Instant or Consistent?

 Mother Teresa reminds us to "be faithful in small things because it is them that your strength lies." Jesus told his disciples, "If you are honest in the small things, you will be honest in the big things." (Luke 16:10) Faithfulness isn't always the easiest things - consistency to always do the small things is hard, isn't it? I remember to dust the TV console because the dust is quite evident. I don't always remember to dust the picture frames - because they are smaller, out of my immediate line of sight, and easier to 'forget about'. It is like the rungs on the kitchen chairs - I can completely ignore them until one day the light reflects on them just the right way and I realize just how badly they need my attention! There are things in our lives we attempt to ignore just a bit and they could be the very things that need the biggest part of our attention right now!

What are some of the small things God is asking you to pay attention to today? Yes, I am meddling a bit here, because it is time for us to begin a new year once again and we likely will make some type of resolutions. Don't get me wrong - having a purpose is good, but most of the time our 'resolutions' are merely 'nice ideas'. We start well, peter out somewhere down the road, and forget we had any intention of keeping those 'resolutions'. Instead of us making lofty goals this year, how about each of us making an 'analysis' of the small things that need a little more of our faithfulness? Could we all look at our closest relationships today and find small ways where we could be more faithful? Let's be honest - we all could do a better job with the 'little things' - the things that actually mount up to 'big things' if we neglect them too long.

The more we look, the more we will discover. Every now and again I have to clean out my file drawers. They get messy - things not 'exactly' in the right place. You know how that happens? I get lazy. I get the stuff to the drawers, but I don't always want to file them away correctly. It is easier to just stuff them in. In the end, when I need something I should be able to find quite quickly takes me a whole lot of time and frustration to put my hands on. Something I have had to learn - small steps today make for a better foundation for the steps we will take tomorrow. Neglect doesn't happen overnight - it is progressive. The same is true for faithfulness - it isn't instant, but consistent. Just sayin!

A cut path

My troubles turned out all for the best—they forced me to learn from your textbook. (Psalm 119:71)

To disturb the mental calm and contentment of an individual is indeed an unfortunate state of affairs. To constantly worry, be in distress, feel agitated or stirred up is a terrible place to find oneself. There are a whole lot of things in this life that annoy the stuffing right out of us. One trouble upon another will wear us down. If you have ever observed a stone 'grooved' by a constant drip of water, you may not know exactly when the 'erosion' happens, but it does! We never really know what "drop of water" will actually be the first to begin the "groove", nor do we know when the last drop will accomplish its work, do we? We have lots of tiny drops, all working away to "cut a groove" across our lives, trying desperately to divert the waters in a totally different direction. The seemingly impervious stone is eventually eroded away by the "troubling" of the water over its surface. The same is true in our lives - those drops can just splash upon the surface, being deflected for a time, but in enough time, they leave a mark, and in even more time, the mark becomes a well-worn path.

Troubles don't have to vex us - they can become instruments to drive us deeper into God's word, if we will let them. The first "drop" which hits upon the hard surface of our hearts may just seem to "splash" everywhere, affecting much around it. Eventually, God "narrows" the path of the "drops" which he allows to hit our hard hearts until there is a well-worn groove that correctly directs the trouble we face directly back toward him! The troubles we face at first, we try to handle on our own - cleaning up the mess the "drops" create by "splashing over our lives". In time, God wants those "drops" to be channeled directly to him - so he becomes the source by which those troubles no longer produce damage in our lives but are directed away - not affecting our peace because his presence has set the course for those troubles to travel.

If we keep in mind the heart as being the center of our emotions, doesn't it make sense that God wants to have those things which so miserably "stir up" our emotions to be channeled in such a way those "stirred up" reactions don't continue to occur? The enemy of our souls wants the troubles he "drops" into our lives to "stir us up" so we become all "murky" on the inside - an emotional mess, so to speak. God's desire is to provide a means to keep the purity and beauty of the heart undisturbed. When we begin to realize the tiny drops are "cutting a groove", we might just embrace the work of those "drops" in our lives a little differently. Take notice of the drops, then use them as a reminder of the importance of looking deeply into God's word for the means by which the drops can be dealt with. Troubles have a way of either sending us into a tizzy, or driving us to our knees. God's hope is that we take the latter path! God's textbook is his word - filled with every imaginable struggle, sin, and stubborn display of man's troubles. In the pages we also find the tremendous means by which those troubles can be channeled into the very place where God's grace and mercy help us deal with them so they don't disturb our peace.

I don't know what "drops" are wearing the groove into your lives right now, but know this - God's will is for them not to splash out of control, causing havoc in your inner man, destroying your peace and "muddying" the waters of your life. His will is to allow these troubles as a means of wearing away at the hardness of our hearts, until we one day find the path of least resistance is to divert those drops directly to him! Just sayin!

Compounding interest?

I think Henry Ford may have been the one to remind us, "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal". We all seem to lose focus on the mission, if even for a temporary span of time, when we get wrapped up in the obstacles in our midst. Booker T. Washington said, "Success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles he has overcome." An obstacle is anything or anyone that "obstructs" our vision, progress, or stand. It almost blocks our passage from one point to the other. If you are like me, these are simple annoyances that you "deal with" and then quickly move on. I sometimes "paint myself into a corner", then am left trying to figure a way out - tackling more than an 'annoyance'. How about you? The truth is, there has never been an obstacle (or a corner) that God has not been right there with the wisdom to help me through it (or around it). The perception of how we feel and what it is we are perceiving in life when obstacles riddle our pathway is important. It LOOKS like everything is falling apart on us. Yet, it is on the inside where we need to keep our focus - not on the external evidence of obstacles! The inside is where God is at work - where his grace and wisdom give us the ability to overcome the obstacles in our midst (or find a way out of the corner we are in). Even the ability to see an obstacle is a measure of God's grace. If you don't believe me, consider just how many times you DIDN'T stub your toe on the dresser instead of the one time you did!

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

The evidence of obstacles in our lives is not evidence of God's displeasure with us - they are a means of discovering greater depths in his love, protection and grace. Those very things that seem to be our greatest challenges are really the things that will produce the greatest growth in our lives. We SEE the obstacle - God sees the opportunity. I would like to challenge us to begin to equate "obstacle" with the word "opportunity". When we pair these two together, we might just come to the place of developing a different perspective of the thing which causes us so great a degree of distress. God's intention is never to allow an obstacle so great HE cannot overcome it in our lives. Every obstacle is God's opportunity - it is his chance to connect a little more of his grace with our need. God sees the obstacle as a temporary "stoppage" - not a full "blockage". When we get "stopped" in our path by the obstacle, we are just at a place of inactivity - we cannot move forward as we'd have liked to. When we are "blocked" from making progress, it is with intent. When a stop light creates a "stoppage" of traffic, it is to facilitate the safety of those who must turn at a certain intersection, or traverse in the opposite direction of the other traffic. When a police officer puts up a road-block, it is to keep traffic out because a certain pathway has been declared unsafe for passage. By the blockage, we are diverted away from hazards unknown. What appeared as an obstacle actually becomes a means of ensuring our safety down the road.

When we see obstacles, we usually engage in some "self-talk". "Now why did I get myself into this mess?" or "What on earth was I thinking?" We ask the "why" and "how come" questions a lot. It is almost like we immediately assume the position of being a "victim" when we are faced with the obstacle. Why is it in my path right now? How come I couldn't have avoided this hurdle? Why is it I always run into this kind of stuff when I try to make any forward progress with God? And the list goes on. We need to learn how to "talk to" the obstacles in our midst instead of talking "about" them! The truth be told, some obstacles are there by our own doing - others because someone else places them there. Those which our own doing often come with other types of "compounding obstacles" such as guilt or shame. Those which are the doing of another may also have their "compounding obstacles" such as anger or resentment. It is amazing to me how many times one small obstacle becomes a bigger one just by the "compounding obstacles" we introduce into the mix. The "shift" in seeing an obstacle as an opportunity may just help us not "add to" the obstacle in our midst by keeping us away from the negative self-talk and the introduction of those compounding obstacles! Just sayin!

Goose-bumps aren't always necessary

Sometimes we want to just 'feel' God - right? We want to know he is with us - that he is right here in this moment. We want to 'feel' his presence - that he isn't far away, but drawing near and holding us close. Is it wrong to want to 'feel' God? Absolutely not! In fact, God doesn't ask us to squelch our feelings. We aren't to rely upon what we feel, but it is not wrong to have feelings. There are times when we will 'feel' life deeply and there are going to be other times when the 'feelings' just don't come through - especially when it comes to feeling the presence of God in our lives. Drawing near doesn't always ensure some type of 'super-natural' moment with God - shivers down our spine, warm fuzzies overwhelming us. Drawing near does ensure we are right where we need to be to hear from God and to have him direct our lives - even when we don't 'feel' those warm fuzzies!

I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell—that’s not my destination! Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I’m on the right way. (Psalm 16:9-11)

Our 'entering into' the presence of God isn't just a time for the 'feelings', but it is a time for him to change us from the inside out - to transform our lives. We might want to know for sure we are on the right path, but there doesn't seem to come that 'overwhelming sign' that we are going the right way. We don't have our faith built by the signs - we have our faith built by consistently doing the things God asks us to do. God is WITH us - he has taken our hand and we can stand assured that we are on the right way. We may not FEEL God's presence with us all the time - but we are in the right place when we draw to close to God and we allow him to begin to orchestrate the steps of our lives.

God doesn't always overwhelm us with 'happiness' feelings - but he does assure us he is with us even when our feelings don't always match the steps of obedience we are taking. There are times when the feelings we experience are pretty doggone ordinary and we don't think we are close to God because things are so 'ordinary' in our lives. Jesus ate, he fished, and he just walked and talked with people. That seems pretty 'ordinary' to me - how about you? Those with him 'experienced his presence', but I doubt they 'felt overwhelmed' by being with him. They just enjoyed his presence. God really wants us to enjoy his presence. Be in a right place with him - bring your sins to him and seek his forgiveness - then just abide. The presence of God is with us, but we don't always FEEL those goose-bumps of his presence. That doesn't mean we aren't where we need to be. Just sayin!

Pondering the year

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. (Hal Borland)

With just a few short days left in this year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect over the past couple of very challenging years. This pandemic has been astronomically difficult for a great many - losses abounding all around us. Families have lost loved ones - homes emptied of fathers, mothers, siblings - never to be quite the same again. Lives have been changed as bodies may have 'recovered' per medical standards, but the tell-tale signs of this awful disease linger on in the core of their being. Social gatherings have been curtailed, scaled-down, or not held at all - leaving many lonely, fearful, and without support. Masks have become a permanent part of the wardrobe of many - covering over smiles, hiding fear, and leaving us wondering what a person really looks like underneath it all. As we ponder the passing of these two very challenging years, let's not lose sight of the things that have held us together and what will hold us together as this thing seems to linger on. Truly our year's end is not an end, nor is it really a new beginning - it is indeed a 'going on' of what some think might never end. The crux of it all - use all the wisdom God has given us - take the experience we have gained - learn from it and do our best to gain even more wisdom.

God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me— my whole life one long, obedient response. Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway! Give me an appetite for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way. Affirm your promises to me— promises made to all who fear you. Deflect the harsh words of my critics— but what you say is always so good. See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways! (Psalm 119:33-40)

Truly the lessons for living we can garner from God's Word are more than most of us can consume and learn in a lifetime, but we can be assured the consistent intake of his Word will lead to changed lives. New beginnings - challenges embraced - discoveries made - lives transformed. This is the hope we must cling to when all other earthly hope seems to elude us. God's promises are true - sure, certain, long-standing, and abiding. God's lessons are not learned in one moment - they are learned over a lifetime. His insights don't come to those who don't seek them, but the seeker is constantly rewarded with good things from the hand of God! God's wisdom will guide us through this thing. There is a passage from God's Word that reminds us there is nothing new under the sun. We might think there will be some big discovery that will redeem us from this awful disease, but truly it will be the accumulated knowledge of all the times we have faced diseases in the past that will give us the greatest wisdom to deal with this one.

Here's something we can rest upon - God will guide those who seek his guidance. He will give wisdom far beyond our years - we just need to ask. Then we need to listen and obey. I guess this is the hardest part of wisdom - obedience. It is the thing that eludes us the easiest, isn't it? It may seem the 'dark cloud' of these past couple of years has no intention of leaving us anytime soon, but we can stand assured God's presence goes with us when we lean into him for guidance as we go into this next one. Those who hunger for his righteousness will be rewarded with his counsel - his wisdom. The greatest thing we can do is ask God to help us, but it is also the hardest thing we can ask since it requires us to be obedient to what he shows us. New year - new challenges - but the same God we can count on through all of eternity. Just sayin!

Poop Happens

Okay, for those who know me, you know I like a funny story, but the joke was on me yesterday morning as I walked along the canal with my BFF. Calmly walking along, just sharing our thoughts and laughing together a bit, and all of a sudden, I felt a very wet 'plop' on the top of my head! You guessed it - a bird had relieved itself on my freshly washed hair! I started this little dance in place, pointing at my head, my BFF asking what on the earth was wrong, and then she saw it. Retrieving a small stick from nearby, she was able to rid my head of the offending matter. I could hardly wait to rush home to wash it out, but at least it was 'gone' for the most part. I told her this would make good 'blog' material somehow - so here goes. There are just times in life when things are going pretty well, then all of a sudden, without warning and without pretense, something catches us off-guard. We 'dance in place' a bit, but unless we have someone alongside us to help us out with the stuff we cannot easily see or deal with alone, we are not in a very good place. Thank goodness my BFF was there - the stick nearby - and the consistency of the offending material was rather well 'formed'. In our daily walk with Jesus, we need each other - for not all the offending matter in life is within our reach, or within our ability to deal with it alone!

It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there’s no one to help, tough! Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night. By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

It is indeed better to go through life with someone willing to 'partner with you' through life's challenges. In business, a partner is often an investor in the business. They have put in some capital and know-how into developing that business. There are 'silent partners' in business - investors, but not really participants in the work of the business. They want all the blessings of the business and don't want to put in the effort of running that business. A friend who just wants the blessings of the relationship, but who isn't willing to put in the investment of what it will take to live out each day in relationship isn't really much of a friend at all. A friend who accepts the challenges, finds ways of helping to overcome those challenges, and who knows when to come alongside you 'dancing in place' is indeed a rare find and one to be cherished!

Share the work of relationship. Yes, it is 'work' at times - not everything good comes without challenges and 'rough spots'. Be willing and ready to work through them together - give each other permission to be genuine and then be willing to get beyond the things that 'rub you wrong' at times. In sharing the 'work' of relationship, you are ensuring you will each enjoy the wealth of that relationship, as well. A good friend never asks you to compromise your convictions - nor will that friend ask you to skimp on your commitments. They will stand alongside as you remain strongly committed to what you believe and even help you get stronger in your stand. They will help you see your rough edges - we all have them, so don't think you don't! They will expect you to help them to see theirs, as well - but not exclusively theirs for yours are equally as important to work through.

We all deal with unpleasant stuff in life. One falls, the other reaches out. One has tough people moments to deal with - the other bolsters them with prayer and words of encouragement. One struggles to find answers - the other listens and gives feedback as the Lord leads. One gets pooped on - the other is there to help you clean it up! We need our 'walking partners' in this lifetime - don't neglect them! They need you and you need them! Just sayin!

On this Christmas morn...

It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

As we ponder Christmas this morning, I'd like us to answer two questions: Who are you?  What are you living for? Most of us will answer the first questions with our name, or even add a little about ourselves such as our occupation or position in life. We might even feel we have really answered this question with these "facts", but I wonder if we really realize exactly who we are? In fact, most of us really don't tell others who we are; they observe it by how we behave - how we respond to life. Our actions reveal a great deal more about our true identity than any names, titles, or declared interests ever will! The second question really gets at the root of this thought - what (or who) are we actually living for? This question may take us a little longer to answer because it requires some revelation of intention - we have to declare the "intent" behind our actions. When our actions don't match up with our intent, we might just realize some conflict between the two. As Christmas morning dawns today, could we focus on this second question a bit? Who is behind the actions you take in life? If it isn't Christ, perhaps today is a good day to change that focus!

Our identity and our purpose are indeed linked to "who" we are living for more than "what" we are living for. When our focus is on the "what", it is usually a little self-directed. "What" is kind a word which some might consider to be a little interrogative - it is used to uncover something which is not immediately evident. "What" usually refers to objects. "Who" usually refers to individuals. The object of one's life - the purpose for which we live is the most important thing we should consider today. Both our identity and our activity should be Christ and his purposes. Anything less is living far below the place God intended for us from the beginning of time. It goes against the plans he has been working out for and in us. The design God has for us, in Christ Jesus, is for glorious living. "Who" we are often is a result of a multitude of past and present activities. We are born as the child of two parents - this describes some of the "who" - it declares our lineage. When we come to Christ, we still might bear the "surname" of our human father, but we take on a new identity - we come into a different lineage. "Who" is more than just our lineage, though. It is the result of the subsequent actions in our life since birth - things like where we were raised, what we were exposed to in school, where we hung out in our spare time, and what interests we choose to pursue day by day. These "activities" all influence the "who" people see when they look at us. The more we engage in (participate fully in) the activities of our new "family", we will take on the character of this new lineage. 

If you don't believe this possible, then you only need to look as far as the family in your community who adopted a child from another country (a totally different background). As that adopted child is exposed to the "new" family, they take on the traits of that family. Little by little, they become "like" the family they are engrafted into. They don't lose their former identity totally, as they still bear the natural lineage of being born to a particular father and mother in that particular country. What they do lose is their "tie" with their past - it matters a little less to them as they experience the love and safety of their "new" family. When God takes us into his family, we don't immediately forget the "old lineage" of our past lives. What we experience is the discovery of a new way of living which is focused more on the "who" rather than the "what". The old life is focused on the "what" - "what" others did to us, "what" we did to ourselves, "what" we should have done. The new life in Christ is focused squarely on "who" - "who" we are in Christ Jesus, "who" we are becoming by his power and grace, "who" we are purposed to be from the beginning of time. So, you see, the "who" is really the question which answers the "what" in our lives this Christmas morn! Just sayin!

Truth will always be truth

Truth lasts; lies are here today, gone tomorrow. (Proverbs 12:19)

Elvis Presley reminded us, "Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, it ain't goin' away". Can you see the logic in what he said? Truth is enduring - it isn't here today and gone tomorrow. If we keep in mind that truth is not a 'thing', but rather a 'person', this statement is even more profound. You can shut Christ away for a time, but he 'ain't goin' away'! He is the one who will pursue, no matter how much darkness we create within our lives - his light isn't going to be shut out forever!

We would like to put 'truth' into a category - the truth we will believe quickly and easily accept; while the thing we have a little trouble believing or accepting may not be as easy for us to deal with. Christ is ALL truth - there is no 'believe this' and 'not that' in Christ. It is an ALL or NOTHING faith! You either believe he is the Son of God, came to earth to remedy this issue of sin in our lives, and now sits enthroned at the right hand of God the Father as the Redeemer and King of all mankind or you don't. There is no middle ground on this matter. 

Truth is enduring because truth is a person - Christ was, is, and will ever be. He existed before time as we know it, and will exist into eternity, even if we don't believe it. God gives us all time to come to the reality of his mission to have us as part of his family. To be redeemed (permanently set free) of our sins, not looking back, but eyes set on the goal of spending eternity with him. The darkness of sin tries to keep us from seeing this 'Son-light', but despite all attempts to block this truth from humanity, the LIGHT shines through.

If you think the Light of God will ever go away, fizzle out, or just plain leave you alone, think again. There is no way the person of Truth will ever stop being absolute Truth. There will never come a time he will just give up on us. He declares his love for us, pursues us with intent, so as to set us free from all untruth. Today, tomorrow, and into all of eternity - TRUTH remains. Just sayin!

Don't move...you are right where you need to be

Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest. (Exodus 14:13-14)

It is one thing to stand still - quite another to be at peace, remaining at rest, while the world whirls past you at speeds capable of making your head spin! The people of Israel are being led away from the slavery of Egypt - Pharaoh's army close on their heels, not really willing to let them leave the land where they had been servants for years. Imagine being an unorganized, start-up nation, no armies of your own, and only a "dream" of freedom. Here you are, faced with the armies behind, and a huge, raging body of water before - one direction ensures bondage, the other promises hope - but something stands between the past and the future. The water was really the dividing line between the past and the promise of hope. As the "past" closed in, they pressed closer to their future state - but there was a "hurdle" of sorts - the Red Sea. In the presence of their "past" and the hope of their "future" stood the ominous "present". Ever find yourself at the intersection of past and future? If you have, you probably understand the magnitude of the "present". Too many of us want to deal with our "past". Just like Israel, we see it as though we are being pursued by a huge army too great for us to fight. Too big for us to escape - encroaching upon the "space" we have put between us and it. We also see the "future" - but it is obscured by the impossibilities of what appears to be in our "present".

If you are like me, you probably see your "Red Sea" before you, then turn to the right or left, hoping to find some other "passage" into the future. You hope for a "shallow" spot, not so ominous and seemingly impossible. We seem to hope for the "easy way out", but the truth is, there is no better "crossing point" than the one God brings us to the first time! They stood - right where God had brought them. Their passage across the raging waters seemed impossible - as though what laid between their past and their future would engulf them and take them under. It is not uncommon for us to feel this way when we are making a clean break from our past. We will ALWAYS face barriers between where we were and where we need to be - it is in the presence of these barriers where our faith is grown. Fear NOT. Stand STILL. SEE the salvation God will work for you today. Three important things, are they not? In the presence of the barriers to our break from the past and our walking into our future state, we most often find moments of fear - paralyzing, crippling, emotionally charged fear. We find it hard to stand still, wanting to find another way - because our escaping what is in our past is just that important to us! The promise of what God has provided for our future is never really ours until we SEE the salvation God will work for us TODAY! It is in TODAY he breaks the bonds of the past, opening up the passage into our future.

The past you see today, you shall NEVER see again! The pursuing force of the past you shall NEVER see again - when you choose to cross exactly where God brings you today. The problem we continually face is choosing to look for the shallow crossing - leaving an opportunity for our past to pursue. It is in the "depths" of God's designed crossing point that our past is overwhelmed with his power! It is the Lord who fights for us in our present when the crossing point between our past and our future is exactly where he brings us. We don't realize he already has prepared the very thing which will break the connection with the past. Two things he asks of us as we face the crossing point - remain at rest and hold our peace. That means no "worry words" and no "restless roving". Restless roving - the movement we feel compelled to do whenever we are faced with something we don't understand - something which seems to overwhelm us. Worry words - those expressions of doubt which surface in the very presence of the challenge of "passing through" what God brings us to. Don't ever forget this instruction - when we are willing to stand still and watch in expectation for what God will do, the "passage" which seemed impossible will open up before us. It is in the stillness and submission of our spirit that God is free to act. We each have a past to escape and a future to embrace. In between the escape and the embrace comes what seems beyond the realms of possibility. It is the presence of these three forces we must choose to stand still and remain at peace. In crossing exactly where God places us, we shall realize the escape and be right where we need to be to embrace the possibilities of our future. Just sayin!

Huh...so that's how I stay on course!

Oh, that my ways were directed and established to observe Your statutes [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]! Then shall I not be put to shame [by failing to inherit Your promises] when I have respect to all Your commandments. I will praise and give thanks to You with uprightness of heart when I learn [by sanctified experiences] Your righteous judgments [Your decisions against and punishments for particular lines of thought and conduct]. (Psalm 119:5-7)

We are probably frequently heard crying out to God, asking him to set our ways straight again because for some unknown reason we have managed to stray from the path we should be on once again. Our plea - direct and establish my ways - not to live as I want, but to observe your Word in its entirety. A "directed" life is one that is both God guided and regulated, so the course is made certain and true. It is like when I used to ride the little cars at Disneyland as a child - I had no idea the metal bar which ran between the two tires actually was keeping me on my course! It was there for my safety and to keep me from playing bumper cars with passers-by. I just rode along like I was mastering the road and watching the world pass me by as I maneuvered the twists and turns. I thought I was driving - directing the course of the vehicle, while in fact, someone with a whole lot more common sense than to give control of a vehicle to a child had my safety in mind! The same is true of our lives in Christ - sure we don't have a metal bar between our "tires", but we feel his pull and tug of our desire to veer off course, don't we?

The metal bar on the car ride was there to act as a mediator - it pushed me back on course when I was about to 'veer off-course'. It "established" the course of the vehicle in which I was riding. I wonder if we actually realize how much God is "establishing" the course of our lives, not with a metal bar, but with his Word? As we hear the Word, taking in its richness and promise, it forms the basis for our travels in life. As I drove that tiny car along a designated track, unlimited power existed - but only as long as I stayed on the track! I could not operate those little cars off the track - there was something about the track which gave them the "structure" in which they were designed to be operated. Disney envisioned the ride as the freeway of the future - but kids just saw it as plain fun! God envisions the "track" he provides through the intake of his Word as providing the "freeway" for each of our future endeavors - wouldn't it be great if we saw his Word as just plain fun for our lives!

 
The little cars on that track also had one other feature designed for safety - they were "one-wheel" drive. In other words, one wheel actually moved the vehicle forward. Interestingly, God has the same vision in mind for us - that we be "one-wheel" driven! He is the one who is designed to turn our wheel - not just the one who designs the course upon which our lives will travel. The "drive" of our lives would be ugly if there were two wheels each pulling in opposite directions. Imagine the wear and tear on the other wheels! Not to mention the other working parts of the vehicle! No wonder God requires there be just one wheel driving our lives! I don't know about you, but when he drives, I get to my destination the first time! There was one other little feature in these cars which says something to me about how God's Word, taken in regularly, applied consistently to our lives, affects how we arrive at our destination. The pedal. To the unknowing this pedal resembled the gas pedal of a sports car. To the designer, it was both the accelerator AND the brake. The Word of God is kind of like both in our lives - accelerating us into times of growth, holding us back when the next movement would cause us harm. As you pushed on the pedal of those little cars, they moved forward under the drive of one wheel. As you took your foot off the pedal, they stopped - not gradually, but immediately - because the "drive" was disengaged. God's Word gives us this kind of protection - something we lack on our own. Maybe we should see the importance of the regular and consistent intake of the Word as it applies to keeping us on track in life. What we take in becomes important in determining the path it will lead us. Just sayin!

Adopted by Grace

But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. (Galatians 4:4-5)

Set free to experience our rightful heritage - did you catch those words in this passage? It is your 'rightful heritage' to experience all that God has prepared for you from now into all of eternity - wouldn't it be silly to walk away from such an inheritance? How can we be sure we will experience ALL that God has for us? If you have said "yes" to Jesus, asking him to renew your life, you now have the Holy Spirit resident in your life. As a result, you are welcomed into the family of God - and kids of the King have full access to the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

What does it mean to be adopted? The idea of adoption really means a change of family - you take on the identity of the family you are adopted into. There is not only a legal exchange of 'identity', but your new family embraces you, bringing you up as their own. The parent assumes the rights and responsibilities of raising the one being adopted. As we say "yes" to Jesus, our heavenly Father takes on the responsibility of bringing us up in his family. This means we don't remain unchanged - we are embraced into a family that loves us in spite of our differences, difficulties, and past. That's good news indeed!

Do you know one other benefit of adoption? We enter into open and honest discussion with our heavenly Father. We have open access to his listening ear. If you have ever been in relationship with someone who seems to love to talk, but does very little listening themselves, you know how incredibly frustrating this can be. Yes, God talks to us, but he also talks WITH us. He listens, responds, and listens again. Great parents have learned to listen to their children as much as they expect their children to listen to them. As we go through life, we have lots of right intentions, but a whole lot of wrong strategies. Isn't it heart-warming to know we have a heavenly Father who is willing to listen to our 'right intentions', and then help us figure out where our wrong strategies have created even more problems for us?

We aren't alone in our walk with Jesus. We not only have his Spirit within us helping us to talk with God, but we have been given a family of believers who are placed within our lives to help us learn this new family life together. Adoption begins with a change - then we begin to see our lives transformed as we taken on our new identity. We don't always feel like we have this new identity right away, probably because we have all these right intentions to live changed lives, but lots and lots of wrong strategies we have concocted to live as part of this new family. Thank goodness we have a heavenly Father who knows our intentions, listens to our frustrations, and helps us embrace our new family life in Christ Jesus. Just sayin!

Abundant life indeed

Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live; and I will observe Your word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. (Psalm 119:17)

Something that is determined to be bountiful - don't we all want this in our lives? We want to receive liberally those things that are given generously and abundantly. We all appreciate having an ample supply of the things we need and desire in life. When I look at my bank account, I hope to see "ample" supply for every purchase I need to make - don't you? When I examine the contents of the pantry, I want to see an abundance of the "good stuff" which seems to satisfy both my cravings and my hunger. When I am down in the dumps, I call upon God's generous grace because I know it will be what pulls me to my feet again. When God "deals" with me, I want him to do it with liberal grace, generous love, and abundant power. How about you? It would be wrong to expect God to deal with us in grace just so we can continue to live in our own way. God wants our ways to align with his. It is interesting to me to see our psalmist asking God to "deal" with him "bountifully". He doesn't want God's second-best, or a meager supply of God's grace, love, or power. He wants it all and he wants it in abundance! All I can say is we ALL probably want God to "deal" with us in this exact same manner - but most of the time we don't even ask for God's "bounty", do we? Why do you think this is? It might be because we don't think our "great big God" would hear such a prayer, or maybe it is that we don't feel "worthy" of asking for God's bounty because we don't see our extreme worth in his eyes. The truth is God loves to hear us ask for his bounty - especially when it comes to "dealing" with us.

When action needs to be taken in our lives, God's bounty is at our disposal, we just don't think to ask for it. I want to challenge us today to begin to pray for God to "deal" bountifully with us. It is a step of faith for some of us, but if we actually begin to ask for God to deal with our lives out of his bounty, I wonder what the outcome might be? Do you know what it means to "deal with"? It means to handle competently or successfully. Simply ask God to handle what we are not so good at handling ourself. Maybe this is the crux of the prayer - coming to the place where we admit God can do a much better job than we could ever do! Be purposeful in praying this prayer. It is one thing to be breathing in and out, but enjoying every breath because it is orchestrated by one who competently and purposefully arranges each step is quite another thing. In asking God to deal with our lives out of his abundance, we are saying our part in the process will be our ability to observe (obey) the truth contained in God's Word. We are really saying, "God, I haven't done a great job with things on my own. I keep getting things messed up. I speak when I should be silent. I jump when I should stand still. I need you to show me how to conduct myself here and now. I know the way to change is contained in your Word. I don't always get what is contained in its pages, but I know if I ask you, it will be opened to me. In turn, I will be able to actually hear it in the recesses of my heart - the place of my greatest struggles. When my heart becomes affected by your Word, I know my actions will be changed. So, deal with me out of your abundance, in a generous manner, and with all liberality, God."

I am not trying to rewrite scripture here, but I think if you read Psalm 119 and take this one verse in context, you will see I am not far off in this interpretation. Be determined to live right - to make right choices, to see right actions produced. We first hear - we are informed - given the steps. Then we begin to receive - it becomes more than just instruction - it becomes that which will sustain us each step we take. As we begin to step out in what God provides, we begin to sense something of his presence which surrounds us - his love in action. In the end, we realize we have received abundant grace - the basis of change in our lives - the foundation of the steps we take toward obedience each day. As we walk this earth, we will struggle with things way beyond our ability to deal with in a competent manner. We may try, but we will ultimately fall short of "dealing with" these things as God would have us. So, wouldn't it make sense to begin to ask God to deal with us bountifully - not just to point us in the direction we should go, but to prepare all we need to get us to the place of obedient surrender. Just askin!

Leave it

When you harvest your grain and forget a sheaf back in the field, don’t go back and get it; leave it for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow so that God, your God, will bless you in all your work. When you shake the olives off your trees, don’t go back over the branches and strip them bare—what’s left is for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. And when you cut the grapes in your vineyard, don’t take every last grape—leave a few for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. (Deuteronomy 24:19-21)

I wonder if we have given much thought to the various "harvests" we have in our lives. The great work of producing the end result of a tremendous "intake" of grain is almost missed by us because we simply go to the local grocer and purchase the bagged flour, loaf of bread, or cake mix right off the shelf. If there was a greater appreciation for the "work" which makes the harvest possible, I wonder if we'd have any greater appreciation for the "filled shelves" at the grocer? A harvest is the general work of seeing something to the point of maturity - then storing up the thing which has been brought to that point. It is a process producing a certain outcome - the benefits of which provide for the basis of what will be "stored up" for the future. There is an inability to "store up" if there first has not been a "supply of". So, the beginning point of the harvest is in the supplying of what will produce the harvest. In the simplest terms it means if there is no seed, there's no harvest. The type of seed always determines the harvest, right? So, in the most literal sense, we could turn this to the type of seeds we DON'T sow as providing the results we will reap. No unkind words - no strife in a relationship. No impulsive choices - no regrets or shame.

What "supply" we tap into most is what we will see as the resulting harvest we will "store up" for days to come. If the "supply chain" is directly from the hands of God, the stored product will be that which produces further fruitfulness in our lives. If the "supply chain" is something other than God's best, the harvest may not be as beneficial for our storehouses! The connection I want us to see this morning is in the supply of what will be planted and the harvest which will be available for storage during "leaner" times in our lives. Something coming to a place of maturity before it is harvested almost escapes us today as many farmers "reap" the crops long before they ripen - so they have a longer "shelf life". Here's the rub - they just don't taste the same! When ripening occurs exactly where the seed was planted, the "taste" produced is richer or more flavorful. Why? The product was meant to "mature" where it was planted! It was not meant to "mature" in a fruit bowl on your kitchen table, or in the brown bag on your shelf! It might allow the fruit to ripen, but it still doesn't taste the same as a vine ripened tomato, or the tree ripened avocado. The outward appearance may be the same, but it is in the experience of the "taste" where we really note the differences.

You can "force" ripening - but the result is a pitiful excuse for the intended taste! The same is true in our spiritual lives. We can remove ourselves from the place where we have been planted way too soon. Sure, we see evidence of fruit - something worth harvesting. If we are removed too soon from the place where we are planted - the harvest will only yield tasteless seed! The richness and robustness of the produced fruit is really only evidenced when the fruit is allowed to ripen right where it was planted. If you haven't noticed, the seed wasn't planted in the dark! It was planted in the light, watered regularly, and the soil around it was worked regularly to keep it weed free. Before the harvest comes a whole lot of purposeful planning and consistent work. In the season of harvest, we are tempted to "store up" when we see the beginning evidence of fruit - but waiting just a little longer often brings just the right amount of added "son-shine" we need to experience the richest of harvests. There is an intentional leaving of something behind. This may seem like a senseless waste - leaving some of the harvest behind. But...in what is left, there is even greater provision! You see, there are those who cannot produce the fruit without a seed - the seed you provide by the intentional leaving of something of the harvest available for the taking. I don't know about you, but some of the best "seeds" in my life have been left by those who have allowed the seed they were "supplied" to come to maturity in their lives - allowing me to glean a little of their harvest. In turn, those "seeds" supplied by their harvest have become the basis of growth for the similar harvest in my life.

I don't know the harvest you will bear today - or even if the harvest will be today. The season of harvest may be in seed-form in your lives right now. It could be just about to begin the "reaping" phase. Regardless of where you are in the process - you needed the first "seed" to be supplied. You and I are called upon to intentionally provide for those who have no way of producing the harvest in their own lives without the seed you have already seen come to the place of maturity in yours. We become instruments of God's "supply chain" in the process. If you are anxious to call it a "harvest" and be done with the entire maturing process, remember this - the harvest is best when the maturing is allowed to occur right where the seed was planted. Don't rush God's handiwork. You might get fruit, but the richness of it may not be as enjoyable as it would have been if you'd have stayed a little longer where you were planted. Just sayin!

Got any grapes?

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples." (John 15:5, 8)

Most might be familiar with this passage about the vine and branches - being joined together with Christ producing new life within us. I have to ask - did anyone really see the part about how God shows WHO HE IS to the world? It is the production of fruit in our lives - when we become mature in our faith and stand strong in the faith - these are evidence of WHO he is, not just what he does! The first thing to remember is that fruit cannot be produced where there is no connection to the life-giving source that produces it. Apart from Christ, we don't bear great fruit - but connected directly to him and the fruit becomes pure, agreeable, and perfectly enjoyable. 

Connection is something I refer to from time to time because I think it is easy to get caught up in 'life' and forget about the things that really matter. We need connection with Christ on a daily basis - dare I propose it is a moment-by-moment connection, as well? We need time alone with him - considering his truth as declared to us in his Word - and then we need to take time to listen, not just talk. The fruit is a result of the vine's work, not the other way around. We cannot expect fruit if we disconnect from the life-source of the vine. As important as our connection is with Christ, it is also important to maintain positive connection with those he has placed in our lives. Perhaps this requires a little mending of fences on occasion, as we humans can mess things up in relationships, sometimes without even knowing we have!

Connection means we have a 'conduit' of sorts for what we need to be 'infused' into our lives. When the 'conduit' becomes broken or clogged, the 'flow' of all we need for good fruit to be produced is interrupted. As a plant grows from the smallest stages of new growth into a fuller and more vibrant plant, we may help it grow straight and tall by providing support. We 'tie' it to a trellis and help it find its way. In time, if those ties are left in place, they will become points where the life-flow is 'strangled'. We need to release those ties when the plant is able to stand on its own. In much the same way, we may be 'tied' pretty close to Jesus at times, then he lets those 'ties' go as we are learning to stand on our own. We might call these 'tests' or 'trials', but their purpose is to help us stand in our faith - removing all hindrances to us having any 'strangled growth'.

I have two grape vines in the backyard, but this year they produced zero grapes, and the year before they were so tiny they weren't really all that edible. They got green and healthy looking, putting off new growth in various directions, but produced nothing for all that growth. God doesn't just want growth - he desires fruit and 'fullness' of fruit. Growth is a great thing, but when the growth is designed to produce fruit, a 'fruitless yield' is kind of disappointing. Just sayin!

Are you seeking understanding?

 “The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.” (John 14:21)

It is one thing to know something, but quite another thing to act upon what we know, isn't it? I just discovered a crack in my drywall that was repaired when they painted the house a year ago. I believed the repair to be solid and to the uninformed eye it was pretty much undetectable. I heard some settling the other night and now it is back again! I see it - know it is there - but I haven't taken any action to repair it yet. Why? I want to know the best way to act - not acting in haste, wasting time and resources on something that won't last. We all get the same information about God's commandments, don't we? We can read them in his Word and we can even talk them over with others who also know them. It is one thing to 'know' them - quite another to be willing to take action upon what we have come to know. This is why we need a little bit of help in this matter of obedience - the reason God sent his Holy Spirit to be our teacher and helper in the 'action' that is required.

God's plan is for us to live within the boundaries of his commandments - not because he wants to keep us 'penned in', but because he knows with the outskirts of those boundaries come some pretty damaging forces. As much as we may think the commandments of God a 'too limiting', it is those very boundaries we need. We know the speed limit - do we ever push it above that limit? Likely we have, and we haven't had any 'ill consequences' to that action, so we will likely do it again. Have you ever been a little too much over the speed limit and had to stop quickly, feeling like all the inertia behind your vehicle was pushing you closer and closer to whatever stood before you? You likely stopped just in the nick of time, but maybe you didn't and you suffered the consequences of that 'collision'. The 'limit' or 'boundary' of that roadway was actually there to protect us. Adherence to the limit was actually 'predicted' based upon the structural make-up of the roadway, the volume of traffic on the roadway, and the conditions usually exerted upon that roadway by weather. To ignore the 'plans' that went into setting that limit is risky. To ignore the 'plans' that God lays out for us is equally as risky because we don't know all the things that have gone into keeping us safe within those boundaries.

Love sets boundaries - to be content within those boundaries is a moment-by-moment choice. Our ability to 'keep' the commandments of God begins with a choice to live within them, even when we don't fully see or understand their 'protection'. The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to help us better see that protection - to help us come to a place of understanding God's protective power within those boundaries. We may not see 'plainly' right now why we are making the choice to stay within the boundaries, but in the course of time our understanding will be expanded. We will see the evidence of his protection and the intensity of his love as he sets up forces against all evil in our lives. Seeing doesn't always bring understanding, but seeing should cause us to seek understanding. Just sayin!

Common Ground

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. (Romans 14:1)

All history is really the aggregate of past events; all that is preserved or remembered about the past put together in some form of 'remembered events'. We ALL have a history, do we not? For some of us, the "story" is quite involved, colorful, and perhaps even a little seedy at times. For others, the "story" may be a little less complicated, sort of mundane, and without too many deviations from a straight course. Regardless of the picture painted by our past, there are still things from our past which act upon us today, influencing how we interact with life in the present. It is sometimes quite difficult to welcome into our fellowship those with "histories" that vary completely from our own - especially when their history is filled with all kinds of things we don't understand or have ever experienced ourselves. For those who see things as black or white, dealing with anything marginally outside of "white" or "black" is almost unnerving. As you get further from white or black, it is easier to "judge" the individual as "too far out" of the acceptable "range" - in turn, we find we cannot accept them into our fellowship. Here's something I have had to learn in my own life - even I have hard time with remaining true to 'black or white' and those movements off God's straight course for my life probably freak others out a bit. 

Jesus was not the kind of guy to exclude those with a past. In fact, he took in the Roman employed Jewish tax collector. Rome had taken Jerusalem - they were the ruling party - taxing the Jews was part and parcel with a ruling party's agenda. To employ a Roman soldier or citizen to do the task of taxing the citizens of their new territory would not be a big deal, but to employ a Jew - blasphemous! Jesus also took in the ones in the community who had been labeled as having just too many shades of grey for them to "fit" into the normal church-going crowd - such as the prostitutes, lepers, and ceremonially unclean. Everywhere we observe Jesus, we see him dealing with those who caused the "self-righteous" a whole lot of concern - simply because they only saw the "past issues" in the lives of these outcasts of society. Jesus saw way beyond the 'issues', into the heart and spirit of these men and women. In contrast to the self-righteous, he embraced them - not afraid their many issues would rub off on him. In fact, he embraced them openly because he was giving us an example of what it is to extend grace - favor where it is not deserved.

We all come to Christ with our "histories" - no one is without one. As we do, we all have one thing in common - grace. It is upon this foundation of grace we are to invite into fellowship those who have embraced the work of grace in their lives. They will not "perform" as we might expect them to for quite some time - still dealing with the various "issues" and "deviations from black or white" which have been part of their lives for a long time. In time, if they are welcomed with open arms and gentle spirits, grace will have its effect. Instead of judging these individuals, we should be welcoming them - as did Jesus. The telling words in our passage, "Remember, they have their own history to deal with," is really what Jesus was saying all along as he taught, healed, enjoyed a meal with, and just plain hung out with those with "histories". The sad thing we forget is our own history and the fact someone else is having to deal with OUR history, as well. It is easy to see the "issues" in another, all the while forgetting the issues upon issues in ourselves. We would do well to consider the common ground we each have if we are believers - grace! Just sayin!

Bless and keep on blessing

Blessed are those who give without remembering and take without forgetting. 

(Elizabeth Bibesco)

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. (Proverbs 11:25)

How many of us have been beating the paths at the local department stores in search of those 'perfect gifts' for our loved ones this Christmas season? We shop till we about drop, wrap till our fingers ache, and decorate till our homes are all aglow. Yet, I wonder how many of us have taken a breather long enough to remember the blessings we have received in Christ Jesus? Christmas isn't about the presents - it is about his PRESENCE with us. It isn't about what we might receive - it is about what we must give.

Christmas is going to come and go, just like other days each calendar year, but we put so much work into that one day, don't we? I would like to put a little challenge out there this morning. Would you possibly consider how you can keep Christmas alive all year through? How is it you could give of yourself, in even the tiniest of ways, that would allow others to see just a bit of Christ's presence in your life? It could just be the greatest 'gift-giving' you do is when you let God's presence shine through you in the simplest and kindest of acts all year long.

How can you become a blessing? Do you have a 'simple talent' you could use to bless others? Too many times we discount what we have been blessed with in the way of 'simple talents', believing they really aren't much of a blessing. Do you enjoy shopping at the grocery store, finding good bargains, and redeeming coupons galore? Perhaps you could become a blessing to a shut-in who needs to have their fridge filled and panty stocked. Do you enjoy washing and ironing clothes? Maybe there is a young man just starting out his career who could use a little hand with keeping his wardrobe in top notch condition.

You might think your ability to 'bless another' is really limited, but I want to challenge you today to consider the 'simple talents' God has given you. They aren't just for your pleasure - they are meant to become a conduit of his blessing through you. Can you drive a person to church on Sunday who otherwise wouldn't be able to get there? Be a blessing. Could you watch a young couple's newborn so they could get a bite to eat and enjoy a little time together? Be a blessing. Christmas isn't a one day happening - it is a lifetime blessing. Just sayin!

Made Perfect

If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. (1 John 1:8-10)

Have you ever told yourself something only to find out in the end you were really just fooling yourself and absolutely nobody else? Until we actually look in the mirror, we don't see what is likely right in front of us all the time. Even when we look into the mirror, we may not see exactly what we thought was there - because the mirror is clouded over with some film, steamy and distorting the image of what we see. Even if you try to wipe the steam away a little, the image you may see is still a little distorted by the remaining particles of water gathered on the mirror. In actuality, the "image" never changes, the reflection is just a little different than it was before. If we claim to be free of sin, we are actually not seeing an accurate reflection of our true self. We are just fooling ourselves (in fact, no one else is fooled - just us). Scripture calls this claim errant nonsense. Errant - deviating from the regular course. We usually call this deviation "straying". Nonsense - conduct or action that is senseless or absurd. In other words, God likens denying we are "sinless" as straying from what makes sense and could actually be considered a little absurd.

On the other hand, if we admit our sin - we have an advocate to help us see our sin in the right perspective, but more importantly, we have the advocate to BRING us into right perspective. There is no one more capable of bringing things into right perspective than Christ himself. He does more than wipe the steam from the mirror, he also removes the sleep from our eyes. He awakens us from our slumber - our inattentiveness. By so doing, he brings us face to face with the "true us" - but as he sees us, not as we see ourselves. It is one thing to finally see ourselves as we are - it is quite another to be brought into the right light. What seems obvious actually helps build an awareness of the obscure - but only if we are willing to see as we are seen. Too many times, people tell me they are good and don't need a Savior. The truth is no one is good enough to not need a Savior. Those who admit they need a Savior often don't accept the finished work of the cross as the true "reflection" of who and what they are today. They tell themselves the reflection they see is something other than what Christ sees.

Here's the cold, hard truth - Christ sees us differently that we most often see ourselves. He sees our sinfulness. He sees our shortcomings. He sees the moments of our straying. In all this he sees something we often don't - himself! Looking again at what John presents here, he says when we ask Jesus to "clean our mirrors", he does a thorough job so the reflection seen is one which bears only his image - not the image of our former life or some faulty image we see through a haze. He sees the new - we focus on the old. He clears away the gathered "steam" - we strain to see past it. What happens when we don't see an accurate reflection of ourselves? We second-guess our ability and this affects our availability. When we don't see ourselves as "matching" the image Christ sees, we don't feel worthy to be used by him. We don't feel the purpose we fulfill is really all that worthwhile. We even begin to question if we really will ever change. Reality check here, folks! You are a new creation in Christ Jesus - as such, you have already been transformed and as you continue to go through the process of seeing your actions align with your new image, he is right there alongside, still seeing you exactly as he has made you - perfect in every way. God will be true to himself by making perfect what he declares to be perfect. He keeps the image of our perfection before him - maybe we'd do well to begin to focus on this reflection instead of the one we've been considering for so long! Just sayin!

Bolstered inside and out

Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” (John 8:12)

We might need to ask God to show us what has previously been hidden within us - cuz we have become experts at keeping stuff in the dark, haven't we? There is absolutely no reason for us to stumble around in the darkness - hiding all kinds of stuff we think others shouldn't know about us, or worse yet, trying to stuff things into little cubby-holes in order to keep Jesus from knowing about them. This means there is nothing hidden - all things are revealed. The world's light has come - there is no more hiding - NONE.

Perhaps this frightens us a bit - remembering we have all become pretty savvy at hiding stuff we don't want to admit exists in us, or that we don't want others to know about us. It is the stuff we don't want to admit exists in us that probably gives us the greatest sense of fear - exposure means we have become just a bit more vulnerable than we may be comfortable with right now. Yet, without this vulnerability that stuff just remains all 'clogged up' in the inner spaces of our minds and emotions. Clogs are no good - in the pipes in our walls, or inside of us!

Did you realize vulnerable really means we are accessible? Whenever light comes in, it makes things once hidden a bit more accessible. Most of us think of vulnerability as making us kind of defenseless and this is quite true. Maybe what we need more than the walls is to lower of our defenses a bit - so we allow access to those areas where we have 'stuffed' all our hurts, failures, fears, and trust issues. Rather than seeing all the negative sides of vulnerability, we should shift our focus to the positive - being accessible, ready, and unguarded. 

Light isn't meant to frighten us - it is meant to cleanse us. Light has a way of bolstering our immune system - making us less susceptible to infections. Maybe this is what God's light does within us - it makes us less susceptible to the things that are harmful to us and bolsters our 'immunity' to the attacks of our enemy! Just thinkin...

Let's get an adjustment

Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own agenda but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me. (John 6:35)

Have you ever seen God in action and then refused to believe it was him? You credit the happenings to something else like 'fate', 'the universe', 'stars aligning', or 'luck'. How silly of us to think things just happen by 'fate' or 'luck', much less that the 'stars aligning' actually happen without the one who made them actually aligning them! Every person given by the Father to Jesus eventually comes running - that means the more we try to resist or 'explain away' our desire to follow after Jesus, the more we will be pulled toward him!

Once Jesus has heard that "yes, I need you, Jesus" from us, he holds on - not ever willing to let us go. No matter what 'fate' becomes us, he doesn't relinquish his control over us. No matter how many times we would 'explain away' what happens in our lives - his plans are unfolding around and within us. Nothing can separate us from the place we enjoy in his presence - period! What does it mean to align with him? It simply means we begin to cooperate with the presence of God within our lives - giving up on our own agenda in pursuit of the agenda of our heavenly Father.

Apart from Christ, we all follow some form of 'agenda' - maybe one we make for ourselves, or perhaps one that is suggested for us by another. Regardless of where that agenda originates, we aren't going to find satisfaction at the end of the day. Why? We are made to follow a higher agenda! Ever wonder why your day-to-day actions don't seem all that fulfilling, or really bring you a sense of well-being that you desire? It is likely because you aren't really 'aligned' as you are intended to be.

Ever try to walk with your back out of alignment? This tinge and that stabbing pain keeps you from walking upright. You falter in your steps, gimping along. Alignment is important if we are to walk correctly, retaining the appropriate posture, and having everything 'flowing' within us as it should. Probably more important than our spinal adjustment/alignment is our spiritual one! We don't neglect our body's alignment - we seek help when it is out of whack. Why would we neglect our spiritual alignment and not seek to enjoy the most perfect alignment we can? Just askin!

Get 're-activated' in his presence

God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked. (Psalm 9:9-10)

There are times in our lives when we just seem to feel a little "battered" by the various things coming at us - things out of our control, some brought on just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time - others brought on because we deliberately put ourselves in the place where we'd feel these repeated blows. The present "battering" many of my friends are taking are definitely not by their own doing - they are being battered by disease, the unknown of resistant viruses in tiny bodies, and the uncontrolled actions of internal processes gone wild in bodies plagued with disease. In these moments, the repeated blows seem to deal a very "heavy" and "damaging" effect on the mind, emotions, and even the spirit of those dealing with the circumstances. Bad times will come - we just cannot evade them indefinitely - although we all try! As a result, there is a time of preparation we each go through BEFORE the bad times - but we may not realize we have been through this preparatory process until we are well in the midst of the present trial. It is often in the midst of the trial where we discover the truths God has given us which we will hold onto during those times. The times of connection with God PRIOR to the present blows ensure something we don't want to overlook - the blows may be heavy, but they will be unable to wear us down because there has been a "galvanizing" of our character during those preparatory times.

I don't think we realize our daily, faithful connection with the Lord has a way of galvanizing us against future blows. Blows have a way of causing "nicks" in whatever is struck. The "galvanizing" process provides a protective barrier against the things which corrupt - such as rust. How does rust occur? Isn't it because protective barriers don't exist and there are sufficient "chinks" in the metal to allow it to be exposed to the elements attacking it? Time alone with God each day has a way of "coating" us with the protective barrier we all need in order to be protected from the elements of attack against us. Blows cause chinks - if the barrier is thick - formed over the course of time spent with God - the effects of the blows will be lessened because the protective barrier will be strong. I think God is constantly calling us into the "galvanizing" chamber of his presence. Although I am not very well versed in the whole process of galvanization, I do understand something quite important. Galvanization occurs when a "charge" of some kind is applied to metal as a protective coating - but more than just a protective coating - a sacrificial coating. When exposed to damaging forces, it actually has a way of "sacrificing" some of that charge - so it does not change what is under the coating, but is combining with what is attacking, "deactivating" its destructive forces. This seems pretty important to me when it comes to us being prepared for the times when repeated blows come our way. When we have the right "charge" to our lives, we have something which can be "sacrificed" to actually "inactivate" the destructiveness of that which is attacking us.

This is what our psalmist is referring to as God being a safe sanctuary for those who run to him - who take the time to knock on his door and actually enter into his presence. There is this protective process which begins in those times and becomes totally apparent when we are facing the many repeated blows the enemy of our souls designs as those to wear us down and cause us to no longer "function" - with the purpose of leaving us open to the destructiveness of his elements. God's sanctuary is not a place to be visited infrequently. Even the most "galvanized" of metals has the potential of giving off their protective barrier over the course of time - causing them to be easily attacked by the external forces. Many different types of "galvanization" should be employed in the process of really developing a protective barrier which holds up against the elements. Metal is created using more than one "sacrificial anode" application to the metal surface - in order to increase its chances of "weathering" the elements. We might add a special paint coating - further protecting from the elements. I think we actually might get "re-coated" each time we enter God's presence - giving us just another degree of "charge" or "coat" which protects us. Despite the present blows, know this - if you have been preparing all along for the eventual attacks by being faithful to enter the "galvanizing chamber" of God's presence, you will not be undone by the repeated blows of the attacking enemy. Those blows may slow you down a little, but they won't destroy you! Just sayin!

But how...

Tolkien reminded us, "Courage is found in unlikely places." For some of us, the holidays require a bit of 'mustered courage' on our parts. They are not something we look forward to - perhaps because of loneliness, family discord, or even a lack of hope things will ever change in this world. As much as we are frightened by the load we bear right now, I wonder if we could look at the 'load' Mary bore all those years ago and take note of her tremendous courage to do what no other has been called to do. She was called to bear the Christ child - to bring into this world the Son of God in earthly form - an unwed mother, conceiving by 'miraculous means', in a time when 'being with child' outside of wedlock would have meant immediate rejection and disgrace. I don't doubt Mary had some significant moments of fear as she faced the Angel Gabriel that day - alone, visited by a heavenly presence, told she had been chosen. In fact, scripture tells us Gabriel almost immediately responded to her fear with the words, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob’s house forever—no end, ever, to his kingdom.” (Luke 1:29-33) I think I might have shot back with, "That's easy for YOU to say!" She responded with words that suggested she might have wanted to understand more: "But how..." The most amazing thing about us standing right smack in the middle of our doubt is that God isn't afraid of our 'but how' moments. In fact, he knows it is our way of coming to terms with what it is he is asking us to do!

As the story goes on, we are told Mary 'wasted no time' in accepting what God was doing in her life - in spite of all the fear of her being rejected and shamed for her condition of 'being found to be with child'. Courage is indeed found in unlikely places. In the moment of asking the 'but how' question, Mary was coming to terms with this calling on her life. She was presented with the impossible then reminded immediately that nothing is impossible with God. There are times when we want to understand and still don't, no matter how many times we ask the 'but how' question. "But how will my family ever heal from this loss?" "But how will we ever mend this riff in the relationship?" "But how will I put one foot in front of the other when I feel so much darkness around me?" As we ask those questions, even when we repeat them because we don't think God has answered us or given us enough information, he is urging us to embrace his courage in place of our fears, doubts, and deep emotional regrets. It may indeed be tough to face the holidays, but God's plan is for us to embrace his grace - allowing that grace to bolster our courage until we stand strong in the midst of what otherwise would cause us great distress. God isn't 'put off' by us asking 'but how' - in fact, he realizes this is a natural response to things we don't understand. We may not get the visitation of a mighty angel like Gabriel, but we have much more - we have the very presence of God within us. The 'but how' is already within us! Just sayin!

A little take-away for you

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. (I Peter 2:9-10)

Most of the time, we go through life making all kinds of choices without much thought - simply because things have become so familiar to us and we just do it by habit. We reach for the salt or pepper at the table simply because we have done this for years. We drive a particular path to the store without much thought to the winding path, sometimes not even aware of the things we pass simply because they are so familiar to us because of the sheer frequency of the path we travel. We gravitate to the same place at the table, in the living room furniture, and even 'our side' of the bed - it is "our" space. We have indicated a "preference" for a certain route, spot, or type of activity - it is now our method of conducting our affairs. God views being "chosen" a little differently - not as the routine or "preferred" means of conducting business - but as a means of "electing" those who embrace grace, not so they can 'sit pretty', but so they can engage with him in the work he has for those he chooses. 

We are chosen for a high calling - not just a routine, mundane, run-of-the-mill kind of existence. Our high calling involves something referred to as a "priestly work" - something most of us would equate to some "office" of the church. God has a different opinion of the "priestly work" he has called us to - it is not an office - it is a lifestyle. The idea is that we will be living as the priests of old did - set apart, vigilant in pursuit of the right choices, and as an example for others. The priest engaged in certain "duties" such as worship, prayer, teaching, and study. Our high calling is similar - we are called to pray for each other (even those we don't know), worship together, study to show ourselves approved, and to teach with all boldness. We make this "priestly" thing kind of mystical - God makes it quite practical! Our "high calling" is really a calling to live "out loud" - as it concerns the evidence of grace in our lives. What is reflected in our lives is far from the mundane - it is the ever-dynamic flow of grace. Is there really any other way to reflect the holiness of God in our sinful lives? We cannot possibly reflect the holiness of God without the continually flow of grace from within. As grace does its work within us, we are becoming what we are chosen for - changed lives being used to change lives.

We become God's instruments - not to just sing a pretty song - but to do his work. I love the song by Josh Wilson called, "See You". In it he says he refuses to sit still while he watches someone else do what he is called to do himself. Maybe this is a fitting song to reflect the teaching reflected above. God is not calling us to sit around watching others do the work of their priestly calling - he has called us to do the work he has prepared for us to do ourselves! You see, there is nothing more powerful than the testimony of one! The evidence of grace in your life is your unique priestly ministry. Only you can reflect the grace of God in the unique way you do - it is your calling. The work of the Old Testament priests was to conduct their lives as examples for those who were looking to them. I don't know about you, but it kind of freaks me out a little to think others are actually looking to me to be the example they follow! We may not even know how many people this may be - but the idea others are actually looking to us as examples should cause us to be a little more concerned with not doing things by "rote" and more concerned in keeping things "lively" as it concerns the flow of grace in our lives. When grace is free-flowing, there is a living and vital testimony. When grace gets a little stagnant, our testimony is equally as stagnant. If you ever think grace is just a one-time thing - think again. It is a constant process. It ensures a free-flow of that which becomes the "talking points" of our lives. Talking points are the things which people actually latch onto - the "take away" from the encounter. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all lived in such a way so as to leave others with the "take away" which always pointed others to God's grace? Just sayin!

Is it time?

Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have. (Margaret Mead)

“‘I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.’ “What could I do, King Agrippa? I couldn’t just walk away from a vision like that! I became an obedient believer on the spot. I started preaching this life-change—this radical turn to God and everything it meant in everyday life—right there in Damascus, went on to Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside, and from there to the whole world." (Acts 26:17-20)

The Apostle Paul is on the 'witness stand' before King Agrippa, brought there by Festus, the new governor of Cesarea. The religious leaders want to shut Paul's message of eternal hope down, but Festus is hard-pressed to find anything he can accuse him of doing. It is just possible the cries of these leaders may result in something they didn't count on happening. In fact, we see the account of his having taken the 'witness stand':  "But Agrippa did answer: “Keep this up much longer and you’ll make a Christian out of me!” Paul, still in chains, said, “That’s what I’m praying for, whether now or later, and not only you but everyone listening today, to become like me—except, of course, for this prison jewelry!” The king and the governor, along with Bernice and their advisors, got up and went into the next room to talk over what they had heard. They quickly agreed on Paul’s innocence, saying, “There’s nothing in this man deserving prison, let alone death.” (vs. 28-31) I doubt the religious leaders of that day ever expected their plan to backfire like that! When we have a message that is meant to be shared, there is little that can ever be done to shut it down!

One person - faithful to use what he has been given - unstoppable and fearless even as he was bound in prison chains. That speaks of a tremendous faith, but it reassures me that God is with those who are faithful to use what he has graciously blessed with! We often think, "What can one man or woman do?" God's thoughts on the matter are pretty much, "What can't one man or woman do when their steps are ordered by me?" It is all a matter of perspective, isn't it? We see the impossibilities - God provides all we need to endure even what others see as total impossibility! I think the challenge to us this morning is to stop using the words "I can't" and start saying "In Christ I can do all things". That very change in mindset can make us unstoppable witnesses in a very confused and dark world! We aren't to just march in place - we are being 'sent off' into the places only we can reach. We may not see our reach as 'significant', but if we are called to be the ones to go, that call makes our reach quite significant indeed. We might want to walk away at the first obstacle we face, but what we have been given demands we press past those obstacles and share what we know will change the world. Isn't about time we embrace our call to be 'world-changers'? Just askin!

Christmas memories

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. (Roy L. Smith)

And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. (I John 5:21)

We might forget this truth, but Christmas is the very best of times to celebrate the love of God. It is also the best of times to celebrate each other - family and friends coming together to celebrate the joy of the season, but also to celebrate each other! It is a time to create memories. I don't know about you, but the gathering together seems to be less and less as the family grows up and we all seem to have our own 'direction' to travel in life. Memories are made in the moments - so take the moments this holiday season to make them. 

Jesus is our greatest gift - the one we receive ourselves and the one we can give to others. It is unlike every other gift - we don't give it away - we give it while still retaining that great gift for ourselves! This 'gift' of Christ actually is an unending gift - able to help us live in truth. Recognizing truth amidst all the lies around us - what a gift! To understand truth - what a gift when all around us seems so confusing and confounding. Don't hold back with this gift - share it!

If this last two years has no opened our eyes to the shortness of life and the ability of things way outside of our control to create tremendous chaos, then I don't think we had our eyes open! There is hardly a neighborhood that hasn't been affected by great loss as a result of an ugly and devastating virus. Moments may have been lost forever for some. Regrets abound. What memories will you make this Christmas season? Will they be memories that bring you great joy over the years, or will they be memories of regret for lost opportunities? 

Rather than regretting the missed ones, let us make them in ways that will last forever. Let's share the hope of Jesus and then let him begin to open the doors of his blessing in the lives of those we touch this season. Just sayin!