Be an Influencer

The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it — rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers. (Jonah 3:5)

An unpopular message, delivered by an unwilling messenger, after a hard struggle to get to the point of obedience. How many times are we called by God, equipped by him, and then we find we question the 'thing' he would have us do? Perhaps more than some of us might like to willingly admit. Have you ever wondered if your life could ever make an impact? Perhaps you have listened to people in your past or present who repeatedly belittled you - making any hope of making any difference a thing we consider to be out of reach for us. Maybe you have tried to make an impact - venturing into one area or another, only to have run into brick walls and resistant forces - making you question if the 'thing' you felt compelled to do was really him telling you to do it. Impact is really nothing more than being an influence - the results are in God's hands - we are just asked to do the 'thing' he asks us to do. It doesn't matter what we do (or don't do, for that matter), we are "impacting" someone because we are being obedient to what he asks us to do!

Jonah told himself he could never impact the city of Ninevah - a huge city which took nearly three days to traverse. He was one man, on a mission, with a message he wasn't too certain would be received all that well. The impact of one can influence the masses - when the steps of the one are ordered by God. Imagine being in his shoes for just a moment. This is a huge city, made up of those of differing beliefs than his - there weren't about to be a lot of 'God followers' lining the streets as he entered it that day. He was about to enter into some pretty "unfamiliar" territory - away from his home, in a foreign land, with foreign beliefs and customs. Isn't this one of the hardest things we are asked to do - going where we are the least familiar or doing what we are least comfortable doing? I'd like us to consider this important fact - God often sends those who are least familiar or least comfortable because they are less likely to make excuses for the actions they see! In fact, God often uses the one who comes with "new eyes" into the situation because they have no preconceived "limitation" on how they can alter the situation.

He goes one day's walk into the city limits. The crowds are gathering around as this one solitary preacher delivers the message of God's condemnation of this entire city - not a popular message, and likely one that could have gotten him stoned or fed to the lions! Imagine the impact this message had the potential of making in Jonah's life, not just theirs. Here he was, a foreigner with a very unpopular message, proclaiming it just as God had asked. I'd be trembling in my sandals, folks! I trust God, but come on! One against a city of who knows how many? The odds don't seem fairly stacked, do they? Oh, did I forget to mention it was one OBEDIENT soul against a city? God can do more with one obedient soul than he can with a million wishy-washy, mamby-pamby pew-warmers! Uh oh! Gone to meddling now! Whenever we get "real" with God, he gets "real" IN us - that means we can be instruments of change. The reality of God's presence with Jonah was definitely an influence within the city of Ninevah. It was more than the message - it was the evidence of God within this preacher that I am sure made the difference! The presence of God determined the impact of the message - it wasn't just the message! It is the presence of God in your life that alters the lives of those you are called to influence today!

The story goes on to tell us even the king was touched. The entire city was called to a fast - a time of mourning for their sin, deep repentance, and seeking God's mercy (a God they had previously not known or worshipped). Look at who God used to accomplish this - a man who had been disobedient, resistant to doing God's will, but who had just experienced afresh the mercy and forgiveness of God! Nothing speaks louder than the mercy of God in a forgiven life! If you think you have nothing to offer a hurting world - think again! The mercy and forgiveness of God within us speaks clearly even when we think we have nothing "good" or "important" to offer! Just sayin!

A few steps back

The more I try to understand God well enough to actually be able to describe him, the more I find I still don't understand him as well as I thought I did yesterday! Do you ever find yourself in that spot? Thinking you finally understand how he moves and works, and then wham...he stuns you with something else you just find totally awesome about him! One thing I have come to understand very well about God is that he isn't put off by 'second chances' - in fact, he affords a means by which we can actually get them - it is called grace! He has a great many attributes, but this is the one you will hear me speak about time and time again - simply because it never gets old, never wears out, and is never fully appreciated until we need it! If you had to define grace, you could use the old school definition of undeserved favor - getting what you didn't deserve. I might describe it as 'second chances' - the setting right of what was done wrong so we can make a go at it again. We may not hit the mark the second time, but eventually we get closer and closer until one day we finally do!

Next, God spoke to Jonah a second time: "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh, obeying God's orders to the letter. (Jonah 3:1-3)

Jonah did not listen the first time. Sound like anyone else we might know? If you are like me, you just pointed at yourself. We have noticed how Jonah preferred his own way over God's and look where it got him! First, there was this humongous storm that about tore apart the ship he was sailing on and almost claimed the lives of the sailors who were on the ship. Then a whole bunch of these sailor guys turn on him because they are aghast that he has brought this calamity upon them. If this is not enough, he ends up overboard, swallowed by a gigantic fish of some kind! Our running from God may not have landed us in such an "interesting" place, but I guess we have had some of those moments we'd all call "God putting us right where we need to be" in order to get our attention! Right in the midst of the right company who will make us face reality. Right in the midst of the circumstances that will make life a little to 'dark' for our liking. 

It is only when God gets our full attention that we are able to actually realize we need a second chance! We have to recognize we have acted wrong if we ever expect to act right! Unfortunately, the point between the wrong choice and the realization of how far it has taken us off-course may be longer than we realize. That is why God warns us against rebellion - it leads us down paths we'd rather not have taken and it results in losses we'd really rather not have experienced. In the period of time between the choice to do wrong and the actions which lead up to us realizing the gravity of our wrong choices, a whole lot of things may happen to us. We may make a whole series of wrong choices - leading to a whole series of wrong actions and wrong circumstances. We may engage others in our journey - or at least see them affected by those choices! The 'wrong' choice leads to moral compromise and moral compromise almost always affects those around us.

Don't get down on yourself here - God cares enough about each of us to prepare a point in time for a second chance - in fact, there are lots and lots of those 'points in time'! The grace of God pursues us until we actually realize we have need for it! Grace and love are really "intertwined" character traits of God. Where you see his love, you also observe his grace in action. Where grace abound, his love is felt and experienced up close and personal! To be embraced by grace is to be embraced in God's love! To realize God's love, you only need to look as far as his grace extended where not deserved - where second chances abound. How far have you traveled from where God intended for you to be today? Regardless of the distance you have placed between you and God's planned path, the road is clearly marked with all kinds of "grace stones". They are like little stepping stones back to the place we actually got off track! When we look close enough, we see his "grace" all along the way. He has pursued us all along the way - those "grace stones" are actually the evidence of his footsteps in pursuit of us!

I understand God's grace because I have needed it so often. I appreciate his love because it has embraced me over and over again. The tendency to need his grace is still there in my life, no matter how many times I have experienced it! I still make wrong choices - but I hope the distance between the first wrong step and the realization of my need to turn back into his arms is not as far! He is indeed a God of second chances - rich in grace! If you find yourself in need of following his "grace stones" right back into his awaiting arms, don't hesitate today! You know what a second chance is? It is us turning around, taking the steps back into his arms, and finding he has never been far from us through it all. Just sayin!

In a dark place?

Been looking a little down lately? Maybe it is because you are hanging your head in shame, or perhaps you are just tired. Regardless of the reason, there is something that is suggestive by our present 'look' - something isn't quite right with us. In moments of rebellion, there comes a time of realization - the moment in time when we realize just how far we have drifted from what God would have wanted for our lives. In that moment, we often look up - simply because we have come to realize there is just no help found in looking down! If we looked down - we'd only see our problem, our shame, our tiredness, and our helplessness! When we look up - we see our hope for deliverance, renewal, freedom, and joy!

I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever—Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God! When my life was slipping away, I remembered God, and my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your Holy Temple. Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love. But I'm worshiping you, God, calling out in thanksgiving! And I'll do what I promised I'd do! Salvation belongs to God! (Jonah 2:6-10)

As far as we can go - what an apt description of the distance we have placed between God's direction in our lives and our obedience to that direction! Doors slamming shut forever - or so it seems in our finite understanding of the place we find ourselves dwelling emotionally, physically, or relationally. Yet...in the midst of our despair...God is never far from us - despite the distance created by our disobedience, he never is all that far away. It is indeed a shame for us to get to the place where our "lives are slipping away from us" before realizing how much our disobedience has actually cost us. Jonah is an example to us of the possibilities of redemption - grace where it is least deserved given without reservation. In the place of rebellion, we don't realize how much of "life" is slipping away from us. It may not be our literal "life", but it is indeed our spiritual, emotional, or relational life. We don't sense the loss associated at the points between God's direction and our continual resistance to his will. Yet, this "drift" is real - and it has a way of "distancing" us from God.

Jonah was in such a place. I have no idea what type of fish swallowed him up - nor am I going to speculate on this one, or debate anyone on the possibilities of this being a literal fish that swallowed him. I do know scripture says God prepared a place for him - a place for him to come to the realization of his need and the actual distance he has allowed to be created between himself and his Lord. This is God's way! He knows the exact point of our turning and he prepares the exact place for the "dawning" of our awareness of our intense need for restoration. We may not get swallowed by a big fish, but I am sure we have all experienced some "big fish" moments - those 'lowest of low' places in life! The "stuff" we are experiencing in that place just isn't all that pleasant - it smells awful, it makes us feel awful, and it gives us a sense of darkness which just envelopes us on all sides. No wonder we are looking down!

The "big fish" moment may be what some refer to as "coming to an end of our rope" or "reaching rock bottom". Whatever the expression, the need is the same - deliverance, freedom, grace given without measure! David finds himself in the misery of covering up his sin with Bathsheba, torn apart by his having compounded it with the murder of her husband. His bones ache, his mood is foul, and he has no joy in all the luxuries he is surrounded with as King of Israel. Sin has this effect - it robs us of the pleasures we once took so much for granted. I want us to consider that it is even God's mercy that allows for us to get to the place of "rock bottom". He also provides a way for us to get on solid ground again!  "Then God spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore." Out of darkness, God brought sound footing again! Look at when God does this, though. It is not when Jonah first goes overboard - there has been a passage of time in which Jonah comes to a place of realizing he has been running from the very thing God desired for him. David had this same "span" between his disobedience and God's sending Nathan to him to tell him the story of his sin and the hope for his deliverance.

We often need this "span" in order to come to a place of submission because our rebellion is so deep. We just don't recognize our misery until it has become our undoing. Truly, this is a sad reality, but one we see played out in life after life - including our own. Yet, there is hope beyond our imagining! In the moment of "rock bottom", God is prepared with the next move! In the moment of our cry for help, his actions are swift on our behalf. This is the God we serve - merciful, moved by compassion, and swift to provide for his children. It is far better to never reach the place of distancing ourselves from God - but if we have, we can rest in the assurance of his grace! I don't know what "whale" has swallowed you whole, but I do know the seashore of God's deliverance awaits! All it takes is a cry for forgiveness! He does the rest! Just sayin!

Even in our rebellion

I just want to take a moment or two to remind each of us that God isn't done with us, even when we find ourselves in worst of places in life, our choices perhaps not the wisest. In the midst of our disobedience, God never stops finding ways to get to our heart - he uses all of this earth's and heaven's resources to reach the recesses of our hearts. The many and varied ways he uses to get the message of his power and protection across to his creation is not limited by the finite because he has access to the infinite. We often don't realize the means God will use until we look back "after the fact" and realize how much God was displaying his power, purpose, AND his protection in our lives. It is in the "hindsight" where revelation occurs - where our mind begins to comprehend what God has been doing in our hearts all along.

Then they prayed to God, "O God! Don't let us drown because of this man's life, and don't blame us for his death. You are God. Do what you think is best." They took Jonah and threw him overboard. Immediately the sea was quieted down. The sailors were impressed, no longer terrified by the sea, but in awe of God. They worshiped God, offered a sacrifice, and made vows. (Jonah 1:14-16)

The seas are out of control, even for the most skilled of sailors. The sailors, all skilled in their task of steering and controlling the ship, tried desperately to return to shore - but to no avail. They had "discussed" their circumstances with Jonah, being told by him that he was clearly the "cause" of their present danger. Yet, they choose to attempt any other alternative than what he proposed. His proposal was that they throw him into the sea - essentially allowing a man to drown - something tantamount to murder in their eyes. I don't know about you, but I have been asked a few time to "throw someone under the bus", but I find the internal struggle with this whole concept just a little unnerving!

In all their efforts to escape whatever calamity awaited them if they remained in the storm, they return to Jonah one more time. His answer is the same - throw me overboard. Not exactly the answer I am sure they hoped for - they were looking for any alternative to this life-ending action, but they weren't being offered anything by Jonah. They are in a quandary and the only option they have is to PRAY!!! Imagine that! Prayer didn't come naturally to these fellows, but in the midst of the storm isn't amazing just how many find themselves 'given to prayer'? They turn to the one they "think" might be willing to listen - the God of Jonah - although they didn't know him or serve him personally, they were willing to 'give it a shot'. After all, it his God who is responsible for the sea's upheaval - at least according to Jonah.

They turn to the God they really don't serve, but who seems to be in control of their present situation. Even in Jonah's running away from God, God is still using him to touch the lives of people who need to discover the power and grace of the one true God! How is it God can use even our disobedience to speak to the lives of others? I don't really fathom how he does it, but I see it recorded for me over and over in scripture, not to mention what God has done through my own life. They still don't want to throw their newest acquaintance overboard, but he seems to insist there is no other way to 'manage their fate'. They actually seek to be forgiven even before they take their next step. Jonah could have told them to turn the ship around, and then head for Nineveh like he was supposed to. It is quite possible his repentance could have calmed the seas. Instead he insists they throw him into the crashing waves. Why do we find our rebellion such a stronghold? I don't imagine Jonah is alone in his "firmness" of rebellion.  

In our rebellion - we don't see any way of escape but to be consumed by that which is a result of our rebellion! Don't lose sight of this last part of the passage - they trust Jonah's God to do what "he thinks best". Heathen men, praying to the divine God of the Universe, a God they did not know until now, trusting him to "do what he thinks best"! Do you know how God responds to their faith? God immediately calms the seas and they all stand on the deck of the ship, totally amazed at the power of Jonah's God. I wonder how many actually had the seed of salvation "planted" that day? The power of God on display - the hearts of men changed forever! 

I will never encourage our rebellion, but I am encouraged God can even use our rebellion as an instrument of grace in the life of another. In the openness about my own rebellion (running from God), others have been touched by the grace of God. I can only imagine how many times God has used our "cumulative" rebellion as an evidence of his grace! We cannot lose sight of what comes next - the sea does not consume Jonah - in spite of their fears and their reticence to throw him in, they do. Here's our hope - our sin may get us into some pretty wicked messes, but it need not consume us! In our rebellion, God even provides for OUR protection! Run as we might, God still watches over us! Just sayin!

A Dark and Dank Place

A huge storm of emotional upset, physical pain, or even relational conflict - could it be a sign of our disobedience? After boarding the ship to Tarshish, in clear disobedience to what God had asked Jonah to do, there comes a huge storm - rocking and tossing the ship every which way. Amazingly, Jonah is able to sleep deep down in the hull of the ship, almost 'sailing through' the calamity his disobedience seems to be bringing into the lives of the others around him! Have you ever stopped to consider this part of the story of Jonah? As I read this passage today, I had to stop and pause over this one because running away from God is seldom the answer to our problems and it creates problems for others in our lives. The harder and farther we attempt to run, the worse the problems seem to be magnified in our lives. Try as we might, God really cannot be escaped! There is just no hiding place from God!

Then they grilled him: "Confess. Why this disaster? What is your work? Where do you come from? What country? What family?" He told them, "I'm a Hebrew. I worship God, the God of heaven who made sea and land." At that, the men were frightened, really frightened, and said, "What on earth have you done!" As Jonah talked, the sailors realized that he was running away from God. (Jonah 1:8-10)

Look at where we find Jonah - in the depths of the ship. He is not just content to "get away from God", he is in deep hiding - a dark and dank place indeed! This is probably more telling about what really happens when we run from God - we feel the need to "duck and take cover" wherever we think we will not be discovered - even if it is quite a 'dark and dank' place! This has been the pattern observed since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve ducked into the bushes and "made cover" in order to take cover! What comes as a surprise to me is just how comfortable Jonah was in his disobedience! He actually slept through the storm of a lifetime! It is truly a dangerous place to find oneself - so comfortable in our disobedience that we just don't see the effect it has on those around us, much less the effect it has on us! Sometimes we think our disobedience only affects us, but I want to challenge us here a little. Truly, our disobedience has far-reaching effects, sometimes unrealized by us. We may not fully appreciate the impact it has on those God has placed in our lives - our loved ones, our friends, and even those God just brings across our paths for brief periods of time. Jonah did not know these folks on his trip to Tarshish - they were just innocently headed to the next sea port alongside this Hebrew traveler, unaware of the hazards which lay ahead for them. The truth is quite plain - no man is an island unto himself! Sin has an effect on us and others!

Here's the thing I want us to see this morning - Jonah was discovered by those on the journey with him. The moment comes when we will be discovered - the question is really who will do the discovery. Will it be God, personally touching us, and us responding to him in gratitude for his grace and mercy? Or will it be someone God brings across our path, opening our eyes to our "running" and "hiding" from what he has asked of us? Either way works, but I tend to think the first way is a little better! The grace of God cannot allow us to hide forever - God will find a place, a time, and a way to bring the discovery of our "running" to light for us. I know this for a fact in my own life - every time I have "run for cover", the discovery of my hiding place is assured - there is no place too dark or dank God cannot find me out. I also know this - God's grace is sufficient! Whenever we realize we are running from God, the opportunity also exists to run "directly into his open arms" of grace! No sin is too great - no amount of disobedience too far reaching for his arms to encircle us. No shame is too deep - no amount of sin's effect too hard for him to restore! It may be your moment of "discovery" today - the moment your 'dark and dank' place is uncovered. If so, don't turn and run - reach out and be embraced! His grace awaits. Just sayin!

Instead

There are simply times when the easiest and quickest solution to the problem at hand is just to walk away, right? Ever walk or perhaps even run the other way? You see or hear something, then without a moment's hesitation, you turn and run, hoping to avoid the confrontation, escape the demand, or just plain ignore the situation? I think we could all answer in the affirmative to this one on at least one occasion in our lives. It is sometimes more "convenient" to pretend we did not hear - but I am going to meddle a bit here - what is the cost of hearing and then not doing? It is probably less "costly" in our eyes to just ignore the need - but who will meet the need if we were the ones designed and equipped to do it? I imagine it is less "relationally intense" to avoid the confrontation - but what walls will be built by avoiding the difficult discussions? It is likely we will ignore a few things in life we really were being directed toward because we held the solution, but we just didn't 'feel like it' at the moment. We all are guilty of this from time to time. Going the other direction isn't always right and things may not turn out well for us in the end!

One day long ago, God's Word came to Jonah, Amittai's son: "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get. (Jonah 1:1-3)

Jonah finds himself in one of those "I heard that, but I am gonna do this INSTEAD" moments in his life. He turned and ran - his 'instead'! Have you ever wondered why God put the "stories of struggle" - those 'instead moments' - in scripture? I think it is because God wants us to realize he knows we struggle with stuff - especially obedience! This struggle doesn't make God any less "interested" in our obedience - in fact, it strengthens his resolve to bring us to the place where we stop running - where we stop pursuing the 'instead' in life! God tells him the need of a nation - Nineveh is in "a bad way" - they have a need and God wants to use Jonah to meet it. Too many times, we are the ones "in a bad way" in life. What if the one God designs and equips to come to our rescue resists his call, choosing the 'instead'? We'd be left there "in a bad way", without any rescue. Oh, maybe God would raise up someone else, but the fact remains, the one God burdened first is likely to be the one God designed and equipped specifically for the need!

In looking at Jonah's response to God's request, we probably see a lot of our own struggles with obedience at times. We clearly hear the voice and intention of God. He wants us going one direction - we choose the other - the 'instead'. Does it ever surprise you how much you and I are willing to actually "spend" on running the opposite direction? Look at Jonah's flight - it cost him a fare on a ship headed to Tarshish. In trying to get as far away from God as he could get, it cost him! The same is true whenever we attempt to resist the thing God asks of us. The sad truth is obedience "costs" us something - but disobedience may actually cost us more! There is indeed a 'cost' to the 'instead'. I don't know what steps of obedience God may be asking of each of us today, but I do know we have two choices - go WITH God (toward the intent), or go AWAY from God (toward the instead). On the ship to Tarshish (the instead), Jonah had no traveling companion - on the journey to Nineveh (the intent), he was held by the hand of God. Somehow, the "going WITH" seems a whole lot more appealing to me than the "going AWAY" does! I don't like to be in alone in a crowd of strangers - especially in a close environment like the confines of a ship! There is truly no escape if we find ourselves in company we'd rather not keep!

As a child, someone always took my hand as I crossed the street. Why? To keep me safe! Imagine the journey of obedience (toward intent) - hand in hand with God. Maybe we'd be less inclined to run to the 'great instead' if we reached out to take his hand a little tighter! We'd certainly be a whole lot safer! Just sayin!

Jumping again?

I need explanations - how about you? When something goes awry, I want to understand why, not just that everything will be all right. I think it is because I am a 'process' person - I see the steps it takes and when a step is broken, I need to understand how the break occurred and then implement the 'fix' that will keep the step from breaking down again. There have been lots and lots of times in my life when I thought I knew what 'broke down' in the process - either in my own failure of taking the right steps, or in some other process I was involved in. I actually come to a conclusion as to the 'why' or 'how' way before I understand what was even broken! I think we might all be a little guilty of jumping to conclusions at times. We just don't possess all the facts, but somehow we think we have the whole thing figured out in our minds. We form some type of "story" in our minds we latch onto. In plain language, anytime we don't have all the information (the facts), we are jumping to conclusions which may not be well-founded and will likely lead us down some fruitless paths.

Don't jump to conclusions—there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw. (Proverbs 25:8)

The stories we tell ourselves are often more important than we think - they actually form the steps we will take! An inaccurate story will only lead to inaccuracies in our actions! Learning to tell ourselves the correct story is most important, isn't it? There are many sources of "input" our brains receive each day. The very nature of each source of input lends itself to "interpretation" of the data that then gets added to the mix of other stuff we take in about the story we are being told or are telling ourselves. For example, if we rely only upon what comes in through our sense of sight, forming conclusions based on how things appear in the image we behold with only our eyes, we might miss other evidence which speaks louder like the sounds we hear! If we look in a mirror at how our body appears to us, we might point out the flaws of this dimple, extra inch of tissue here, and that scar over there. To a blind person each of these "flaws" or "points of uniqueness" adds to the "image" they form of us all without the advantage of the sense of sight - oftentimes because they have developed their other senses to aid them in forming their 'image'!

I wonder what stories our bodies tell. Many bear scars which are hidden from view and considered ugly by some. Some of us cleverly cover them with make-up, others with items of clothing, and still others with humor or sarcasm. Yet, in the privacy of the bathroom mirror, they are all visible, aren't they? When you and I behold the scars, there are memories associated with each and every one. The ones over my right knee bespeak the multiple surgeries I've undergone on that knew, the one on my neck the removal of my thyroid, and the one on my chin the falls I have experienced a couple of times that left a visible mark for life. These are not the most serious of my scars, though. In fact, it takes a different set of "eyes" to really see the scars which have impacted my life and yours! Those scars are so cleverly concealed by the stories we have told ourselves through the years....

Stories like....
No one wants a failure - all I do is fail, so what is the use of trying. I always let people down.
They didn't mean to hurt me - they just lost control. I drove them to the point of their rage. I need to try harder next time.
I've done too much wrong for anyone to ever want me. 

If I just try harder, I can succeed - I just need more willpower to overcome this.

Regardless of the story behind the scar, the truth is quite different from the story we often come to "interpret" as the reality in our lives. Take the first story - I know of one really big God who gave his all for more than just one "imperfect failure" - he gave his life so we could have a totally new identity in Christ Jesus. If we never try, we never have the opportunity to succeed - but it takes more than my own willpower to succeed - it takes me walking in that new identity I obtained at the foot of the cross. It often takes a whole lot of failures to succeed. In fact, the scar on my chin resulted from not knowing how to turn the big two-wheel Schwinn I learned to ride as a kid! Guess what? I ride a bike pretty well now! Sometimes I am wobbly a bit, but in general, I do pretty well on that bike. You and I don't realize our identity plays a huge part in how well we will reach the right conclusions in life.

In looking at the second story some tell, the real story centers not on us being who we are, but on what is being done TO us. We are NOT the cause of another's anger - the abuse of the other is NEVER our fault. In fact, scripture is plain - we each own our own sin! Control of our emotions is the responsibility of the one expressing the emotion, not the one on the receiving end of that emotion! Nothing covers over these scars of abuse, right? Maybe not in the natural sense, but in the spiritual and emotional sense, God's grace, his love, and his compassionate "putting the pieces back together" touch will! The 'no one will ever like me' story, although common to many, is really a lie we tell ourselves to cover over our fears of relationship. We have been rejected - so we reject ourselves, as well. I am so blessed to know God never came to the cross for perfect people. He came for me - a wholly imperfect person, riddled with all kinds of stuff I have done "wrong". He came for you - equally imperfect and carrying your own set of baggage! His goal is to teach us to relate to him first - to understand and fully walk in our new identity in him. In unloading the baggage of our past, he sets us up to reach out in relationship again. I am not sure how he manages to do all this, but I do stand here today confident of what he has done in my life and assure he can do it in yours, too! 

Yep, the conclusions we jump to in the moment may be telling us the wrong story! We might want to see ourselves through the mirror of God's Word - it is a much more reliable source of truth! Just sayin!

Round and Round We Go

Control - we all have issues from time to time, don't we? If we want control, we struggle every time is out of our control - like when traffic comes to a screeching halt on the highway and we have places to be right then. If we don't actually want control and it is thrust upon us, we wanna turn tail and run - like when we get put in charge of a project way out of our comfort zone. We all have times when our days just seem to spin out of control. It is not an easy thing for many of us - we just don't like to have control in the hands of anyone else, or to be told we need to control things! Whenever control shifts, we feel "out of control" - anxiety creeps in, frustration mingles with our anxious thoughts, until we end up on the edge of wanting to just scream, "Give me back the reigns, fool!" or worse yet, "I give up, I'm done, I am out of here!"  Okay, if this has never described your day, don't read on! If it has...maybe you'd benefit just as much as me.

God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. (Psalm 23:1-3 MSG)

Most of us associate the 23rd Psalm with funerals - it is the one most common passages of scripture read at the graveside. Why on earth am I directing our attention to a psalm about "death" today? Well, read it again - the very first three words say it all! "GOD, my shepherd." It isn't about death - it is about who is really in control. GOD - you may remember as I have shared the meaning of these names of God in our Bibles written in all caps. LORD and GOD both stand for the name Israel knew God by - Jehovah. It is translated, "The unchanging one". In fact, whenever we see the name GOD or LORD in all caps in scripture, we can count on the passage speaking something of his being totally unchangeable in his promises, permanent in every way, and becoming all we have need of in the moment. It is his intense compassion as a loving and unchanging God which moves him into action within our lives - controlling what is out of our control.

So, as this psalm opens, it starts with what we all have need of in our lives when things seem to be spinning out of control - a shepherd! What does the shepherd do? He guides the sheep. Not only does he guide - he protects. When things are spinning out of control - we need not only wise guidance, but we certainly need protection from what others can do to us AND what we can do to ourselves. "I don't need a thing". Hmmm...let's see....we stand in need of so much...but when we recognize the Shepherd of our souls is in control...we can confidently say, "I don't need a thing". Pretty awesome, if you ask me! As if being in control is the aim, the next part of the passage settles this little misconception we might have. In fact, it is God who "beds us down". I don't know about you, but as a mother, whenever I managed to rein-in the kids, get them all washed up and ready for bed, those first moments of peaceful sleep I'd observe as I looked in on them before I turned away and called it a night just melted my heart. Those peaceful little ones, all innocent in their rest, just took away my breath. I imagine this is a little of what God feels whenever he finally gets us to rest in what he has provided for us!

He provides lush meadows - because we don't know our lack of comfort until we experience it as perfectly as he provides that comfort. He gives quiet pools to drink from - simply because we don't know how parched life leaves us until we drink deeply from his grace-pools. Spinning out of control takes its toll on our physical bodies, but also on our spiritual reserves. No one appreciates comfort until the pain gets too great to handle. We don't appreciate a cool drink until we experience thirst on a hot day. I guess we need to realize pain and thirst are really early warning signs of needing to look for the Shepherd! The purpose of the rest and the refreshing is in order to catch our breath so we can "live to fight another day". But...we fight from a new vantage point! As we let God take us into his rest, we learn from the master planner of our lives. The next step we take is in sync with his. It is in yielding control where we find the best "control" we could ever bring into our circumstances. Spinning? Maybe it is time for a little rest. Just sayin!

Spits and spurts

By now you all know I am a little bit of a "people watcher" - I look at their walk, posture, facial expressions, position they take in a crowd, and even where they put their hands. Why? These 'tell a story' about the person and where they are emotionally, physically, and even perhaps spiritually. You soon realize there are many "styles" of walking. Some take slow, meandering steps, not appearing to have a care in the world - but is that an accurate picture? Others walk at an "all-out" pace you'd imagine a marathon runner to require - in a hurry to get somewhere, catch up with someone, or just challenge their body. Still others seem to "strut there stuff" as they swagger along - perhaps thinking their 'image' of 'being cool' or 'standing out' matters more than what is on the inside. Believe it or not, our "gait" tells a whole lot about what is going on in a person's entire body. If you shuffle a lot when you walk, it could be an indication of a lack of muscle strength, or perhaps a neurological deficit which is keeping the person from performing the normal "heel-strike" type gait. It could also mean you are a little under the weather, depressed, or feeling overwhelmed by life! The physician observes for limps - knowing a limp on one side of the body affects so much of what is happening on the other - called an antalgic gait (you are protecting one side with the work of the other). A waddling or duck-like gait might cue the provider to consider the effects of muscular dystrophy. Amazing isn't it - one simple action telling so much detail! I wonder what our 'spiritual walk' displays about us - are we under attack, or perhaps enduring so much pain in one area of our life it begins to affect all the other areas? We all have a 'tell' in our 'walk', don't we?

Fools on the road have no sense of direction. The way they walk tells the story: "There goes the fool again!" (Ecclesiastes 10:3 MSG)

Did you ever consider the "fool" as having a particular "walk"? Even their "steps" manage to display so much about them! Their "gait" is one without direction - they may start out well, but soon veer off course and across rough terrain in no time. We all have a gait in a spiritual sense - a walk of sorts which reveals much about us. A sense of direction is something many just seem to be "gifted" to have, while others are hopelessly lost all of the time!  It is like the one with the 'gift' of direction possesses some kind of "internal radar" that gets them anywhere, in the shortest distance possible, without having to stop to ask directions or seek help along the way. When it comes to "spiritual radar", these kind of people seem to walk without any real sense of trouble, lack of faith, or seeming effort in obedience - they make those of us that are "direction-challenged" seem a little bit awkward or 'behind the eight ball', huh? They make most of us quite "jealous" in a kind of "spiritual" sense of jealousy (if there ever was one of those).

What is it about some folks - they just KNOW where to go, what to do, who will be their support, the way to respond to challenges that come their way? It is like they have an "insiders" track on life. No wonder we have a tendency to envy their seeming "ease" at walking out this Christian experience - they are stable, secure, and pretty doggone 'well-off' in a spiritual sense. If you know me well enough, you realize I suffered from serious osteoarthritis in my joints, have pain most days, and sometimes can't get comfortable enough to sleep because of the aches. On a good day, I can "clean up" my gait, walking with only a slight limp - almost able to fool anyone into thinking I've got this pain thing mastered. On most days, my limp is obvious to even the blind person because they can hear the difference in my step! My gait betrays the pain! Equally so, our spiritual gait betrays a great deal about us. Our walk betrays so much about what is really on the inside of each of us - the condition of our heart, our minds, and our emotions. On a good day, we can seemingly walk without much effort - kind of "Limp Free". On most days, our spiritual "limp" is pretty evident, isn't it? I can do a whole lot to "try" to convince myself, and others, that I am not in pain - emotionally, physically, or spiritually. As much as I try, the truth betrays itself in my "walk". Our walk betrays the condition of our heart, mind, and emotions!

I have learned to be an observer of the "walk" of others - simply because it tells me so much about the other person. Some say the eyes are the window to the soul. I'd have to say your walk is the true "betrayer" of what is really going on inside! It is hard to mask an "imperfect" gait in the physical sense - it is even harder to do it in a spiritual one! So, I wonder if you've ever considered what your "spiritual gait" says about the condition of your spiritual life. It may be filled with all kinds of "halting" steps - spurts and starts, but really very spastic in nature. That's okay! God can work with our 'imperfect gait'! It could be like the shuffling feet of one suffering from a neurological deficit such as Parkinson's. That's okay! God can work with us when we are just not "sure" of our step any longer and need to stay as close to "grounded" as we can in our uncertainty. We haven't learned to trust God enough to take the bigger, wider steps which resemble a steady and sure walk yet, but we are learning to. Regardless of our "spiritual gait" - God can work with it! The fact is - we are walking! It is the fool who never realizes the inefficiencies of his gait! It is truly a wise one who realizes the "faltering" of their steps and turns to the one who can help! Just sayin!

Just askin...

If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both. (I John 4:20-21)

Let's take a moment to get honest with each other here, shall we? Do you think you are a pretty good person? Go ahead, answer that one honestly. If you answered affirmatively then a follow-up to that one is who do you NOT love? Who do you find yourself around that you kind of feel like you are just at opposite ends of the pole and you are forced to kind of like them so you can work with them, live nearby them, or perhaps even live with them in your own family/household? If you could name someone there, good! You are being honest with yourself and God. Now back to the one who answered they are a pretty good person. Who do you NOT love? Chances are it doesn't matter which end of the spectrum we find ourselves on today - good person or not so good - we all have at least one person that came to mind. Why? It isn't easy living with other people sometimes. It isn't easy for them to live with us either! We 'make do' in the circumstances of those relationships because we kind of feel forced to, as though we have no other choice. The truth of the matter is that we DO have a choice - to love them as God loves them, or continue to go on NOT liking them and showing very little of God's love toward them. 

We ALL have issues with loving as God loves others - there is just no way around that one, my friends. We are going to be challenged by the things we don't 'like' in the other individual, forming some type of opinion of why they make the choices they make and why they act like they do. God never told us we had to 'like' others - he told us we are to love them the way he loves us. That equates to letting go of the opinions, extending grace when and where it is the least deserved, and then living as the example of God for them. Notice I did not say we live as the "Holy Spirit" in their lives - we aren't there to convict them of their short-comings. We are there to love them with the heart of God - the new heart we were each given the moment we said 'yes' to Jesus. Does it make their actions right? Not at all, but in our uncompromising love we reveal grace again and again even in the face of those 'wrong' actions. Does it make them 'lovable' individuals? Nope, but with God's love flowing through our veins, we are bound to find something lovable in them!

Take note - it isn't just that we are to love God - we are to love people, too. We have to love both. We love God with all our hearts and in time, we begin to see ways we can bring that love into each encounter with those 'unlovable' individuals we find in our path. Is it easy to love them? Nope, but God's grace has never failed to come through time and time again when we allow it to affect our lives at the core of our being. I imagine God emphasized the need to love both - him and others - because he knew it would be a struggle for us to do both. We don't always reveal we are loving God, do we? Some of our actions reveal we are still pretty concerned with our own lives, almost demanding to get our own way at times. We find it hard to submit to another - the very basis of love is laying down one's own agenda to meet the needs of the one we love. Isn't that what Christ did? He laid down his life so our sins could be forgiven - so we could have a new heart capable of loving even the unlovely. He loved us BEFORE we got that new heart, my friends. How can we do any less for those around us? Just askin....

It is not just 'full-speed ahead'

Maybe life is a little complicated for us right now - every day brings new reports of worsening pandemic, more loss of life, riots, disagreements, and the list goes on. Why would we ever want to leave the safety of our homes? We have all experienced those moments when the "mess" of our present "muddled circumstances" seems like more than enough to handle - then along comes someone telling us to get "deeper" into the "muddle"! I think we all probably might have responded similarly to the one who tells us to get ourselves into a deeper muddle - it probably went something like, "Are you nuts! Things are more than I can handle right here and you want me to do what?" Hey, this is not a new response! In fact, there is are tons of similar ones recorded in the Bible - I think God doesn't want us to think we are alone in this muddle!

But David's men said, "We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines?" So David went back to God in prayer. God said, "Get going. Head for Keilah. I'm placing the Philistines in your hands." (I Samuel 23:3-4 MSG)

David was the one asking for them to get "deeper into the muddle" - something he had done before, but now he was asking for his men to follow along. It should not go without note - the entire army of men responded back, "We live in fear of our lives RIGHT HERE!" If we just look at this portion of the passage, we might feel like David was an insensitive leader, or completely self-centered with motives that bordered on selfish or self-elevating. When we look a little deeper, here's what we find - David did not act alone in asking for them to join forces and fight! He consulted God first! He took what he knew to God - the Philistines were attacking the region of Keilah and raiding the fields of grain. He asked God what to do with what it was he knew about the circumstances at hand - "Should I go after these Philistines and teach them a lesson?" He received his confirmation before involving others in his plans - God said, "Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

We have all responded at one time or another with the admission of living in fear right here in the present muddle we are in. The things we face seem insurmountable to us - because we can only see our own mess and the impact it has on us. The impression we have of being "surrounded" on all sides can seem to overwhelm our faith at times. David was probably not immune to this same sort of 'woe is me' fear at times. He hid in caves, trying to escape the pursuing armies that sought him out. He escaped in the dead of night, to get a running start on his enemies so they might not catch up with him. He knew the wisdom of retreat and the value of the right time to attack. He also knew if God was for him, none could stand against him (and his armies)! We often don't realize the impact of our actions. David clearly did not move ahead of God's plans here. He FIRST consulted God - then he ENGAGED others in the plan. Whenever we do this the other way around, we are getting the cart before the horse - and we all know that doesn't work so well. I appreciate David's men because they were totally honest - admitting to living in fear right there where they were in Judah! In their present mess of trouble, they were fearful for their future state. They were surrounded on all sides - Judah was under siege. The enemy was unrelenting. I don't think there is anything wrong with their honesty because they were having a "faith-struggle". When we are honest about our struggle, our deliverance is made possible.

David knew their next move - but he had to help them overcome their present fear. He doesn't just plunge ahead. He regroups with God. Often the most telling thing we do with our fear is revealed in who we take it to! We have a tendency to take our fears to other men - those with similar fears. What does that do for us? If we were honest - we all just have one big pity-party with it! When we take those same fears to God, what does he do with them? He clarifies and confirms the steps we are to take! David received the confirmation from God - "I'm placing the Philistines in your hands". The first time around, God said to David, "Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah." This time around, he confirmed the victory! In feeling doubt, we might just shrink away or pull back. In finding faith, we plunge ahead. Whenever we find ourselves shrinking back, we need to admit how the enemy's attack (the muddled circumstances we are experiencing) is impacting us. When we "feel" surrounded and under siege, chances are our faith is taking the blunt of the blow! The only place to have our faith "settled" and "made sure" again is at the feet of Jesus. If we don't get it the first time, then we need to go back again and again until we do!

In the midst of the muddled circumstances, we are seldom alone - others are experiencing the "muddle" with us. There is great wisdom in walking with another through the mess of circumstances. We do better "in the muddle" when we have our flanks covered by other warriors. We need to be sure we have the right "order" to our battle march, thought. First - we seek God's plan. Then, we engage others! When we engage first, we are open to all kinds of "advice" which may not always be what God intends for the present battle. God's advice comes in the quiet place of prayer - his battle charge comes in the presence of others of like faith! The battle charge begins in the quiet of his confirming counsel! Just sayin!

Let it go

But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original promise. In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:26-28 MSG)

No division - no WE/THEY. In Christ's family there can be no division. Let that one sink in a moment. Take even two minutes to think about the present circumstances in our nation and you will realize there is even more division and 'divisiveness' these days than ever. We have families and friends 'divided' over this pandemic - divided over if it is real or is it a hoax? We have neighbors within communities 'divided' over which 'lives matter'. We have a country 'divided' over which 'party' really won the election. Despite all the division, God calls us back to center today. He calls us back to a fresh start. It is time to put down our divisiveness and pick up the one thing that brings unity - the cross. There is no 'leveler' playing field than at the foot of the cross. By faith in Christ, we are in direct relationship with God, and those in this 'direct relationship' cannot be party to divisive words, thoughts, or actions. We must live at peace with each other, respect authority, and live out our lives in a way that reveals there is more to this relationship with Christ than just a casual acquaintance with him. 

There can be no division. These are pretty plain words and don't need a whole lot of interpretation. No means none. Why does division occur in the first place? If you think back to the earliest time you felt wronged in life, you might just have your answer. Your playmate took the toy you wanted to play with, and you cried out, not because there weren't other toys for you to play with, but because you didn't get your way. You sulked off, sat in a corner pouting because you didn't get your toy. You 'divided' yourself from your playmate because you felt wronged in the deal. What is at the root of division? In most cases, it begins with some form of selfishness. Think for a moment about the one who refuses to follow public health guidelines to mask during the pandemic, limit social contact, or social distance. Do they want the disease? Not really, but they don't want the inconvenience of following the guidelines. In their eyes, they are being denied something they want - freedom to make their own choices and live like they 'normally do'.

At times, I live a little too selfishly. There are none of us on this earth that don't struggle with it from time to time. We forget how much we each have 'in common' with each other. We forget how much God desires us to look beyond our own wants and wishes and see the true need in others. We get wrapped up in our lives and we forget about the needs of others. In time, division happens because we focus more on our own needs and wants than we do those of the ones we are living life with each day. I may not like every decision made to slow the spread of a deadly virus, but I choose to protect not only myself, but those around me. I may not agree with every action taken by our leaders, but I have a responsibility to pray for them and to trust God to guide them. I may not like it when my life gets turned upside down by others, but I cannot 'take sides'. I must remain committed to the one 'side' I can count on 100% of the time - Christ.

Division has no place in the family of God. It has no place in our homes or communities, either! It has no place in our hearts or minds - for that is where division really begins to have an inroad. We are a chosen people, adorned in a grace-filled wardrobe some refer to as 'robes of righteousness'. God didn't put lipstick on pigs. He made us new, not just 'dressed up'. We need to live in this newness of life - free of division and united with him. In that unity of mind, body, and spirit we come to the place we begin to bring unity into our families, communities, and even our world. We stop acting or reacting out of selfish desire and begin to lay down our lives in service to each other. Just sayin!

Under God

Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces, he answered. God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? God’s my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies. Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people; Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities. Hemmed in by barbarians, in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt; Hemmed in and with no way out, in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt; Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they hemmed me in; in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt. I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall, when God grabbed and held me. God’s my strength, he’s also my song, and now he’s my salvation. Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs in the camp of the saved? “The hand of God has turned the tide! The hand of God is raised in victory! The hand of God has turned the tide!” (Psalm 118:5-6 MSG)

Sometimes I feel like I have been 'pushed to the wall' - pinned in, unable to move, kind of feeling a little helpless. It has been that way for a while with all this ups and downs in our country during this quite unsettling election year. I don't want to get 'political' today, but let me just say - God is in control, no matter the 'party' affiliation you proclaim - he hasn't lost control. It isn't a 'Republican' or 'Democratic' country we live in - it is ONE NATION UNDER GOD. Do you ever feel 'hemmed in' in your personal life, with little to no hope of ever breaking free of whatever has you right there in this moment? God hasn't lost control - never forget it is ONE LIFE UNDER GOD'S CONTROL. The bigger our 'dilemma' or 'life shattering issue' at the moment - the same answer applies - God has never lost control. It is indeed UNDER GOD that the walls will fall, the enemy will retreat, and the tide will turn within your life, your home, your career, and even within our nation!

I called to God - this is the crux of this passage. When we feel like we cannot possibly go on any longer, we don't just stop, sit down, and give up. We steel our spines, dig our feet in, and remember it is not over, it has only begun. Why? God isn't done! I remember someone telling me we never really see the light until it is quite dark around us at times. I live in a home that will emit some creaks and pops from time to time. You know when I hear them the most? In the darkness of night! Do you know when they can freak me out the most? In the darkness of night! Do you know what I do if I get freaked out? I turn on a light! Why? The light dispels the darkness. God isn't done in your circumstances today, my friends. He isn't capitulating to the enemy of your soul. He isn't going to let you just flounder and fail. Repeat this with me: I am ONE LIFE UNDER HIS CONTROL. 

Some of us are at the 'cliff's edge' right now, ready to fall, just barely balancing there. A strong gust of wind would be all it would take for us to lose our balance! God isn't going to let you fall - he will steady you right where you are, but he may call you back from the edge. He may also reach out and rescue you in the midst of the fall! The hand of God isn't 'ill-equipped' to rescue - we just need to recognize his hand is at work. You know that I pay attention to things repeated in scripture - if it was good enough to say it once, I listen, but if it was repeated time and time again - I sit up and take particular notice. It is meant for me to truly 'get' the lesson being taught when something is repeated. How did I learn my multiplication tables? I repeated 2x2 = 4, 2x3 = 6, and so on until I got it. 2 apples plus 2 apples gave me a bowl with 4 apples. 2 apples laid side by side 2 times gave me a fuller bowl! Pay attention to what God is saying.

We are his and he is ours. We have been redeemed, made whole, new breath placed within our lungs. Now, live as thought you are HIS. He is in control. He is what UNITES us in his family. He is what will UNITE us as a country. He is what UNITES because he has never lost control. God's purpose in our present pain? I am not sure, but I know this - he hasn't lost control. Just sayin!

Going all in

So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16)

We are faith-filled risk-takers intent on being holy as our God is holy. Does that describe you? We all come to Christ exactly as we are - none of us is better than any other person - all are able to be faith-filled risk-takers intent on being holy IN CHRIST JESUS. We receive this gift of 'new life' and almost without us realizing it, do you know what God does within us? He 'pulls us into a way of life shaped by god's life'. Now that should make all of us more than just a little bit hopeful, my friends. We have been given a gift we did not deserve, are filled with a faith we could never muster on our own, and we walk anew in a power not our own.

Our part - we put our minds in gear. In other words, we stop living a lazy, haphazard lives that are 'hit and miss' kind of existences. We begin to live purposeful lives that seek to put shame in the past where it belongs and enter into grace in the present because grace is what helps us be 'all in' with Jesus. You know what sets a believer apart? We are known what we stand FOR, not more than what we stand AGAINST. We stand for righteousness. We stand for purity. We stand for love and unity. We stand for hope. In reality, by what we stand FOR we are really standing AGAINST all those things that oppose those things!

With minds in gear, we learn to stand strong. We won't slip back into the darkest parts of our lives if we are engaging our minds in this walk. If we think we can walk 'mindlessly' in this Christian walk, think again. In fact, begin to think like you have never thought before! Faith-filled, risk-taking believers aren't afraid to allow Christ to fill their minds with the messages of hope and peace and joy that he wants to place within the 'walls' of our minds. He also wants to build up those walls with his Word so that we won't just 'mindlessly' entertain any old thought that comes along.

We are 'pulled into' a new life in Christ Jesus. It isn't all that easy for Christ to let go, so don't worry that his grip will slip! We aren't going to stumble and fall when we take risks with Jesus. When we step out in ways he asks us to step out, even when we don't feel like we know how or have the ability to 'go all in' he is there pulling us onward. How many times do we allow our minds talk our hearts out of doing what we know God is asking us to do? If we want to go all in with Christ this year, then our first step will be to begin to engage our minds in this walk like we never have before. Purposefully choosing to follow each step of the way. Just sayin!

At the end of it all

What do your 'treasures' reveal about you? About your focus in life? About who or what you consider to be important? Did you realize what you treasure most is a good indication of where you will invest the greatest amount of your time and talent? If your 'treasure' is in your family, you likely spend a great deal of time with members of your family, helping them to complete tasks, enjoying leisure pursuits together, and even just 'hanging' in front of the screen watching a good movie at times. If your 'treasure' is in your career, you likely invest a great deal of time, talent, and sometimes even money into that career. You better your education, so you are more proficient at what it is your are doing, looking for the next big move you can make to stay relevant and 'in demand' within your job market. If you don't know where your 'treasure' is, look at where you spend the majority of your time, or focus the greatest part of your attention - that is your treasure.

“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Stockpile anything and eventually you will be called a 'hoarder'! While mom was alive, I stockpiled hard candies because she enjoyed sucking on them to keep her mouth moist as her meds made her mouth quite dry. Now that mom is gone, what do I do with a stockpile of butterscotch and peppermint hard candies? She also liked applesauce with her meals, so I stockpiled those tiny cups of the stuff, only to find when I looked at them a couple months ago, they had long since passed their date of safe use! Some stockpiles might just make sense and be quite important because we use the items so frequently - like toilet paper - but when we put a lot of 'stuff' into our lives and cannot really use it before it is no longer of use, then it is just hoarding! We can be guilty of 'over-stuffing' our lives with things and even relationships - all because we don't want to have any empty space. 

Think about what you 'stockpile' in your life. At first, you may not think 'stockpiling' relationships is all that bad - we can never have too many friends, right? The answer to that comes in considering the 'justice' we are doing to each of those relationships by the amount time we invest into them. Some are quite casual - a golf game here or there, an occasional meal out, and perhaps even a couple of calls or texts a month. Others are everyday occurrences - we never go one day without some form of 'reaching out' to the other person. I daresay we do 'justice' to the latter, but not likely the former. It is okay to have lots of friends - but we will have some we hold closer, cherish more, and really know to be our true 'treasures' in life.

Now, when it comes to our relationship with Jesus, I have to meddle a little. How's that one stacking up when it comes to being considered a 'treasure' in your life? Remember, I ask myself these questions before I even pose them to you! Sometimes my life reveals that 'treasure' has slipped down the list a little just because my focus has been taken away from time with him and is being put into other things. I have to pull back sometimes from other 'places of investment' in order to really have the time I need with him, but it is never a wrong choice to make! You and I need that time with him each day - no other 'stockpile' of treasure will quite meet the inward needs of our soul and spirit like spending time alone with him. At the end of it all, what treasures will you have to present at his feet? 

I hope we all have a 'pantry full of treasures' to present - solid relationships that were made stronger through God's grace; careers that flourished because Christ was put first in everything we did; homes that knew the peace of God because we set the tone by that quiet time we took with him each day. We will all have something to present at his feet - something we will view as our 'treasure' - make sure it is the treasure that moth and rust does not corrupt! Just sayin!

We all hide, now seek

If you ever played that childhood game of 'hide and seek', you are probably aware someone is given the task of 'finding' and the others are given the task of 'hiding'. The challenge was to find the 'best' hiding place so you didn't get found. Back in the day, we had a great neighborhood for hiding - lots and lots of really well-concealed hiding spots on my property and the two that adjoined it. We had 13 citrus trees, a huge mulberry tree, and two pretty impressive sized junipers in my yard alone - not to mention the chicken coop, the fenced in pool area, shrubs, shed, and the like. All provided ample hiding space for one who could scurry up the trunk, duck behind a wall or two, or into the cover of the leaves fast enough. As I recall all the places I hid, none was as safe as the place I run to now! I run to the safety of God's arms. Today, it isn't so much that I am playing a childhood game of 'hiding' as much as I find I am 'hiding' something from God - so I run into his 'hiding place' and it is there that I find he deals with whatever it is I am hiding! We all 'hide', but God is after what it is we are 'hiding'.

God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains. Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us. (Psalm 46:1-3 MSG)

We all have "hiding places" we run to, don't we? Some are more skilled at the "hiding" thing than others. Try as we might, we just cannot seem to find those things that are hidden at times. The problem with most of our "hiding" places is the "purpose" behind our need to hide in the first place! Sometimes we hide because the guilt of our sin seems too big. At others, we hide simply because the "work" of being exposed is just too much - we'd have to keep too close of an eye on our pretense of being righteous. Probably one of the most telling reasons for hiding is the tendency we all have to feel "inferior" to someone else - so we hide what we see as our flaws and imperfect abilities because we fear judgment, don't like to have others show us up, or we just plain don't want to ever fail.

Regardless of why we are hiding, we need to recognize - there is only one safe place to "hide" and it is there that God deals with whatever it is that motivates us to 'hide' stuff in the first place. The purpose of hiding is to prevent something from being discovered. The only "safe" place where we can be who we really are is in the presence of God. Yet, we run for all kinds of other "cover" instead of the one place where we can just "let down our hair" and be "real". Why? I think it may be as simple as us thinking our "cover" is working! God is a safe place to hide - not to conceal us and our sinfulness, but to help us when we are in a place of need far too great for us to ever meet on our own. It is in the very presence of God where we are changed - our need to conceal becomes void as we languish in his love and grace! He is even a safe place for one to seek! Hide or seek - he is it!

I know many of my readers face challenging times today. There are battles with cancer, the depression of loss, the pull of some secret sin, the exhaustion of trying to be all things to everyone in your life, and even the worries of what will happen tomorrow in a really crazy world right now. Regardless of the challenge - run to God. Hide in him for a while. In your "running for HIS cover", you are running right into what will meet your every need. We desire to stand fearless on the "cliff-edge" of the challenge before us, don't we? Courage seems to slip through our fingers as sand slowly falling through the hourglass. We just don't know how to get a grip on what has us in the fight of our lives. Here's the secret we each need to remember - run to God. He knows! Seems too simple, huh? It really isn't. You see, when we run to the place where we are safe to be exactly who and what we are, we are open to receive the very thing we need to embrace the challenge head-on.

It is in being "real" with God, in the secret place of his refuge, that we are able to "get real" with the things and people we deal with today. God already knows we fear the "cliff-edge" - - we do ourselves no favors by covering up our fear. He already knows the storms are heavy upon us - - we don't "ride them out" by trying to row against the winds! Instead, we "sail through them" by allowing him to direct our sails. Remember - it isn't that we hide, it is what we choose to hide and where we run when we feel the need to hide. So, run to the only hiding place where all things good are at your disposal - God's presence. Afraid to? Don't be! His grace is sufficient to forgive our sin, his love fills every gap in our behavior, and his heart is always open towards his children! His joy stuns our senses with the awesomeness of renewal and awakening. His peace settles the rushing waves of doubt and fear which seek to overwhelm our minds. His healing touch energizes our frailness with renewed vitality. No better hiding place, but also no better place to seek! Just sayin!

BE strong

There are days when I feel ever so grateful and aware of each breath, each rhythmic thump of my heart, and each wisp of air as it gently passes through my hair. As I am on the 'back-half' of my life now, I think I fully appreciate each morning I awaken without an ache or pain bothering me, find my blood pressure within normal range, or just simply start the day with a leisurely pace. There haven't been many of these moments, but I have had a couple of those "life or death" moments - car spinning out of control on an icy roadway, or even narrowly missing a multiple car pile up because I was able to pull up onto an embankment quickly. Perhaps we get too caught up in life at times to even realize the type of fight we are really in - more moments than we might imagine as "life or death" occurring all around us. In the moments we take to actually pause long enough to look around, we often discover we are in the fight of our life!

God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. (Ephesians 6:10-12)

It is a good thing we are given well-made weapons of the best materials, isn't it? Yet, a weapon in a locked cabinet, or hidden away in the recesses of a drawer is of little use! We need to "put on" all we are given - not just parts and pieces, selectively chosen as the "attire" we WANT to put on that day like we might do from our own bedroom closet. To be truthful, there are days when I don't want to be in shoes. I just want to walk around barefoot - comfortable, not bound up in a shoe - allowing my 'thermo-regulators' known as my feet to just breathe. My toes are a whole lot more likely to get stubbed and having broken a couple this past year, I don't wanna stub them ever! I may not WANT to wear the shoes, but they actually protect me in ways I might not fully appreciate. At work, for example, I wear them to keep me from getting unwanted germs on my body - from creeping into the dark spaces between my toes and under my nails. As I walk on the street, I wear them to keep my feet from frying to a crisp in the hot Arizona sun! In winter, I wear them because my feet get cold without them. The shoes serve a very worthwhile purpose - different depending on the circumstance, but a significant purpose nonetheless.

Truth be told, I think we all need to hear this: We are not in an afternoon athletic contest here! Back in the day, families would break out the softball and bat, football and goal posts, or a Frisby and some buckets to do a little yard activity after mealtime. An afternoon athletic contest is not really a "contest", but a time of "playing around" with being an "athlete". Sure, we get a little exercise in the process, but it isn't really a "contest". This walk with Christ is not a leisurely thing! It is a fight to the death! Someone is after our lives and that someone is a pretty devious enemy! If he has skin in this game, isn't it time for us to put as much skin in the game? We don't need to go up against any enemy unprepared. We have been given the best of all weapons - the Word of God holding us strong, the righteousness of Christ guarding our hearts, the peace of Christ guiding each step we take, faith grounded in assurance of the protective power of our God at our fingertips, the blood of Christ covering and making our minds strong. Above all, we have the sword of the Spirit - the Word of God. All in all - no one piece stands alone - no one piece is to be left off, ignored, or disregarded. We could be totally "clad" in armor and have absolutely no weapon to launch an attack! At best, without a weapon in our hands, we can only stand against the attack for so long - we can defend a while, but not forever! This is why we need the Word in our hand - the Spirit of God using it to defend us and to divide truth from lie.

As we begin a new year, consider the battle. As much as we might want to take shortcuts in life, our time spent each and every day with Jesus isn't wasted or insignificant time. Maybe we need to be consistent with the application of what we have been given for our defense more than we need to take the shortcut of just 'glossing over' what God wants to speak into our lives today! We are in the fight of our lives - like it or not. This is no afternoon athletic contest - it is the real deal! We need the real deal when it comes to both our defense and our offense if we are to be able to stand up in this fight until the end! I don't want an unprotected heart, or an easily influenced mind! You don't either! So, gird up! The battle's on! Just sayin!

No chinks here

Ever heard anyone say that guy has nerves of steel? They are actually paying the individual a compliment, but I also have heard some say the contrary statement, "They have absolutely no backbone." What is the difference between the two guys? One is putting it all out there without any signs they are intimidated by the circumstances, while the other is labeled as 'no backbone' because they have a little more concern over the issues ahead of them. There are times when we all need to hear the words that will actually bolster our courage, serving to increase our faith, and helping to put "steel in our spines" again. No matter how hard we try, we sometimes experience moments of doubt - the siege against us seeming to be far more prepared for the battle than we our with our own defense. The truth is, we are often caught unaware in the moment of attack in our lives. Most of us have little to no clue of the next thing which will put us into a tailspin. For many today, it is this extreme loss they have already experienced because of this pandemic. For others, it is the uncertainty of what will occur as we see this thing through to the end.

Hezekiah rallied the people, saying, "Be strong! Take courage! Don't be intimidated by the king of Assyria and his troops—there are more on our side than on their side. He only has a bunch of mere men; we have our God to help us and fight for us!" Morale surged. Hezekiah's words put steel in their spines. (2 Chronicles 32:6-8 MSG)

The situation set before us in this passage: King Sennacherib, the pretty strong and viscous king of Assyria, is coming against the fortified cities of Judah. His strategy was set and he was going to take the city of Jerusalem as his own. He put the fortified cities within his line of sight under cruel and viscous siege. Do you know what this means? When a king puts a fortified city under siege, he is doing so because it is a stronghold and he needs to break into that stronghold! It has walls of defense that totally makes attacking it a little more challenging than a fight of an enemy standing out in the open unprotected by any 'wall of protection'! You have probably heard it said, "The best defense is a good offense." The only plan our enemy has when he sees our "walls of defense" is to attempt to isolate us from help - from those things that supply our need. As the things we need are cut-off from our use, we become weaker - the result is that attack is now possible. When a walled city was encountered, the very image of fighting against the "walls of defense" was a tactic to distract - the walls were meant to give the attacker a sense of concern they could not 'break in'! The king knew if he could keep the inhabitants so busy fighting his attacking forces, there would be a chance to distract the inhabitants of the city long enough so he'd find the "chinks" in the cities defense.

This is how the enemy of our soul operates - first, he seeks to separate us from the very things which supply our need. Time in the Word bolsters our faith - cut this off and we grow weak, allowing doubt to enter in. Time in prayer unburdens our heart - attack here and the emotions are allowed to build to a breaking point. Words of encouragement from those who walk alongside in the battle help us to remain focused - eliminate these and we walk alone, vulnerable to all kinds of attack. If this were not enough, he looks for the chinks in our armor (our wall of defense). The small areas left undefended in the moment of his distraction are what he will focus on the most. These moments of being distracted are all the opportunity he needs to scale the wall and begin his inroad into our stronghold - the mind! His attack begins outside of the mind - his aim is definitely within our mind! Why? It is not a secret to him that our mind is our stronghold of defense, for all we do begins with thought. If he can get into our thoughts - doubts begin to form, fear begins to mount, and we begin to respond in ways we find totally out of character for us.

To those who find themselves under the siege of the enemy in their lives, I speak the words of Hezekiah: "Be strong! Take courage! Don't be intimidated by the enemy! There are more on YOUR side than on his! His power is limited! Ours is limitless - in and through our God we have more than enough to resist his siege!" He seeks to distract - God says, "Keep your focus on me, not him!" He seeks to find the chinks - God says, "Let me shore them up with my defenses!" He seeks to attack the stronghold of our minds - God says, "Let me consume your thoughts!" Steel in your spine! This is the result of having both a good defense and a great offense! So, 'steel up' my friends!

From rags to riches

Do you ever put something on, thinking it would make you look good or would be of the newer fashions available in the stores, then immediately pull it off, replace it back on the hanger and return it to the rack at the store? Your first impression was, "I have seen others wear this style and it looks so cute!" Your first impression on you: "Uh....this does not look good on me!" Maybe it is a "girl thing", but I think guys go through this frustration once in a while, too. They may just not admit it! There is one form of "attire" which will never disappoint, never look odd on us, and always flatters us! It never goes out of style. Everyone can 'wear it', but no one wears it quite the same, yet they look so very good in it. That attire is none other than the grace and peace of God. It is what scripture references when we hear about the 'garments of righteousness'.

I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara. For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, so the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.
(Isaiah 61:10-11 MSG)

We are "dressed up" in a pretty remarkable way whenever we are wearing the "suit of salvation"! Nothing is more appropriate for whatever the occasion may be, more flattering to our "frame" than even a custom tailored outfit, or produces the "wow" experience we all are hoping for. The "suit of salvation" is not hand-made, but it is 'custom tailored' in a sense. We can try to "cover up" our "frame" in many different ways, but only one thing truly covers us - the blood of Jesus. Think of the wedding - bridegroom all decked out in the tux. Pants with a razor sharp crease, collar and cuffs starched, shoes gleaming with a fresh coat of polish, and the tails flowing gently down the back. He cuts a right fine image, does he not? No flaw is seen at that moment - only the beauty of his frame awaiting his bride. 

The bride - all adorned in bejeweled gown, lotions and potions applied, with the freshest of scents, hair all adorned by the veil, topped by the tiny tiara twinkling in the light. She also captures the attention of those who behold her beauty - no flaw is apparent - all they see is her radiance and his anticipation. As she approaches the altar, her beauty seems to radiate even more. The groom's appreciation of his bride seems to be set on his face and glimmering in his eyes. The crowd is set at awe in that one moment that expresses the beginning of a bond that will not be broken. The garments do much for those who wear them, don't they? They aren't creating the moment, but they sure lend to it!

Outfitted in a robe of righteousness - even in the more intimate times when we can really "let our hair down", so to speak - God outfits us with righteousness! We don't wear our housecoats or bathrobes out into public, but tend to wear them around the house - where we are who we are - getting really comfortable and relaxed. Even in these times of "relaxed intimacy" of being our true selves, we are outfitted in something far better than we could ever imagine - right standing with our Savior. It is amazing, isn't it? God takes care of our "covering" both for public view and for his private enjoyment! Even in the quiet of our home, God adorns us with grace beyond measure, peace without limits, and joy unspeakable.

As our passage points out, even the earth is adorned in beauty - even this earth presents an image of the righteousness of God. I marvel whenever I see the Arizona cacti in full bloom and the desert floor radiant with all manner of wild flowers. Have you ever wondered how something so beautiful can come out of something so dry, prickly, and ugly. The surface looks like nothing good could come forth - then as the desert floor begins to come alive, the blooms surface, adorning what looked so "unfruitful" with tremendous beauty and glory. The barrel cactus wears a crown of flowers. The saguaro wears many little crowns. The ocotillo blooms brightly with rich red flames at its tips. Even the floor of the desert is alive with orange poppies, pink desert peony, fuscia trailing windmills, and the rich redness of the firecracker bush. God leaves his mark even in nature. He adorns and brings beauty out of what is the hardest, driest, prickliest, and sometimes the ugliest stuff within us, doesn't he? Where you see no sign of beauty, just wait. God is at work! He is going to bring forth that beauty in ways you never thought possible! Just sayin!

Grace Beats

Every now and then I am surprised by something someone does or says that I honestly never expected them to do. I am quite certain I have surprised people more than once with my own actions - actions they never thought I'd do either! So many times we form opinions of others based on what we see. The only "chink" in this method of "opinion forming" is we don't have the full picture! When we can realize how we miss the mark sometimes, we are taking the first step toward correcting our actions! Actions don't correct themselves - there must first be an acknowledgement that we need to change and then we must take the correct steps.

But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah. (Genesis 6:8)

Do we ever wonder if God likes what he sees right now when he looks at us? I do! There are definitely times when I think God DOESN'T like what he sees because the actions were rude, harsh, or just downright selfish. I sometimes think my actions are based upon circumstances - the more stressed I get, the less reliable my responses to life! I find I cut corners - answer quicker than I should, get a little short-tempered with others, and even just 'check out' for a bit into my own little shell to just get a grip on reality once again. Do you know what it means to be in a FRENZY? It is a condition of the mind in which the mind becomes wildly excited by the input it is receiving! Now if we were all truthful, whenever this occurs, we all have a tendency to "act out of character" just a little bit, don't we? It is like we just "could not help ourselves". Uh oh! Gone to meddling now, haven't I? But....don't forget....I am meddling in my own muddle first!

Why does our mind get caught up in the "frenzy" of the moment? In my case, it is often that I am on sensory overload. There are too many people asking me questions, telling me what they need, all at the same time - making demands of an already tired brain! In trying to keep all this organized in my mind, I "flip the switch" from being "in control" to allowing the frenzy to control me. Rather than stepping away a moment so I can regroup and calm the frenzy inside my brain, I sometimes stay in the thick of things and that rarely works out well for me or others who have to deal with me! There is great wisdom in recognizing the "breaking point" we all experience from time to time. There is even greater wisdom in knowing when it is time to step away for a few deep breaths. Nothing anyone else is doing is likely to actually be all that "wrong" in the moment. WE are what is likely wrong! We are allowing input to determine our response.

I wonder what God thinks when he watches all this unfold in our moment of frenzy. I still think God likes what he sees in each of us, just as he did when he looked at Noah, or considered the heart of David. God sees the bigger picture, he knows our responses even before they come, and he looks deeper than the response - right into the heart. God forgives our blundering responses - because he recognizes our heart gets hurt by our own actions! We feel the weight of those incorrect actions more than people probably realize and we are our own worst critics! Why does our "heart hurt" when we act in an unbecoming manner? I guess it is as plain as the nose on our face - God has been in the business of changing our heart for a good many years! He has softened it, rearranged its priorities, sensitized it to others, and made it beat best when it is listening to his heart! If you find yourself ever "undone" in the moment, just remember this - God sees your heart, not just your actions. He knows the actions are wrong, but he knows the integrity of our heart. 

I honestly don't know how you respond in the moment of frenzy, but I do not think I am alone in this muddle! Thank goodness God sees our hearts first - our actions matter, but it is our heart he really directs his focus toward, as it affects our responses to life in the long run. When he sees a right heart which just "skipped a beat" for a moment, he allows us to deal with the "arrhythmia" of an irregular beat or two, then move on! What a gracious God indeed! I call these 'grace beats' - the beats of our heart where he just 'resets' the rhythm and restores the pace of life once again! Just sayin!

One day...

Have you ever been in that moment when you'd like to say something, but you know better than to even open your mouth? I have and let me tell you...it is harder to stay silent sometimes, but oh so worth it! The words I would say would not be helpful, could even incite a little argument or two, and might even end up doing more harm than good. There are times when silence is definitely the best "tactic" to utilize, yet there are others when remaining silent will just worsen a situation. Learning how to use silence in a positive manner is a skill many of us never fully grasp. In fact, many of us don't like silence. We avoid it at all cost. There are also a group of us who like to express our opinion - invited or not. Either way, what we do with the silence is important - what we do with the spoken word is even more so.

When Hathach told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai sent her this message: "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this." (Esther 4:12-14 MSG)

Esther finds herself in such a predicament. Her cousin, Mordecai, has learned of the king's decree (issued through Haman) to destroy all the Jews in the land - simply because he doesn't like them. The day has been set - all are to be killed - none spared. To date, Esther's family line - that of being a Jew herself - has not become a topic of discussion in the court of the king. No doubt Haman is totally and foolishly unaware of this as the decree is issued. If he knew the peril in issuing a decree which would affect the king's "special lady", he might have thought twice before opening his mouth! Her dilemma becomes more apparent as she learns of the decree - she now has to choose to remain silent, or speak up about her heritage - either way carries the potential of some form of loss to her and her family. Have you ever been in such a situation? You could speak up, but if you do, you will be "implicated" in the process? You could remain silent, but your silence will affect you just as severely - and possibly even others? Not a great place to find yourself, is it? 

The choice we make in that moment is often what determines the outcome. Isn't it amazing how one seemingly insignificant decision can make such a huge difference? Silence is indeed a difficult "weapon" to master. I call it a "weapon" because it is indeed a weapon in the hands of one skilled in its use. Silence in the hands of a skilled debater can give the audience just enough time to consider the point being made. Silence in the hands of a vindictive person can give someone just enough rope to hang themselves! Either way, it is a weapon of one sort or another. Esther learned something in her years of growing up under the care of Mordecai - she learned what it was to truly trust. She learned to trust wise counsel. She may not have possessed the things of other young women in the community - orphaned at an early age, raised by a single parent, and in a land where her people were not exactly appreciated. Yet, she possessed something many others did not - a caring and compassionate counselor (Mordecai). Look at where he positions himself each day - at the gate of the court of the king. He is at the "ready" - just in case she needs him.

In seeking counsel, she knows there is a moment when a decision will be required - speak up or remain silent. In trustful faith, she determines to speak what she knows may be the words that will determine her fate. She knows she cannot remain silent, but she can be prepared for the message she will deliver! She takes three days of fasting and prayer - calling on those who are of like faith to do the same. It is a great thing when we "rally the troops" to storm hell's gates, is it not? In the preparation of the three days, she trusts and prays the king's heart will be prepared. In the same three days, hers will be faith-filled and revealed as faith-full. The words of this passage which are spoken over and over again in churches across this world: Who knows - - perhaps you have been prepared for such a time as this. I had a pastor once tell me these words in just a slightly different manner. I have held onto them all these years. In closing, I will leave them for your consideration: Are you willing to prepare a lifetime to be used even one day in the hands of God? Just askin!