Whistling Past The Graveyard

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7-8

History records that "The RMS Titanic sank in the early morning hours of 15 April 1912 in the North Atlantic Ocean, four days into the ship's maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. The largest ocean liner in service at the time, Titanic had an estimated 2,224 people on board when she struck an iceberg at around 23:40 (ship's time) on Sunday, 14 April 1912. Her sinking two hours and forty minutes later at 02:20 (ship's time; 05:18 GMT) on Monday, 15 April, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 people, making it one of the deadliest peacetime marine disasters in history." One of the most memorable stories of the sinking of the Titanic is the story of the 8 bandmembers who continued to play music as the "unsinkable" ship descended into the depths of the ocean. It is not clear as to why the band members continued to play, but Titanic Survivor, Charlotte Collyer, provides a clue. “They kept it up to the very end. Only the engulfing ocean had power to drown them into silence. The band was playing ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee.’ I could hear it distinctly. The end was very close.” The song, Nearer, My God, to Thee, is a 19th-century hymn said to be written in reference to Genesis 28, where Jacob had a dream in which God spoke to him. In the dream, God tells Jacob, "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you (Genesis 28:15)." One might surmise that the band members had a faith in God that led them to continue playing music to the point of it costing them their lives, perhaps in order to calm themselves and the passengers in a traumatic situation. Could it be that the song they played was their way of showing their trust in God as they played for the last time? There is an old saying that describes this type of circumstance. It is called "Whistling past the graveyard." To whistle past the graveyard means "to attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; to proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome. To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences." Graveyards can be scary places to the average person. They conjure up fears of death, ghost stories, zombies rising from the dead, monsters, and a host of other things that go bump in the night. The image of somebody whistling past the graveyard is that of a person trying to calm their fears through whistling a comforting tune.

In scripture, we see numerous examples of God delivering His people from times of trouble. Whether it was Noah being saved in the Ark from the Flood, God turning evil meant towards Joseph into good, a young David being handed victory against the giant Goliath, Daniel not being consumed by the man-eating Lions, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego being saved through the fire, or a host of other situations of God's faithfulness to His people. However, God's faithfulness doesn't require His children to be rescued from death. There are times that we are rescued through it. The death of Jesus Christ resulted in all of mankind having the chance to be reconciled to God through faith in the Lord. Peter was showed the type of death He would suffer for his proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews reminds us of those who "were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. they went about in sheepskin and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated--the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground (Hebrews 11:37-38)." Going to be with God in heaven is the ultimate form of deliverance. In many instances, those facing tribulation would praise the Lord in songs and hymns. In Acts 16:25, the apostle Paul is in prison. The Bible records that "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them (Acts 16:25)." Paul and Silas knew that God was with them and this knowledge resulted in a peace in their hearts that manifested in them signing hymns to God. Furthermore, did you know that the Old Testament book of Psalms is composed of songs and poems meant to be sung to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument? Tribulation in life is as guaranteed as the rising and setting of the sun. There is no way around it. In fact, Jesus Christ promised that in this world we would have tribulation. Therefore, do not be surprised when it comes your way. And when it does, let it remind you that regardless of the outcome God is with you through it and will be with you forever. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we can be assured that God is our hiding place. With Him, you can rest from your troubles and in that, be surrounded with songs of deliverance that will burst forth in praise for our mighty God. Even when your ship is sinking you can whistle past the graveyard because "He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever (Psalm 146:6)."

Should Christians?

"You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial." 1 Corinthians 10:23

I stumbled across a YouTube video called, "Should Christians Listen to Secular Music?" As someone who has answered these types of behavior-oriented questions before, I watched it. It wasn't long before my suspicions about the answer given by the pastor were realized. The answer given was one focusing on asking questions about the music. Questions like, "Is the music promoting an ungodly message?" "What message is this sending to unbelievers?" "Is this music hindering my spiritual growth?" "Is the music I support causing other Christians to stumble?" "What is your spirit telling you about this music?" When I saw all these questions suggested to ask in order to determine if the music is okay to listen to, I could not help, but notice how this is just putting somebody under the law and making the Christian walk into Christian work. When the question begins with "Should Christians" the answer often contains legalism. If you're concerned about what kind of music somebody is listening to the question should be, "Why do you partake in this type of entertainment?" Or, "What is this form of entertainment giving to you that you don't believe you have in your relationship with Jesus Christ?" Otherwise, this just comes across as an opportunity for condemnation that no Christian should be subjected to. We are free to listen to secular music, but is it profitable to do so? But, why stop at secular music? If you do an internet search on "Should Christians," the list is endless. You will come up with questions like "Should Christians celebrate Halloween?" Should Christians eat pork?" "Should Christians get tattoos?" "Should Christians do yoga?" You get the point. Romans 8:5-8, says, "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God." Too often this passage is looked at from the standpoint that to set your mind on the flesh only means that it applies to unbelievers looking for ways to indulge their flesh in sin. However, it can also apply to Christians who are continually looking for ways to restrain their flesh in an attempt to avoid sin. In either case, the focus is on your flesh and cannot please God.

While many Christians are afraid to acknowledge it, we are free to listen to things like secular music as well as the other things listed. If we are not allowed the choice to engage in activities that some deem inappropriate or, dare I say, sinful, then we are not free in Christ. For those Christians that don't agree with this, their first response is often to accuse people of giving a license to sin. Now, I am not saying that sin is okay. It is not. In fact, it is so terrible that it required the death of God as payment for it. Nor am I encouraging people to listen to secular music, eat pork, participate in Halloween and so on. What I am advocating is to look deeper when you are concerned about the activities of another person, Christian or otherwise. The Bible says that we are allowed to do anything, but not everything is good or beneficial for us. While there are some things that are obviously not good or beneficial for a Christian to engage in, there are things that are more of a matter of preference than anything else. I have always thought that if somebody is asking should they do something, they have their answer. If they are having doubts, they are probably looking to have their doubts confirmed. The other side of Romans 8:5-8 is that those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit and that mind finds life and peace. Having your mind set on the Spirit means you are looking at things from God's perspective. To God, you are forgiven of all your sins. Therefore, there is no law for you to violate that would lead to you being punished for that violation. Furthermore, because you are forgiven, you are now able to receive the unconditional love and total acceptance that God created you to receive through faith in Jesus Christ. When you have reached the point that you are beginning to experience this in your walk with the Lord, you will then realize that you no longer want to do many of the things that Christians ask should they do or not. You slowly begin to lose interest in those things. This result is you have a form of peace because you are experiencing your new life in Christ, in most cases, for the first time as a Christian.  When you have set your mind on the flesh you will have to set your mind on God's law. When you are setting your mind on God's law to control your flesh you are being hostile to God because you will never be able to get your flesh to submit to it. Should Christians set their minds on the flesh or on the Spirit? Your answer will set you free in Christ or put you in bondage to your flesh.

Grace and Peace

'To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.' Romans 1:7

When we write to our friends we often start out our correspondence with simple words like, Dear, Hi, Hello or my friend. The Apostle Paul often included "Grace and Peace" in his letters. As a Christian, I believe we can easily overlook this common greeting used by Paul because we talk about grace so much that when we see the word being used it doesn't phase us. However, it is worth noting that you cannot separate grace from peace. Imagine if Paul had written, "Law and worry to you from God our Father." That carries an entirely different meaning. Similarly, you cannot separate Law from worry. To subject yourself to the Law means you have subjected yourself to trying to live a life you cannot live; a life of obedience and repentance to rules and regulations you can never fully obey. The Law's standard is perfection; "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10)." The Law stirs up sin: "For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death (Romans 7:5)." The Law is a ministry of condemnation and death: "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law (Galatians 3:10)."” The Law is for the lost, not for believers: "We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine... (1 Timothy 1:8-10)." Life under the Law is a life of hopelessness. It is a life of worry because deep down in your heart you know you are not being obedient enough and you're only left with this feeling in your gut that God is not pleased with you and doesn't love you; you are a failure in His eyes.

However, grace is different. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)." If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, becoming born again of the Spirit of God, then you have peace with God. You have been delivered from darkness to light: "But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5)." All of your sins are forgiven and do not separate you from God: "I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name (1 John 2:12)." You have eternal life: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:11-13)." You have access to God: "He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:17-18)." Nothing, not even you, can separate you from God's love: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39)." Knowing these truths about the grace of God is what gives you peace. That peace comes from the fact that your right standing before God, your holiness, your justification, your sanctification, your entire existence comes from your trust in and dependence on what Jesus Christ did for you, not trust in and dependence on what you try to do for God. If you are worrying about your relationship with God or if you don't have one with Him at all, it is probably because you do not have peace in your heart and do not know His grace.