought patterns. It would have been easy for Ezekiel to look up at the palace and think that Daniel had things easy compared to his state. It would have been easy for Jeremiah to lament being left more or less “alone” with the unwanted of culture. It would have been easy for Daniel to say, “No other Jew has to deal with what I do standing before the king with death possible at every hand.” None of them really talk about the other because they had a labor and prophecy of their own to fulfill. As Jesus told Peter, don’t worry about John and what he will do. Just follow me. (John 21) Wherever we may find ourselves in life, whatever it is that we have to face and deal with, and whatever seasons and changes we experience, may our faith follow steadfast unto Him that does not change. Our course is charted to heaven, and whatever shores and rocks we may encounter between now and then, thank God that by His faithful decree we will pass to the other side with Him.