God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. (Psalm 145:14)
There are times we all feel like quitting, when all we want is a fresh start, but have absolutely no way of figuring out what a 'fresh start' would really look like. Many have heard the words of Vince Lombardi, "Winners don't quit and quitters don't win." Another quote goes something along the line, "Quitters are good losers." So, we keep plugging along, hoping not to be labeled as a quitter, yet desiring nothing less than a fresh start. I think God may look at us, realize our desire to quit, that insane desire for a fresh start where others say no fresh start is possible, and then somehow begins to meet this despondency with his provision of that 'fresh start' we all desire. Robert Ingersoll once said, "Happiness is not a reward - its a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment - its a result." There are indeed times when we think we will never be "happy" - but look at the quote again. It is called a "consequence" - an outcome of something we do, or perhaps don't do in life. Most of the time the best thing we can do is to make a "fresh start" with what we have been given. We take the pieces we have left, pick them (and ourselves) back up, and move forward in obedience. Thank goodness for the "fresh starts" we get in life! If it were not for these, where would we each be? I know you and I probably would not be chatting each day via this blog were it not for many a 'fresh start' in my life!
God GIVES a hand to those down on their luck. It is a extension of his grace that "turns the tide" for each of us. No amount of self-effort is the answer to really getting the "fresh start" - it is a matter of God GIVING us the fresh-start. Whenever we think of someone "down on their luck", life in shambles and chaos abounding, we think of an individual enduring a whole lot of suffering because a whole lot of bad things are happening to that individual, and perhaps even those in their lives that are reaping the side-effects of that chaos. Look at what Ingersoll said - Suffering is not a punishment! So, what is the intended result of suffering? We may not want to hear this, but often it is to make us open to receiving!
God didn't want us to suffer, but we made wrong choices and the consequences are there. God uses the results of our suffering to open us afresh to his GIVING touch. We are probably the MOST open to his "giving" when we are experiencing our greatest sense of need - in our suffering! We need to embrace need as an opportunity for a fresh start - for our hearts, minds, and wills to be open to the fresh touch of God. Quitters don't win and winners don't quit. A valuable idiom indeed, yet flawed! Here's the flaw - winning often begins when we finally do quit! Sometimes we can be so wrapped up in the efforts of trying to NOT quit, missing the very point God wants us to see - we need to lay it down! Don't keep holding on - in letting go, we EMPTY our hands so they can be refilled with what God intends for them to be filled with! It is only empty hands which can be filled!
A fresh start actually begins with an end to what we have been doing. When we come to an "end", God stands ready to GIVE us a "start". Vince Lombardi also said, "The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have." Sometimes the best we can do with what we have is to lay it down - to let it go! When we finally yield it to God's touch, we find the very thing we possess may be the very thing which "possessed" us - consuming us in ways God never intended. This isn't the first post in recent weeks about laying down what we don't need to hold onto any longer - and I don't believe that is by mistake. God has a message for each of us - let it go - finally, completely, and with intention. Want a fresh start? It begins today by us emptying ourselves so we might be open to receive exactly what God intends to GIVE us in order to launch us into the "newness" of a fresh beginning. Just laying it down...
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Showing posts with label Anew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anew. Show all posts
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Do you feel it?
I like to watch the cop shows and then try to figure out the "who done it" of the show. One of the things we see repeatedly in these shows is the cops questioning individuals who have witnessed the crimes - they want to capture as accurate of a description of the suspect as possible. Have you ever been asked to describe God - to give an accurate description of who he is? It is harder than you might think! We take a deep breath, then launch out into some kind of lengthy explanation of what God does, how he moves among us, what he has created, but these are his actions, not necessarily a description of HIM. All the while we are describing his actions, we are really struggling with getting anything "concrete" in our answer of who we know him to be in our lives. Try it! It is hard! David had a really good way of describing God - simple and to the point - light, space, and zest!
Light, space, zest— that's God! So, with him on my side I'm fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. (Psalm 27:1)
Three simple words, but pretty all-inclusive if you ask me! Light, space, and zest - what could he possibly have meant by using these words? He isn't just describing what God does or how he acts, but he is describing what God does within us and how he displays his character (who he is) through us. He displays himself through us as Light. This is the message we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in him there is no darkness at all (I John 1:5 NIV). In him we find all glory and majesty - light can be described as displaying the majesty of the one who possesses the light. No wonder scripture repeatedly refers to God as "light" - it is not something which is "in" him - he is the perfect and purest LIGHT. There is no darkness within him - he is holy and his holiness reflects in the purest of Light. That same holiness resides in us - giving us the purest of light within!
Ever think of God as Space? John 4:24 tells us God is "Spirit" - does a 'spirit' take up 'space' or create 'space'. Perhaps this is the best way for us to understand just how he can be everyone at one time - he transcends the limitations of human nature - he isn't limited by 'space' because he is the one who gives or creates the ultimate 'space' we see before us. He is above all, in all, and creator of all. As such, he is like "space". Unlimited, and with a greatness that is really, really hard to 'calculate'. Try as we might, we cannot "box" God in - he is not an equation - something we can sum up! He is infinite and our finite minds have a hard time with not understanding everything all at once! God creates space for all we need and he removes from our 'space' all that will hinder us and make us stumble in this life.
Zest is a little harder to understand because it kind of suggests action - he gives liveliness to all he animates - zest is liveliness or that which we describe as 'coming alive'. In him is the inherent ability to impart the truest form of energy - that which animates and gives abundant life to a lifeless soul! Sin robs us of this "animation" of spirit - God's touch and his presence in the space he has created within us that is specifically for his Spirit is what restores it! No wonder David stands so assured when he considers who is "on his side" in his daily walk! The purest of the pure - able to push back all darkness. The limitless one - powerful beyond our calculating. The one full of life - imparting life with each brush of his hand or passing of his breath over our lives! Afraid of no one and nothing! Why? We fear the dark - God's light exposes what is hidden. We fear the unknown - God's limitless supply is ours. We fear death - God's life is assured to those who choose him. Therefore, why fear?
The Lord is my light and the One Who saves me. Whom should I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom should I be afraid? (New Life Version) Whenever we are afraid, we are filled with apprehension. When we describe ourselves as fearful, we are saying we are filled with a dread of the impending danger, evil, or pain we perceive. The Lord is MY light - the one who saves ME. Here is the "grip" we hold onto in the midst of impending doom - MY light, the one who saves ME. In the words of an old hymn: His eye may be on the sparrow, but he watches ME! He is a personal God - he walks WITH and WITHIN us. In his carefulness over us, light dispels darkness, perceptions are enlarged, and we are reanimated again! Just feeling the zest of God today!
Light, space, zest— that's God! So, with him on my side I'm fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. (Psalm 27:1)
Three simple words, but pretty all-inclusive if you ask me! Light, space, and zest - what could he possibly have meant by using these words? He isn't just describing what God does or how he acts, but he is describing what God does within us and how he displays his character (who he is) through us. He displays himself through us as Light. This is the message we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in him there is no darkness at all (I John 1:5 NIV). In him we find all glory and majesty - light can be described as displaying the majesty of the one who possesses the light. No wonder scripture repeatedly refers to God as "light" - it is not something which is "in" him - he is the perfect and purest LIGHT. There is no darkness within him - he is holy and his holiness reflects in the purest of Light. That same holiness resides in us - giving us the purest of light within!
Ever think of God as Space? John 4:24 tells us God is "Spirit" - does a 'spirit' take up 'space' or create 'space'. Perhaps this is the best way for us to understand just how he can be everyone at one time - he transcends the limitations of human nature - he isn't limited by 'space' because he is the one who gives or creates the ultimate 'space' we see before us. He is above all, in all, and creator of all. As such, he is like "space". Unlimited, and with a greatness that is really, really hard to 'calculate'. Try as we might, we cannot "box" God in - he is not an equation - something we can sum up! He is infinite and our finite minds have a hard time with not understanding everything all at once! God creates space for all we need and he removes from our 'space' all that will hinder us and make us stumble in this life.
Zest is a little harder to understand because it kind of suggests action - he gives liveliness to all he animates - zest is liveliness or that which we describe as 'coming alive'. In him is the inherent ability to impart the truest form of energy - that which animates and gives abundant life to a lifeless soul! Sin robs us of this "animation" of spirit - God's touch and his presence in the space he has created within us that is specifically for his Spirit is what restores it! No wonder David stands so assured when he considers who is "on his side" in his daily walk! The purest of the pure - able to push back all darkness. The limitless one - powerful beyond our calculating. The one full of life - imparting life with each brush of his hand or passing of his breath over our lives! Afraid of no one and nothing! Why? We fear the dark - God's light exposes what is hidden. We fear the unknown - God's limitless supply is ours. We fear death - God's life is assured to those who choose him. Therefore, why fear?
The Lord is my light and the One Who saves me. Whom should I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom should I be afraid? (New Life Version) Whenever we are afraid, we are filled with apprehension. When we describe ourselves as fearful, we are saying we are filled with a dread of the impending danger, evil, or pain we perceive. The Lord is MY light - the one who saves ME. Here is the "grip" we hold onto in the midst of impending doom - MY light, the one who saves ME. In the words of an old hymn: His eye may be on the sparrow, but he watches ME! He is a personal God - he walks WITH and WITHIN us. In his carefulness over us, light dispels darkness, perceptions are enlarged, and we are reanimated again! Just feeling the zest of God today!
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