Remembering....

There is so very much for which we should be grateful - most of us have no idea of the many things God actually does "behind the scenes" to keep us safe, bring us into places of blessing, and to intervene in our lives.  We just know God is there and that he is in control.  We don't "know" all the details of what that control looks like, but we trust it!  There are always moments in time when God "re-centers" my life a little so I take time to slow down and realize the many ways he protects and cares for my family.  If you have children, you "worry over" their lives even after they are gone from your home.  If you raise animals as pets or as your livelihood, you "worry over" every change in their behavior which suggests they are just not "feeling their oats".  If you care for elderly parents, you "worry over" every changing faculty and ability because you know each and every "decline" is moving them closer to the time they are less independent and on their way to the time they shall depart this earth.  We don't know the "stuff" in play behind the scenes in all of these circumstances, but we do whatever our part is to "manage" them as well as we can.  There is something to be said for just stopping once in a while to recount the many ways we "are" aware of the ways God has intervened in our lives, though.  It builds gratitude and brings us into closeness with him for a while.  This is indeed a good place to find ourselves.

My soul, praise the Lord! Every part of me, praise his holy name! My soul, praise the Lord and never forget how kind he is! (Psalm 103:1-2 ERV)

Never forget how kind he is.  This is something we have to tell ourselves from time to time simply because we have a tendency to get caught up in the hub-bub of everyday life and forget to simply "notice" the things God has been and is continuing to do all around us.  If we examine the entirety of this psalm of David, we might just find a few things we sometimes forget to thank God for in our lives, or perhaps have just taken for granted for a while.  Although this is not an exhaustive list, it does give us a few moments to just pause and think about who he is, how  much he loves us, and what a tremendous "protector" he is over us.

He forgives all our sins and heals all our sicknesses - most of us remember the times we were sick or just not feeling our oats, but we kind of take for granted that the cold passed, the cut healed and the scab fell off.  We remember that moment when we asked God to forgive all our sins and even the last time we asked, but we don't remember them all.  He has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. Add to this that we sinned against him, but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved and we will be humbled anew by the greatness of his grace and the depth of his love. 

He saves us from the grave, and he gives us love and compassion - there is no greater gift he gave to us than his life for ours.  The Lord is kind and merciful. He is patient and full of love.  Two more reasons for us to honor him with our praise and delight in his presence.  Kindness extended where no one else would dare extend it.  Mercy given when the infraction demanded otherwise.  These "grace moments" should give us cause to not only pause, but shout with joy at the depth of his sacrifice and continued protection/care over our lives.

He gives us plenty of good things.  He makes us young again, like an eagle that grows new feathers.  This is indeed a vivid picture of how God intervenes in our lives, for an eagle is nothing without the feathers which carry it majestically into the air and allow it to drift high above the earth.  We are nothing without his restorative power giving us new ability to fly high above the circumstances of life which would rob us of our "cover" and threaten to be our undoing.

The Lord does what is fair.  He brings justice to all who have been hurt by others.  We carry many a scar from the wounds of others, but God is there as the one who binds those wounds and lessens the unsightliness of those scars over time.  He is the one who will bring justice - for his kids are his delight and he will not let those who bring harm or hurt to them be left alone.  We may want revenge, but God brings justice - something we have a hard time understanding, but as long as we understand God has the issue in hand, we will be fine.

He does not always criticize.  He does not stay angry with us forever.  Thank goodness for this one for I can think of a million things for which God could criticize me!  The many times I have said I'd do something, then forgotten as quickly as I "committed" stand out in my mind!  God isn't moved to anger by our failures and our mindless drifting - he is moved to compassion and to doing what it takes to bring us back to him.  The Lord is as kind to his followers as a father is to his children. The Lord has always loved his followers, and he will continue to love them forever and ever!

He will be good to all their descendants, to those who are faithful to his agreement and who remember to obey his commands.  The Lord set his throne up in heaven, and he rules over everything.  We may not be as faithful as we'd like, but God sees every inch of faithfulness as a mile in his eyes!  We cannot be discouraged by the things which seem to be insurmountable in our lives - we must remember that God measures things in a different way than we measure them!  Just sayin!

More than just a good conscience

We all probably know people who live pretty well - making good choices and just not living too far from moral excellence.  What might amaze us is how many of these "good" individuals don't have a personal relationship with Jesus.  They simply live "right" and adhere to this strong moral code of excellence for some reason other than wanting to follow what scripture teaches.  In fact, many don't even know what the scripture says, much less seek to adhere to it!  So, how can they live so "well" and not know these truths?  I think scripture points us to the power of the conscience - it can be trained to respond in a variety of ways. Given the right input, the conscience can be trained to produce the right output. For example, if a parent teaches their child to respect their elders, adhere to the laws of the land, and to always treat others as they want to be treated themselves, they might grow up to be pretty solid citizens.  Their conscience has been trained to guide them into pretty "good" actions.  Whenever they attempt to drift from those actions, their conscience actually acts as a little "governor" to keep them from choosing that path.  It is possible to obey God's commands and never have heard a word of them preached in your home - simply because the standards which are taught are based on those teachings, even when someone may not realize they are and the conscience acts to remind us of the importance of living by these standards.

Those people who don’t know about God’s Law will still be punished for what they do wrong. And the Law will be used to judge everyone who knows what it says. God accepts those who obey his Law, but not those who simply hear it. Some people naturally obey the Law’s commands, even though they don’t have the Law. This proves that the conscience is like a law written in the human heart. And it will show whether we are forgiven or condemned, when God appoints Jesus Christ to judge everyone’s secret thoughts, just as my message says. (Romans 2:12-16 CEV)

If the principles taught in God's Word can be taught without even knowing it, then how is it we who study it should make excuses when we don't obey it? The conscience is a powerful tool - provided the right input, it can actually aid us in walking according to the correct standards, even when we don't label them as "Christian"!  The trouble still remains in the area of our "secret thoughts" and the actual condition of our heart.  We cannot have a clean heart apart from the blood of Jesus being applied - even though we live by "good" principles.  The scripture clearly defines the gift of eternal life as being entirely linked to having said "yes" to the redemptive work of Jesus in our lives.  Apart from receiving grace, we are just living by a good moral code, not truthfully living with a heart made new by the transforming power of Christ.

Look at what our passage says again and you will see judgment is assured to those who hear the Word of Christ, but then don't choose to obey it.  In the days this was written, there were basically two groups of individuals Paul was writing to - those who "had the Law of Moses" to guide their actions (the Jews) and those who did not (the Gentiles).  His accusation is one which should make us sit up and take notice.  His question isn't one of "possession", but of "using" what one possesses.  The Jews had the Law - often hearing it preached, but not clearly embracing it as their way of living.  The Gentiles didn't - but many lived by the right moral standards in spite of their "lack" of possessing the Law.  The difference was one group had much, but didn't use it; the other didn't possess more than an example, and lived closer to the truth than those who possessed the truth themselves!

The conscience is like a law written in the human heart - this should give us a moment to reflect.  If the conscience is capable of driving a man to "act right", then how is it those of us who have the Word of God as well can make so many wrong choices?  It is often because we don't listen to our conscience warning us otherwise!  We have BOTH - so we are without excuse for our disobedience. We cannot live right apart from the grace of God and the presence of a personal "tutor" in our lives to help us make truth the means by which we make our decisions in life.  Words on a page will not save us.  Words spoken out loud will not make us hear what is spoken.  We need those words to impact our lives. God created us with this thing called conscience to assist us in this process. Our conscience is like a sponge - taking in what it is exposed to and what is modeled for it to see.  When we take in the right stuff, we stand a chance of returning the demonstration of the right stuff - this is just simple logic.

To hear and not obey - this is the subject of our consideration today - not if people can live good lives apart from Christ.  I do think there are people who live "good lives", but they still won't enjoy eternity with Christ because they haven't make him the center of their life.  Their good actions don't gain them access into the kingdom of God - only grace does that!  Those of us who have said "yes" to Jesus should be challenged to live differently because we possess both - a cleansed conscience and a clean heart!  Just sayin!

His mercies are all I need

Do you ever engage in "self-talk"?  You know what I mean - those moments when you just have to look yourself in the mirror and give yourself a stern talking to in order to bring correction to your attitude, behavior, or direction you are taking in life.  I think we all must do this from time to time, but we may be shy about admitting we actually talk to ourselves!  Especially if we could be labeled as a little "touched in the head" for that type of activity! Nonetheless, the things we tell ourselves in those moments of self-talk can be very "corrective" to our behavior.  I think God often lets us talk things out so we can become aware of the answer he wants to bring forth from us.  In a matter of minutes, we find ourselves coming to conclusions which bring clarity, give us hope, and move us in a new direction.  Why?  God helped us remember we might be "finished" with something which frustrates us or gives us too much worry, but he isn't!  He has something special planned if we will just accept the mercies he has prepared for us in those moments.

I tell myself, “I am finished! I can’t count on the Lord to do anything for me.” Just thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable. That’s all I ever think about, and I am depressed. Then I remember something that fills me with hope. The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. Deep in my heart I say, “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!” (Lamentations 3:18-24 CEV)

As I was listening to a newer song which came on the radio yesterday, I was reminded of this passage.  The theme of the song was the fresh start God gives us no matter how many times we have to make that same start!  As I listened to an interview with the artist who performs the song, I was touched by something he said.  He recounted how he used to think he had to count the days he remained "sin-free".  You know what he means don't you - the belief that we aren't really growing or changing in the right direction unless we actually make it a full day without engaging in that particular sin we are seeking to overcome.  His revelation was a blessing to me, though, as he recounted that God doesn't ask us to count the days, but to know we always have a fresh start even when we slip up.  God's mercies are truly new each and every morning - or as many times in the day as we need to ask for them!  This is indeed the good news of God's grace!

His mercies never fail - his kindness never dries up or withers away.  His grace is there time and time again - even when we think there could not possibly be anymore of it left for our particular shortcoming!  We find ourselves at the point the prophet Jeremiah pens the words above the nation of Israel has realized the destruction of Jerusalem.  The five chapters contain a kind of "funeral dirge" lamenting the destruction of the great city by the Babylonian armies in the face of Israel's repeated sins against their God.  The chapters give us an insight into something we often do when we realize our rebellion and sinful actions have taken us into a place of great despair.  At first, we complain - not really willing ourselves to take responsibility for our actions, but "lamenting" or "complaining" about the circumstances we find ourselves in.  Then as we continue with our lament, we find ourselves converting at some point to the place of recognition - the place where we recognize we have a part to play in the place we find ourselves standing and circumstances with which we are faced.

Herein is the moment of transition - for the lamenting leads to the place of repentance.  At first, we think the walls are caving in around us (just as Israel lamented the walls of Jerusalem being torn down).  Then as we talk a little longer, we realize our despair over "our" loss is really based in some way we might have been acting or responding which was less than desirable (just as Israel did when they realized they had turned to the traditions of the nations around them, intermarried, and done exactly what God had told them not to do as they entered into the land of Canaan).  In those moments between our whining and complaining about where we are - those moments we might call our "funeral dirge" - and the light bulb coming on at that moment of recognition, we can take heart in one thing - God doesn't stop listening just because we start lamenting!

He brings us through our lament into the place where we find we are ready to repent!  As we recognize our involvement in the present mess we are in, we come to the place of asking for God's forgiveness - reaching out for the one thing we know we can count on again and again - his mercies!  Many of us have to do this more than once before we will ever overcome the pull toward what gives us so much grief in our lives - so don't be discouraged when you find yourself having that "talk" with yourself a few more times than you'd like to.  If we are honest, the "talk" changes a little each time - even though it may only be a subtle difference between this time and the last!  The point is - when we allow God to take our lamenting and turn it into a place where we admit our need for his mercy, we come to a new place in our lives each and every time. His mercies make all things new - each and every time!

At the moment of confession we find his mercy.  At the point of mercy, we find a way "out" of what got us deep into the lamenting in the first place.  We might not get it right the next time or even the next twenty times we try, but each time we come to him his mercies are consistent and their "process" is the same. The "process" I am referring to is that of renewal.  His mercies make all things new - it is as though we never slipped in the first place!  WE don't understand this - so we have this thing called shame attached to our repeated failures. God does understand his mercy and he has this thing called forgiveness which he attaches to each failure.  The thing is - when God attaches forgiveness to the failure, it is like the failure is gone.  All he sees is his Son in us - nothing else! This is what mercy does - it exchanges the lament we bring with the glory he provides.  Just sayin!

Empty space demands to be filled

I don't know about you, but we are ready to begin our planting season here in Arizona.  If we don't get the seeds in soon, the weather will turn so hot so quick that any new growth will just be scorched under the hot sun.  So, this weekend I began cleaning up the garden, trimming away any frosted leaves and turning the soil.  All the raised beds are ready to receive the early summer crops and some fresh plantings of budding flowers.  I still have one or two beds out front to finish, but in general, I am ready for the "growing season".  True to form, I made my little venture to the local nursery and found some flowering plants I wanted, a few packets of seeds to get me started and a little extra soil for another project I am working on.  The place was packed!  Others had the same idea obviously - it was the beginning of planting season.  One thing I noted though was how the sales clerk announced they had nearly sold out of weed killer.  What?  It is just the beginning of the season and we are already emptying the shelves of weed killer?  Why?  Well, we enjoyed a very wet winter, so in response, the desert floor is alive with growth!  All manner of weeds, wild flower and the like is coming into growth - some seeds having laid dormant for who knows how long just waiting this day.  This is how it is with seed - they may lay dormant for a while, but when the conditions are right for their growth, it happens!

Plant your seeds early in the morning and keep working in the field until dark. Who knows? Your work might pay off, and your seeds might produce. (Ecclesiastes 11:6 CEV)

Some seeds are very purposefully planted in our lives, right?  Seeds of learning, seeds of wisdom, and the like are some we might just say are "purposefully planted", while seeds of silliness and selfishness we might just say are "accidentally" there!  I daresay unless we keep a close watch over what we allow to grow within our lives, we will soon have a mix of both!  The problem is that we sometimes cannot differentiate between the two until we see the specific fruit it produces!  While I was working in the garden, a little nine year old head popped over the fence, just high enough for me to recognize it was my little neighbor.  She was all excited to see me out in the yard and struck up a conversation, nearly bending my ear for close to two hours while I put things in order.  As we talked, I explained a little about the plants I had in the garden, why I had planted them, how to trim them back so as not to hurt them, why I fertilized them, and the like.  In return, she brought me some "flowers" from her yard which she wanted me to have.  Then one by one I began to explain to her that what she was bringing to me was actually weed!

She thought they were flowers purposefully planted by her father - because he had planted seeds there a short time before.  What she didn't realize was that weed seeds are opportunistic!  They take advantage of "empty space" and "ripe conditions".  So, instead of the seeds her father had planted growing in the space he had created for his garden, he had some pretty flowering weeds! There is a lesson here for us.  We can "prepare" a place for growth to occur, but if we aren't vigilant about what springs up there, we might just be surprised to find out what begins to fill the space!  Empty space just demands being filled. If you don't believe me think about when you first moved into your home.  You had empty cupboards and closets just demanding to be filled up.  At first, you thought you had enough closet space and cabinets/cupboards galore!  You did not imagine you could use all the space!  How's that working for you today? Anybody besides me have to build extra cabinets in the garage or get a shed for the yard?  We have a tendency to accumulate stuff in our lives - physically and spiritually!

Whatever we accumulate needs a place or space.  This is true of all our growth - good or not so good!  What we fail to recognize is how opportunistic some "growth" in our lives actually is.  For example, if we think we will never reap a harvest of selfishness, think again.  Selfish seeds are opportunistic - given the space to grow, they will!  If we think we will never reap a harvest of fear, think again.  Fear springs up anytime we get our focus on the problem and off of God's face - we give room for the seeds to spring up and take root because we take our eye off what we should be focusing on in the first place!  Cultivate the space - but don't forget to keep an eye on what you allow to fill that void!  Just sayin!

Beware of the "in between"

As Israel is delivered from slavery in Egypt, realizing a dramatic release from their captivity through the display of the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, they stand in the place between deliverance and the realization of the full promise of their goal - the Promised Land (Canaan).  They have witnessed great plagues from which they were left unaffected.  Their journey out of Egypt left them with great wealth - slaves set free, given crops, herds, and jewelry galore by their masters of so many years.  The impossible has happened - the Sea parted and they passed on dry ground - while it swallowed up the pursuing armies of Pharaoh.  Then they find themselves in the place "between" here and there.  Isn't this the place we often "forget our heads" and just find ourselves pursuing our "hearts" at times?  You know what I mean - the place where we just forget all God has already been faithful to perform in our lives and focus on the delay as meaning he must have some other intention for us instead.  We forget for a while that he had a master plan for us and drift into our own planning because we just don't like that delay.  I guess this is the danger of the "in between" place in life - it gives US opportunity to take the lead!

Don’t make treaties with any of those people. If you do, it will be like falling into a trap. Instead, you must destroy their altars and tear down the sacred poles they use in the worship of the goddess Asherah. I demand your complete loyalty—you must not worship any other god! (Exodus 34:12-14 CEV)

Between any of our "here" and "there" destinations we find ourselves in the space we call the "in between".  Most of us would agree - we get ourselves in more trouble "in between" than we do in any other place!  Why?  We want things figured out quickly, solved without delay, and come to fruition long before it actually takes the time to "develop" whatever needs to be developed. This is why nurseries sell thousands and thousands of seedlings - people don't want to wait for the seeds to germinate, take root, and sprout.  They want to "see" the potential of the tomatoes actually growing - they don't want to trust the growth to occur just because there was a seed!  We are so impatient, aren't we?  We want the immediate - God wants the "intermediate" to create in us a position of trust, patient endurance, and growing faith. 

As Moses is up on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God, the people were in this place of "in between".  They had about 40 days to just 'lull' around in the wilderness at the foot of the mountain waiting for their leader to come back down.  Yep, they saw the cloud of God's glory surround the mountain. Yep, they knew he went up their to commune with God and even to get God's plan for the next steps they were to take.  Yep, they had the past miracles of God to base their hope for the future upon.  Yep, they were truly blessed people, with great potential, but...they were in the "in between" of realizing what the next steps held for them.  The greatest place of discontent can be when we come off of a "high spot" in our walk with Jesus.  You know what I mean - that place when we slowly realize we cannot ride the wave forever.  

In that place of being "in between", Israel begins to look to what they knew from their past and what they see all around them - idol worship.  The past often plays an important part in how we respond in the moment between deliverance and the full realization of God's best for our lives, doesn't it?  We "revert" to what we know best in those moments when it just doesn't seem like things are "happening" at the pace, or in the way we think they should be happening.  The issues we face in the "in between" are mostly because we aren't willing to wait - we crave the immediate action of our God to do whatever it is he has promised.  Yet, when we compromise with the "in between" we lose out on what God wants to create in us in that place.  I cannot go from being over-weight and feeling snug in a size 14 dress to a size 6 dress overnight. There are a whole lot of "in between" sizes along the way!  I wouldn't wear the size 14 all the way until I realized the size 6 goal.  Why?  It just wouldn't "fit" me any longer.  The place "in between" requires I make some adjustments, doesn't it?  

This is the meat of what I want us to see today - the adjustment period is really just that - adjustment.  We have to get our mind right for the next phase in our lives.  We need to allow our commitment to be tested and tried so we know we are going to be good for the long haul.  We must get to the place where we trust what we cannot see happening in the here and now.  "In between" is the place all this happens.  Jumping ahead of God in this place is definitely dangerous ground to be walking, my friends.  It is a place of where we are indeed tested to see where our loyalty dwells.  In this place of the "in between", we can turn to what we trusted in our past, or what we think will make us happy for the immediate moment, or we can trust the seed planted is taking root deep beneath the surface.  In time, the "fit" of our present will no longer be the "fit" of our future - so we will realize the change and move into the next phase of what God has for us.  As we go from this place of "in between" into the next, we find gradual and consistent growth.  Don't get ahead of God - don't get too far behind him, either!  Keep your focus.  If you do, the "in between" will bring out what God intends.  Just sayin!

Just two commands - that's all we really need

When I was going to Bible College in the early 80's no one really wanted to enter into a "debate" with me about my beliefs.  I was a stalwart when it came to some of my "views" on what Christ allowed, didn't allow, loved, hated, etc. I actually did pretty good in apologetics - that class where we have to be able to "argue" our point based on scripture.  What I probably did a little poorly in was the "non-classroom" work of actually being loving in my responses to others as I shared this truth.  I guess the hardest lesson for me to learn came long after I actually finished school - when I actually saw life through the eyes of the one I serve.  You see, I "judged" when all I did was preach my point - I didn't begin to actually live out Christ's teaching until I put down my preaching!  As I have grown up in Christ, one of the things I have appreciated about his truth is that it doesn't change - it remains the same.  MY understanding of truth may have changed - but his truth stays the same!  The same is true in all of our lives if we are vibrant and growing in our relationship with Christ - we will recognize not a change in "theology", but a change in our "stance" as it comes to using that "theology" to argue about truth.

Don’t keep changing what you were taught about Christ, or else God will no longer be with you. But if you hold firmly to what you were taught, both the Father and the Son will be with you. (2 John 1:9 CEV)

It isn't that we change the basis of the truth we stand upon - but sometimes we receive deeper revelation into the truth and we see it through eyes which have been touched by God's grace more times than we'd often like to admit.  One thing is for sure - the more of God's grace I have had to ask for, the less I tend to judge another for the exact same struggle!  So, the truth has not been compromised - my vantage point has changed!  I see things through the eyes of grace, not the eyes of "being right"!

Here are some general rules to live by as it applies to our beliefs:

1. The primary command we are given is to have no other god.  This means we keep Christ foremost in all we say and do.  If we want to be on track with God, we keep other things in "check" in our lives which could interfere with this relationship we need to develop with him.  In other words, we manage the distractions caused by material things, relationships, and career.  We stop focusing on the "stuff" and focus on him instead - the stuff is supplemental to what we receive from cultivating this relationship with him.

2. The secondary command we must adhere to is that of loving each other. As a matter of fact, we were told to love each other in ways we might see as a little crazy.  For example, we are love our enemies and pray for those who mistreat us. (Matthew 5:44)  Well, if you have ever tried that one, you might just be looking back at me right now with eyes of unbelief!  It is hard!  You have been wronged and Christ tells you to actually pray for the one who wronged you - showing them kindness and love.  I guess I don't really "get" that one until I look at the example Christ gave us by going to the cross.  He was definitely "hated" all the way to the cross - spat upon, beaten, crowned with thorns, stripped of his clothing, and shamed in public.  Then without a single consideration for his own welfare, he forgave those who did this to him.  Okay, I get it!  It is hard, but it draws us closer to Christ because there isn't this "grudge thing" which comes when we hold onto anger against those who "use" or "hurt" us hanging between Christ and us. 

3. All the other commands are summed up in these two because they overshadow all we do and say.  Herein comes the balance we need when it comes to "doctrine" and "beliefs".  We "hang our hats" on our beliefs, so we better be allowing Christ to show us how those "beliefs" actually align with the two commands we just considered above.  If our beliefs allow absolutely no room for failure or sin, then they don't allow for grace.  If our beliefs allow no chance for a "redo" in life, then they don't allow for mercy and forgiveness.  All I can say is that our beliefs fall short if this is how we expect things to be - and we haven't held those beliefs up to our own life!  If we did, we'd find we don't live according to those beliefs very well apart from God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness - for we cannot simply "live by the rules" and see real change in our lives.  We need God's love healing us and setting us on the right path.

Yep, we hold to truth, but we don't let truth exclude God's grace, mercy, or forgiveness.  We hold to doctrine, but we don't use it as a tool to point out fault. We adhere to sound beliefs, but we need to expect God to allow us to see those beliefs through "fresh eyes" as each moment of extended grace, merciful pardon, and extension of forgiveness is sent our way.  When we ask God to help us see as he sees, he takes it down to the two commands - keep him central, and let him guide your relationships.  Just sayin!

Love the Lord and hate evil

Love the Lord and hate evil.  Seems like a pretty easy command - straightforward and easy to grasp.  Yet, in all our struggling to do as this says, we find ourselves challenged with prejudices galore, fears of things which don't exactly "fit" our definition of "normal", and just plain silly misconceptions. There was a day not so long ago when healthcare workers wouldn't even touch the things which a patient with AIDS had touched, let alone be in their presence without a full garb of protective gown, mask, gloves, and the like.  I remember it well, as I was in nursing school in the 80's when the AIDS epidemic hit our nation.  I recall taking care of my first patient with AIDS - complying with the rules and regulations of the hospital and donning all that "protective garb" to keep not only me safe in my contact with this patient, but to keep others safe who might be contaminated if I brought something out of the room!  Man, did I ever feel like a dork!  I was dressed like this man was going to give me "coodies" if he even touched me!  I saw something that day which I really have tried to keep with me in my career - fear makes us do really weird things and isolates those who are struggling.  Don't shoot me now, but I took off my mask and goggles and just sat across from him for about 30 minutes each time I came in to do care.  Why?  He needed to see my face and understand I didn't fear his disease (nor him).  Did I take some chances in a time when this disease was basically the "unknown" - yes, I guess I did.  Yet, something happened when I did - we connected.  I wanted him to have some hope in the face of a devastatingly awful diagnosis.  If nothing else, I wanted him to have some dignity - to be treated as I would want to have been treated.  Lest you think I am cavalier in my respect for communicable diseases, I am not.  I just knew there was nothing going to happen to me if I just took off my mask (because I wasn't going to "breathe in AIDS").  I moved past the fear and let God guide my actions.  In that same moment, I had to move past some of my prejudged ideas of this disease, as well.  It may not be the things we know which hurt us and others, but the things we don't know but have come to accept as "truth"!

Love the Lord and hate evil! God protects his loyal people and rescues them from violence. If you obey and do right, a light will show you the way and fill you with happiness. You are the Lord’s people! So celebrate and praise the only God. (Psalm 97:10-12 CEV)

Prejudged ideas said this was a disease affecting only the gay community - yet this man was straight.  Prejudged ideas said I couldn't even touch him because he could infect me and others if I did - yet he feared giving this disease to anyone else more than any of us could have feared contracting it!  These were the little discoveries I began to make as I took the time to get to know the man. Sometimes we allow the "hype" about the issue to cloud our own judgment and an even more dangerous thing happens - we shut out God's concern for the one who has been caught in the tragedy of the issue.  I don't know about you, but I have seen a whole lot of things I definitely classify as "evil" in my short lifespan. Tragedies which leave families broken apart, children without parents, and lives in shambles.  Losses so great a person doesn't think there is anyway back from the depths of despair they have left in their wake.  Hearts so ruined by botched relationships, wrong life choices, and crazily conceived plans.  These are the evils I have seen and nothing can put a label on any of them as "unrecoverable" or "unworthy" of God's intervention and his love!  Yet, if we allow our "preconceived" ideas of "how" or "why" these things have happened in the lives of these individuals, we will clearly miss out on being the channel of God's love and maybe even becoming the channel of his intervention by which these lives are changed!

I guess I insulate myself from some of the hateful things people say and do these days - just because I don't want to be caught up in their messed up way of believing.  I didn't believe it possible for one church who calls themselves "Christian" to protest against another church who is also "Christian", but it happens all the time.  I didn't believe it possible for people who say they love Christ to exclude others who have yet to come into relationship with Christ because they don't "fit" into the lifestyle or belief system they claim to, but it happens all the time.  Yes, I clearly realize there are "churches" out there which preach a message contrary to the Gospel - the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Yes, I realize there are groups of individuals so consumed with their own ideas of right and wrong who "cherry-pick" what they will believe in the scriptures.  Yes, I believe there are people who don't welcome sinners because their "sin" is one they believe is "unpardonable".  

Here's what I have come to accept as truth from my discovery in God's Word: God is the ONLY judge of what is unpardonable!  I cannot make that determination.  I CAN see clearly when someone is living contrary to the message of the Gospel of Christ.  This I can see and I can honestly say that I believe God still reaches out for even these! After all, isn't that the message Christ preached:  For God so loved the WORLD that he gave his Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in him might have eternal life. The message doesn't stop there, though.  Maybe we'd do well to consider the "rest of the story", as Paul Harvey would have said.  God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people.  He sent him to SAVE them!  (John 3:17 CEV)  Rather than condemning each other, maybe we'd be better served allowing God's love to show us the good in others - where it is they might help us to learn something new about this God we serve.  Maybe then we'd be less likely to "prejudge" anyone and be open to loving as God loves.  Just sayin!

What is in your storehouse?

One wise person can defeat a city full of soldiers - one kind person can realize the blessing of being kind.  Some of us will immediately see all the possibilities in this passage - while others will gravitate toward just one set of "do" or "don't" points.  Why is that?  I think it is because scripture hits us where we are at the moment.  If we are struggling with how we use our resources such as our time and energy, we probably feel like we are constantly out of reserves - we don't have enough when it comes to "crunch time". We focus on the part about not wasting our resources like a fool.  Some of us will focus on the advice to be careful with our words because a failure to do so can open up many an issue we would probably rather not have to deal with in the first place - the reminder to "watch what we say" places a muzzle over our lips.  Many will focus on the part about one wise person - up against a city of trained soldiers - capture made possibility because of the wisdom of the "one wise person" who knows exactly how to find their "weak spot".  Most of us gravitate toward the "command" or "advice" which seems to reflect what is closest to the issue we are dealing with at the present moment. If we have conflict in relationships, we might want to watch what we say to avoid further conflict - having learned one misspoken word actually leads to a whole lot of other words we will be sorry we said later down the road!  The truth we need is based on what it is which captivates our time and attention at this moment.  Yet, if we reduce scripture to what we need for the moment, we miss the "stash" we need to lay up for the moments to come!

Be sensible and store up precious treasures—don’t waste them like a fool. If you try to be kind and good, you will be blessed with life and goodness and honor. One wise person can defeat a city full of soldiers and capture their fortress. Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble. (Proverbs 21:20-23 CEV)

I think this may be what Solomon had in mind when he tells us to be sensible about the treasures we store up - knowing there are all kinds of treasures, he wants us to be sensible and store up those which will be of value to us down the road.  Today's resources are sufficient for today, but we will need different resources tomorrow.  Case in point - today you may not have to purchase gas for your automobile because there is sufficient "stored up" in the tank for the driving you must do today, but will there be enough for tomorrow!  We all have continual needs - things we must replenish on an ongoing basis.  We also have "occasional" needs - those things which we will be called upon to use on occasion, but not everyday or in every encounter.  These need to be stored up - so we have them when we need them.  They become as precious treasures to us - we don't want to waste them on just anybody or at times when they are really not going to be appreciated.  For example, when we have stored up wisdom about how to handle some situation, knowing full well we have a much better answer than the one someone is trying to implement right now, we ache to get this out in the open - so they will stop what they are doing and do it the way you know will work!  

I have learned that people don't always embrace our wisdom - especially if they have it in their mind their way is the best way to accomplish something.  They need to try it there way, then they "might" consider another solution.  Until they fail, they are not open to any sharing of whatever wisdom we might have. Why? There is just no need for our wisdom until their "wisdom" has been exhausted. They have their own "stores" of wisdom and they have come to rely upon these. Good or bad - they have created these "storehouses" of wisdom - things they trust to be helpful or true - and they are going to count on those to get them through whatever it is they are facing.  It is like us with the car with enough gas to get us through our errands today.  It works for today, but tomorrow's errands may not be accomplished quite as well if we exhaust all our gas "stores" today! Wisdom is stored up - it is not to be spent unnecessarily - and it is to be refreshed frequently.  This helps us get the "mileage" we need for the long haul.

Some things we are to "store up" which actually bring us a little replenishing of our "reserves" in this life:

- Goodness and kindness.  Do you realize that kindness and goodness are intentional acts?  They don't manifest without forethought and some preparation on our parts.  Goodness and kindness are learned attributes.  Don't believe me? Think back to the tiny toddler sitting with his pile of blocks.  Now remember the entrance of toddler number two - eyeing those colorful blocks and imagining them as his own.  What comes next?  It isn't toddler number one kindly scooting all those colorful blocks into the waiting hands of toddler number two!  In fact, it probably sounds more like a moment of sheer panic as the toddler announces in no uncertain terms, "MINE!!!!" - huddling those toys safe within his grasp. Kindness must be learned - by mom intervening repeatedly to remind the toddler to share what he has.  It takes time for the toddler to learn this lesson, though.  His repeated terror over having his toys end up in the hands of another will be repeated until he sees his "kindness" in sharing them isn't returned by a loss of his toys permanently!  He realizes they get back to him when the playtime is over!  Mom intervenes to help the toddler learn the intentional lesson of sharing - the toddler comes to realize sharing is not a bad thing - in the end both toddlers benefit from the intentional learning. 

- Sensibility and planning.  Storing up and knowing what is good to place in reserve for future days is something some just don't understand.  I have friends who cannot rub two nickles together any day of the week - they just spend all they have and bemoan the fact they have nothing in reserve.  I have others who you'd see moths emanate from their wallets if they ever cracked it open in your presence!  One has not learned the sensibility of planning ahead - the other has not learned the wisdom of giving out of one's careful planning. Planning requires sensibility and sensibility is needed to show us when it is the right time and place to bring forth what it is we have spent all the time in planning.  

- Watchful silence is as important as purposeful speech.  We can think much, and speak even less.  Sometimes this is the greatest wisdom we can exhibit. Not everything we think needs to be spoken.  Not everything we have in reserve is to be given out at this moment in time. Sometimes what is kept in reserve is what will be most needed later down the road.  Learning the wisdom of when to speak, where to remain silent, and when both can speak forth wise counsel is something we all need.  Just sayin!

We don't exclude anyone....

Here in the states, we just finished up the football season with the two "greatest" games of the year for these teams - the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl. Even the names of these two games suggest they are something to be considered an honor - only for the "pros" and those with "super" skill.  People paid thousands and thousands of dollars for tickets to the game, even more for room and board while they were here for upwards of a week or more, and still more for the fun and games they participated in while awaiting the games. According to an article I read on Forbes, a ticket was running over $11,000 just six hours prior to the Super Bowl!  One ticket!  That is enough for a down payment on a home!  That same ticket ran around $2,500 if it had been purchased earlier in January, but at that point prior to the game it had skyrocketed to this astronomical "value".  They even had a partitioned off section outside of the stadium in Glendale where people could go to purchase tickets from "scalpers" - those who buy them low and sell them high!  How industrious of them!  It was like creating a savings plan without having to really work for the money!  As the "big day" approached, I heard countless stories on the news about how many had actually been "ripped off" by purchasing their tickets from those selling them this way, though.  They lost thousands and were denied access to the "big game".  Now, I like football and enjoy watching a good game now and then, but I wouldn't dream of this extravagance!  Why? Hopefully it is because I use the common sense God gave me, but if that isn't the reason, perhaps it is that I feel I work too hard for my money to let it go that fast! At the beginning of the season, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks were both picked as possible winners of the Super Bowl - but so were several other teams who never made it that far.  Based on "skill" or "talent" - having the fastest runners, the best passers, the strongest tackles - they were "favored" to win.  Yet, only one wins in this game - one team stands above the rest - yet not always for their skill.  Sometimes it is just being in the right place at the right time - such as when a player from the opposite team intercepts a pass meant for the other team's player!  One step in the right direction is all it takes to be in the right place at the right time - one needs only put out their arms to grab hold of the ball!  All the season could be summed up in one thing - luck!

The fastest runners and the greatest heroes don’t always win races and battles. Wisdom, intelligence, and skill don’t always make you healthy, rich, or popular. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 CEV)

So, before I get tons of comments about the "superiority" of skill of one team over the other, let me assure you I fully appreciate the long hours of dedication these players put forward in learning their "skill" of football.  They practice long and hard - tire and get injured.  They make sacrifices of family time and fun time in order to focus on their skill.  Their game even comes at a cost to them when they find themselves no longer able to pursue their interest after career altering injuries.  I am not "dissing" any team, but simply pointing out the "win" doesn't always go to the one with the "greatest heroes" or the "fastest runners". It can go to the one in the right place at the right time!  Maybe this is what is so frustrating about some of the other things we observe in life - like the one who gets noticed at work for their particular project, or the child in the family who just seems to "shine" above the rest.  Lots of people give it their all, but not everyone gets the "win" in life.  Sometimes we just have to settle for knowing we gave it our all!

That was a touch lesson for mom and dad to teach us kids.  Why?  I think it is because as kids (and as adults, if we are honest), we want the affirmation of a job well done, to be noticed by our parents and teachers, or to be given the blue ribbon at the event.  We crave the attention or recognition - it is part of human nature.  A certain degree of this is okay - not really presenting much of a challenge for us because we can keep this desire for attention in balance with our willingness to let others receive credit.  Then there are times when pride really give some a little more of a challenge than others.  Either way, it is important to realize - if we don't already - sometimes the one who will come to the forefront is the one in the right place at the right time!  

In a spiritual sense, God doesn't have "favorites", nor does he show "favoritism". It is also good to realize that God doesn't "exclude" anyone from his love, grace, or salvation!  In fact, he made a way for "all who would come" to come!  What way?  Christ Jesus.  It isn't God's "way" to restrict "access" to his good blessings from anyone - all who will come to him by the means he provides (through Christ Jesus) can and will enjoy the blessings he provides. This becomes especially important for us to recognize when we consider some of the hateful things we hear today in some of our churches. Yep, I said "hateful" things are spoken of in church!  How so?  Well, when a church says "you don't belong here" because of your sin, they are speaking hateful things and excluding some from coming to the place of meeting, knowing, and following Jesus.  We don't have to "condone" the sin, but we certainly shouldn't exclude the sinner!  To "condone" means someone overlooks the sin - we don't overlook the sin - sin is just sin!  But...we don't "overlook" the sinner just because they sin!  If we do this for one group of "sinners", then there is absolutely no hope for ANY group of sinners - including us!  

The race doesn't always go to the fastest, nor the battle to the most calculating and strategic.  Sometimes it is us being in the right place at the right time.  I daresay the right place for a sinner is in church!  The right time for the sinner to be in the presence of God is now!  You never know when the "pass" will hit the mark!  Just sayin!

Robbed of sleep? Try this...

If you have ever laid awake at night just ruminating over the state of something which really bugged you that day, or made you a little concerned, you know what it is like to be robbed of a good night's sleep!  It might be the steady little drip you hear up in the attic, not really sure where it is coming from, but you know you have some type of problem with the roof.  You could be rehearsing recent conversations with a peer which really didn't go as planned, dreading the next time you encounter them because you know it will have caused a little bit of a wrinkle in your relationship.  Or maybe you are just adding up the bills and trying hard to figure out how to make ends meet in a really "tight" month.  It doesn't make any difference what robs us of our sleep, it is the fact we are robbed in the first place which we need to focus on.  You see, when we allow those things we cannot control to ruin our peace, we are being robbed.  We are being "violated" in our thoughts - for robbery is really a violation of something we hold dear.  Isn't it a shame just how frequently things get "inside" our heads and we cannot shut them off?  It is like a constant ping-pong effect - one thought leads to another and then another, until we find ourselves swamped by the onslaught.  In the sense of "mind control", these things we give access soon take over and we find ourselves out of control!

Day and night I went without sleep, trying to understand what goes on in this world. I saw everything God does, and I realized that no one can really understand what happens. We may be very wise, but no matter how much we try or how much we claim to know, we cannot understand it all. (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 CEV)

One of the hardest things to admit is that we don't understand everything. There are just some things in this world - in your daily life - which you will NEVER understand!  They are outside of your realm of control and they are not worth you being robbed of your peace over them.  The sooner we learn this lesson, the sooner we will let go of things we cannot control and which are truthfully "well above our pay grade"!  There are indeed things we can each control in our realm of influence - such as how we respond to another individual when approached in hostility.  We "can" hold back, refuse to give access to their hurtful words, and release them from that place deep within which like to hold grudges.  Or we "can" choose to strike out, letting their words cut deep, and building up animosity and resentment.  It isn't that we "control" them, but we learn to not allow ourselves to be controlled by anyone or anything else except God himself!

God may just give us some insight into life's challenges we didn't possess on our own, but more frequently than not, we have to trust him with the big stuff and just work on the stuff we "can" understand and control.  Ruminating on the stuff we cannot control is like changing a baby's diaper while it is still pooping - just plain messy and futile!  If we are the kind of individuals who take on life's problems - even those which don't really "belong" to us - we find ourselves in the midst of a mess more often than we can count.  Life's messes aren't all our responsibility!  God is in control of the clean-up, not us!  Until we realize this, we will continue to step in to figure out an angle for each of the issues in our own reasoning.  Let me assure you - whatever "angle" we manage to create as the solution to the problem, it will fall way short of whatever God would do if we just turned it over to him in the first place!

This becomes especially important as we consider human relationships.  The more we try to figure out all the angles by which we can "manage" human relationships, the more confused we get about how many "angles" there really are!  I have tried it both ways - managing these relationships myself, and giving them over to God for him to take care of.  Guess which worked best?  You probably don't expect to hear that it was my creative means of salvaging those relationship disasters, do you?  You would be right - because each effort I put forth was met with an equal or greater effort on the other person's part to keep the relationship issues going!  We humans don't get this stuff called "relating" very well a whole lot of the time!  We need divine intervention more than we might readily admit.  One of the silliest exercises in futility we can engage in is the rumination over relationship faux-paus which just get us all "twitter-pated". Own your part, then leave the rest to God.  He will handle the "rest" much better than you ever could!

I listen to an occasional newscast where they rehearse some decision made by a legislative body, the President, or a high court somewhere.  The newscasters just pick it apart from every angle and then analyze how it could impact this group or that.  In turn, they are planting all manner of thought into the minds of people everywhere with the huge roots of the "what if's" of the issue at hand. I don't know about you, but when the economy tanks and the price of things skyrocket, the last thing I want to hear from anyone else is that we are all headed for disaster!  I want to hear that it will turn around, just trust God and he will navigate us through this present challenge as he always does and always will.  Not many newscasters would have a national following if they delivered the message that way, would they?  Why?  We want "frenzy", "worry", and "unrest" more than we cherish "peace", "hope", and "trust"!  It is definitely a change in the way we conduct our daily affairs when we choose the latter!  For in choosing the latter, we are choosing a different focus - and in choosing a different focus, we stand apart from those in the masses.  It is an uncomfortable place to stand, but trust me on this - you NEVER stand alone!  Christ is right there, standing not behind you, but beside you and having gone before you into what others say is the "unknown".  Nothing robs us of peace more than misplaced trust. Nothing restores our peace more than "replaced" trust!  Just sayin!

Boxed in?

There are definitely times when we need to just tell someone how "boxed in" we are feeling at the moment.  It could be pressures from work piling up uncontrollably around us, or the bills of a few unexpected expenses which are now coming due, but regardless of the cause of the "boxed in" feelings, there is not much joy in them.  In fact, they are probably eliciting some fear, that little bit of anxiety mixed with frustration, and can even be creating undue physical pressures within our bodies which we now have to "manage", as well.  The scriptures are filled with examples of people feeling "boxed in", ranging from an entire nation of Israelites standing before the Red Sea with a vast amount of enemy forces closing in on them in hot pursuit, to the feelings of being alone and abandoned in a foreign country as a couple of widowed foreigners. Regardless of the cause, our sense of being "boxed in" can be overwhelming to us on occasion - eliciting either a deep sense of need which we turn to another to have met, or an even deeper sense of prideful stubbornness which digs in our heels and thinks we can "motor through" this one without outside help.  We may want help, but we won't admit it!  We may actually "need" help, but we won't bring ourselves to ask.  Why?  We are focused so much on the "box" we are in that we cannot think beyond the "walls" of the box!

But I will sing about your strength, my God, and I will celebrate because of your love. You are my fortress, my place of protection in times of trouble. I will sing your praises! You are my mighty fortress, and you love me. (Psalm 59:16-17 CEV)

David was often in predicaments which made him feel more than a little "boxed in" - both literally and figuratively.  It might have been matters of his own doing, such as his committing of adultery with Bathsheba while her husband was off to war.  It might have been matters of someone else's doing, such as when he was hiding out from Saul's armies because Saul was tormented by an evil spirit and out to kill him on the spot.  Either way, the pressures mounted from time to time - every pressure adding to the last unless he found a way to "release" those pressures.  Here is where we often get this part of the equation wrong.  My math teachers often told me I could solve a problem a certain way, one which arrived at the right answer, but if I didn't follow the principles of solving the equation the "right" way, the potential of me arriving at the right answer would vary depending on how I chose to "arrive" at the answer each time.  This is true in our daily lives, as it applies to dealing with the pressures which "box us in" and make us feel we are in a pressure-cooker of sorts.  There might be more than one way to find a "release" from the pressure we are feeling, but there is really only one consistently reliable release!

I think this is where most of us struggle with getting out of the box - we think we have to be the ones to release ourselves from the walls which confine us. It is either because we are too prideful to ask for help, or we just simply think we don't need help in the first place.  I just have to ask - how's that been working for you?  If you are like me, probably not so well!  In fact, you might even find you get out of one "box" and find you are just in a different "box" all together! Now, what good did that do?  Nothing really brings us to the same "release" as God's wisdom and power.  No matter how good of a plan we create to get ourselves out of our "box", we just won't manage it as well as if we'd just turn to God for his wisdom and help.  After all, he didn't put us in the box, but he actually knows what will keep us out of it the next time!

As I was contemplating this "boxed in" feeling we occasionally feel, I was struck with how frequently this can occur when we are further away from intimate relationship with Jesus.  The more we try to do things our way, the further away we move from Jesus.  This is probably what my math teachers were trying to say - I "can" do things "my" way, but do I want to continue to if I know it may not produce the reliability I am hoping for?  The more I insist on handling things myself - doing things my way - the more I find the box gets stronger walls and tighter tape!  Focus on the walls long enough and that is all you see.  Eventually you don't even remember that you want to be free of those walls.  This is called bondage, my friends!  The further we turn our focus away from Christ, the deeper becomes our bondage.  The only way to be free is to turn toward release and this is only found in a person - Christ Jesus.

Another thing caught my attention - the ability to celebrate release even when the "box" is still in place!  David gives us ample example of this principle as he always found himself ending up his prayers and even his "complaints" to God with a reminder to himself of God's faithfulness and love.  Yep, David complained to God.  So, don't think yourself so "holy" and "spiritual" that you won't admit you do the same thing!  A whole lot of our prayers about the "box" we are in at the moment are really "complaints" about the predicament we are in!  We need to take a lesson from David, though.  He had tried a few times to do things on his own - like when he decided the best plan to cover up his infidelity with Bathsheba was to have her husband killed in battle!  That didn't work so well for him as he realized when he lost the son born out of that infidelity!  Our best laid plans of "escape" are not going to produce the results we hope for - so why do we insist on following through on those plans?  Instead, we need to draw closer to Jesus, look fully into his face, and then confess we need his help to get out of the box (whether it is a box of our own reckoning, or one another has placed us within).

Herein is the rub - our pride keeps us from admitting we need the help and our fear keeps us focused on the walls of the box.  Until we recognize the box as a means of interfering with our ability to behold God's face, we won't want his help to be released from the confines of the walls of that box!  Just sayin!

Not just another list

You've heard the old adage, "The best laid plans of mice and men..." - but do you know the rest of the adage?  It actually says, "The best laid plans of mice and men go awry."  No matter how carefully we plan, something can always go wrong with our plans.  This is human nature.  Yet, we are planners, aren't we? When we go to bed at night, we are thinking about what the new day will hold, complete with our mental "lists" of all we need to accomplish. Some of us are actual "list makers", having all manner of post-its and agendas at our disposal to organize the vast number of planned things we must accomplish.  It took me some time to realize the real reason for my list making was just so I wouldn't forget to accomplish something!  I thought making lists was just part of life - as I had seen other successful people do it for ages.  Yet, I didn't really know why I was making all those lists until one day I discovered it was just because my mind was so full I would forget important stuff or deadlines if I didn't!  All our lists don't really serve much use in God's economy, though. He doesn't accomplish things in our lives "by the list" - he purposes to do them and he doesn't forget!

But it is just as the Scriptures say, “What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!” (I Corinthians 2:9 CEV)

It is good for us to be reminded of God's plans, though. For within the limitations of our minds, we cannot possibly see the glorious plans he has for us. We might see hints of them, but we don't fully understand the magnitude and breadth of those plans until we see them unfold before us.  I know I knock on a whole lot of doors and look for an open window here and there in my life trying to find the right path to take at times. God's plans for me are quite different than some of the doors I knock on or windows I look in!  How about you?  God has unique plans for each of us - those he loves and who love him. Those plans are MORE than we have seen or heard - more than could ever be conjured up in our minds.

As a little girl, I admit I had a vivid imagination.  I could play for hours and hours in my make-believe world.  Whether it was playing with my dolls, or driving little cars around a huge mound of dirt in my make-believe city on a hill, my creative juices were flowing.  Families were in those tiny structures created out of popsicle sticks and mud.  Businesses were run from those tiny caverns carved into the side of the mound.  Roads would wash out with torrential rainfall from the hose sprinkling down on them.  Trees would be spring forth from branches torn apart from low hanging tree limbs on neighboring trees.  What I imagined was not true, though.  It was a figment of my daydreams - something created, but not true.

Imagine this, if you will, for just a moment - what we create in our daydreams is often "created" for our pleasure, but it is not based in truth, nor is it "true" for our lives.  Chewing on that for a while might give us a little food for thought today.  We "create" all manner of "lists" in our minds - all the while thinking they are right for our lives.  Yet, in the course of time, we see how "made-up" they are.  We find they aren't the "truth" we hoped they would be.  This is why reliance upon our "planning" is kind of dangerous and a little foolish.  We don't always base our plans upon truth - we believe some "form" of truth which we have created in our minds and hearts, but which has not a whole lot of actual substance when it comes to standing the test of truth in God's eyes.

We create a whole lot of things in our plans which are simply because we seek to be "pleasured" in one way or another.  Some executive once told me the purpose of the list for him was to have something to cross off at the end of the day.  It gave him a sense of satisfaction to see something "big" accomplished. I guess there is some truth to this statement, for we do find satisfaction in completing things we set out to do.  If this is the sole purpose for our planning, we will find it a shallow reward, though!  God's plans have depth - they don't wimp out on us because they are based on the reality of his truth.  

It is best to leave the planning to God, for our imaginations cannot clearly create the path to the "best" he has for us.  In fact, they may just hinder our progress toward it!  Just sayin!

Broken bows and stumbling feet

This morning, I was re-reading the account of Elkanah and his two wives - Hannah and Penninah.  The story starts with an account of Elkanah's lineage, but quickly gives us the state of his potential legacy - Penninah had born him children, but Hannah was barren.  In the time this was written, being unable to bear children was a huge issue - for children ensured not only the continuation of a line, but the "substance" of a man's wealth, at times.  Children meant the fields could be worked, and the trade could be taught to a future generation who would provide for their families.  So, being without children was not only a big deal - it was also a thing which would cause unrest in the home.  Hannah knows she is loved very much by Elkanah - but she still longs for the privilege of bearing him a child. Hannah finds herself praying repeatedly for a child.  She longs for the honor of being a mother and to this end, she lays her heart out before God in the Temple on one of the times they come to offer sacrifices.  She is observed in her silent, but heartfelt pleadings one day by the priest, Eli, who immediately interprets she must be drunk.  Of course, she wasn't, so she explains her plight to him and he gives her a word of promise. He tells her to get up, dry her eyes and go home, for she will have her wish. Samuel is born into the family of Elkanah and Hannah - a child who would be dedicated to the service of the Lord and would become a great prophet. In her offering of Samuel back to God for his service, she prays another prayer. Today, we explore just one line from that prayer - words which reflect something I think Hannah had learned in her times of waiting upon God to bring into her life something she longed for with all her heart.  The lesson she learned:  God gives strength to all who stumble.

Our Lord, you break the bows of warriors, but you give strength to everyone who stumbles. (I Samuel 2:4 CEV)

Waiting can be serious times for all of us - often marked with a great deal of struggle and sometimes even with a little bit of stumbling.  Our faith wavers when the wait gets too long and we find ourselves sometimes even breaking the rules of what we know to be right in life.  We compromise because we think there must be some other means God wants us to use to get what it is our heart longs for.  I have observed this many a time with men and women in their singleness - thinking they will never receive the answer they so long for.  They compromise with their heart's affection and find themselves taking steps into compromises with their sexuality they promised they'd never take.  In the end, they are not only left disappointed by the failure of relationships, but by the shame of having violated themselves in those moments of doubt.  I have seen parents think there was no other way to reach a child than to continually bail them out of troubles galore, only to find the child returning to their troubles again and again. The wait for their redemption seems too long and the doubts creep in.  Although the parent knows the child needs to come to an end of their sin, they cannot allow them to "suffer" any longer, so they step in and provide an "out" for them.  In the end, the parents are faced with yet another downward spiral with the child and they go through the emotional unrest all over again.

Warriors are those who step out in battle - bold, brave, unerring in their strategies.  Warriors are taught to be strategic in their maneuvers - rehearsing them time and time again until they get them down pat.  Warriors trust in these strategies and their strength, fortitude, and abilities.  What warriors don't realize is the one who controls the battle is not impressed with his/her abilities, strength, or strategies.  The one who controls the battle is impressed with the warrior's heart and nothing else!  The warrior finds his weapons worthless in the presence of a mighty God!  Those who trust in their own abilities, strategies, and strengths will find themselves eventually at the end of their ropes - looking defeat in the face.  At that point, Hannah gives us the hope she received many years ago: God gives strength to all who stumble! When doubts enter in - God gives us strength.  When waiting becomes too long - God gives us renewed hope.  When doubling and re-doubling our efforts to be strategic in our walk - God gives us his strength, his strategy, and his ability!

We cannot overlook what else Hannah discovered, though.  God breaks the bows of the warrior.  At first, we think this is God intervening to keep Hannah safe, but I think it is much more.  I believe Hannah had come to the place of realizing her own power and ability would never "win the battle" which was raging within her mind and heart.  The "bow" she held against the fear of being childless, of possibly losing the one she loved because she could not provide what he so much desired, needed to be laid down.  SHE could not do what needed to be done - only God could.  Sometimes God breaks the bow in order for us to realize we cannot make a go of it alone and in our own strength. We are being given a second-chance.  A chance to refocus our lives on the one who makes all things and orders all things according to his purpose - squarely upon the face of God himself.  Broken bows indicate a state of vulnerability - for a warrior cannot fight without his weapons.  He becomes vulnerable.  Hannah was reminding us of our need to remain vulnerable - open to God and his direction. As long as we think we have it figured out in our own strength, ability, and strategies, we won't be open to God.  In breaking our "bow", God isn't breaking US - he is breaking INTO us!  The one who is broken is vulnerable - not because God wants "broken" people, but because in us recognizing our "lack", he can reveal to us his wholeness.  Just sayin!

Hey, you listening, God?

We all have times when we feel like our prayers are just bouncing around somewhere up in the atmosphere, just not hitting the mark of God's listening ear.  It isn't uncommon to interpret God's delay in "answering" our prayer as him not listening.  In fact, if we were honest, we probably could admit to our having just gone ahead in our own plans simply because we thought the heavens were "brass" and we were left all on our own to figure things out.  We don't realize a delay in answering is also God's way of answering!  In the delay, there is something of trust built - something most of us don't want to learn because we have to step out of our comfort zone a little when we have to wait upon God's timing.  When his timing isn't ours, or the answer isn't even remotely close to what we "want", we often think God just plain is not there to help us in the matter.  David has much to teach us about prayer - his heart continually crying out to God for some manner of intervention.  Even when he did wrong, he cried out - unafraid of facing God despite his bad behavior.  Why? He had learned to trust God with the care of his life - something each of us could stand to take a lesson in!

Please listen, Lord, and answer my prayer!  I am poor and helpless. Protect me and save me because you are my God.  I am your faithful servant, and I trust you.  Be kind to me!  I pray to you all day. Make my heart glad!  I serve you, and my prayer is sincere.  You willingly forgive, and your love is always there for those who pray to you.  Please listen, Lord!  Answer my prayer for help.  When I am in trouble, I pray, knowing you will listen. (Psalm 86:1-7 CEV)

David isn't without a little conflict in his prayers, though.  There are clearly times when we almost pleads with God to listen to him - not because he thinks God has turned on the "off-duty" sign - but because he is probably having a hard time hearing what God wants him to do.  This is most often the cause of our frustration in prayer - we just don't "hear"!  It always amazes me how loudly we cry out for God to "listen" when all along he is simply saying we need to "hear".  Even in the unspoken, there is a message!  He isn't any less our protector or Savior.  He isn't any less our hope or shield.  He remains all he is despite our seeming inability to hear what he is saying.

David's prayer tells us much about our own attitude and posture in prayer. Let's look a little deeper:

- Please listen and answer.  A repeated plea for God to listen - but how is it evident that God "listened" - in his answering the prayer.  In human communication, when we ask someone something, what do we expect? Answers, right?  If they just sat there and stared at us, or looked off into the distance with seeming indifference to us, we'd be put off by their lack of engagement in the conversation.  We want to know the one we are speaking with is engaged in our lives.  We "gauge" involvement or engagement by how they respond.  Similarly, we approach God in the same manner - if he is engaged, he will answer - a delayed answer suggests to us he is not engaged! Silly us - it is impossible for God to not be attentive to our requests - he just may allow some time between the request and the answer to help us to see where our hearts are in the matter!

- I am poor, helpless, needing your protection and forgiveness, and I get into trouble.  Honestly, can you ever hear yourself saying these exact same things? I do!  I often remind not only God, but myself, about my need for his protection and certainly I cry out often enough for his forgiveness.  I definitely recognize when I lack whatever I need for the situation (a state of being poor), and that I manage to get myself into some pretty smelly pickles at times!  David isn't just telling God what he needs or desires, he is using his prayers as a way of exposing his own heart in the matter.  It often happens in prayer - we set out to lay out our concern to God and in the course of our prayer, something within our hearts gets "exposed".  It might be a little hint at some area where we need to have a little work done or an area where we honestly have to admit we are not trusting God, but our own ability. 

- Be kind to me, make my heart glad, and let me experience your love.  In every prayer, we count on God's grace to be extended.  We look to him for kindness - graciousness.  We expect him to lift our hearts out of the mully-grubs. We want to experience the depths of his love - knowing the comfort of his arms and the protection of his presence.  We expect "action" on God's part, don't we?  After all, "be", "make", and "let" are all action words!  As David, we want God to "be" all he is in our lives.  We expect God to "make" things as they should be and in turn, we expect our hearts will be lifted into gladness at the outcome.  We long for the God to touch our emotions - so we will not only "believe" in his love, but luxuriate in the experience of it.

- My prayer is sincere.  Does it catch you by surprise that David would remind God he is being "serious" in prayer?  This is just part of us dealing with God's silence - we want him to know we aren't messing around when we are bringing our needs to him and we "need" him to listen.  Somehow we think if we remind God about how sincere or serious we are being, this will give a little more "umph" to the prayer!  Interestingly enough, God isn't put off by us having to convince him of our sincerity - but I think he may just delay the answer sometimes to help us become a little more "sincere" in our walk!  Just sayin!

Learning even more now

When I was growing up, I tried to learn and learn and learn.  I had a ravenous appetite for learning new things.  I actually was one of those kids in school who looked forward to weekdays, dreaded the weekend, and even longed for school to restart even before summer vacation had begun.  I would read books to explore new worlds, peruse the encyclopedias to uncover new truths about people and places, and gaze upon photos in National Geographic with wonder at the majesty of far off lands and native tribes making a way in jungle regions. I'd study ants coming and going as they diligently cared for their large family. Bird nests became a place of the discovery of patient waiting - longing to discover what tiny life might emerge from those speckled eggs nestled there so carefully. I would watch people in the hallways, on the playground, and even as we walked home after school.  I didn't say much, because I was a shy kid.  Yet, I took it all in.  My imagination was a vast expanse of creative ideas and I longed to fly high into space, dive deep into the ocean depths, and explore the coolness of cavernous holes wiggling their way into the recesses of the earth.  Nothing escaped my attention and nothing became a "waste of my time" - for all I saw became food for thought, fuel for imaginative dreams, and fodder for future plans.  One thing I didn't realize is how much "learning" I could do, but still be so very, very far away from truth.  I think my ravenous appetite for all things new and exciting was just a cry of my soul for what was really missing - Christ!

Day and night I went without sleep, trying to understand what goes on in this world. I saw everything God does, and I realized that no one can really understand what happens. We may be very wise, but no matter how much we try or how much we claim to know, we cannot understand it all. (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 CEV)

As is often the case, all the "earthly" learning we can possibly accomplish really doesn't help us solve some of the greatest issues in life.  As we begin to think upon this, let me assure you, we all face some pretty similar struggles and those issues may have different "names", but they all pretty much stem from similar "issues".  We need divine wisdom - something learned only when we embrace TRUTH - not the kind we learn from the pages in a book or the experiences of a lifetime - but the kind we embrace when we invite Jesus into our lives.

We "try" to understand what goes on in our lives, but have we really grasped what is behind those sudden twists and turns?  I don't think we know exactly, but we muddle through the best we can based on the learning we have from previous twists or turns.  As a teen, I learned to ride a motorized scooter (a little Honda).  Thinking I had learned to ride motorcycles, I thought it would be no big deal to ride a dirt bike later on in life (one with a lot bigger motor and weighing considerably more).  Let me just say that one rather large bruise on my hip, some scrapes and a whole lot of soreness in my muscles later and I was pretty sure I hadn't "learned" how to ride motorcycles!

What I interpreted as having "learned" in my youth was really just a similar experience, but it wasn't the same.  The principles may have been the same. You turn on a motorcycle by leaning your body this way or that.  Gears shifted down, then up, with neutral being at a certain position.  The clutch was on the same side of the handlebars.  But...the weight and speed of the "bikes" were totally different.  The terrain was even different!  So, although I had "learned" to ride in my youth - that "learning" only provided me with a basic knowledge of what needed to happen when I rode.  It didn't prepare me for the twists and turns of the dirt terrain, or the hawk I'd come upon eating his prey right in the middle of my path!

There is much we claim to have learned in this life - all fades in comparison to exploring the issues of life with the person of TRUTH guiding us through them! We might not see all that is hidden behind or within an issue, but with TRUTH guiding us into and through all our issues, we find the wisdom to embrace them, learn from them, and share the learning with others.  We need Christ at the center - nothing else quite opens the doors to our discovery to the same degree. When we try to "manage" life without Christ being "welcomed into" our experiences, we find them devoid of the depth of "true learning" he desires for us. We might "learn" a few things, but it is in the discovery he provides that true learning occurs.

I discovered things as a kid - but today, when I take time out to just watch those ants or explore the depths of the caverns deep below the surface of this earth, I find something of his majesty in all of this discovery.  This was only hinted upon in my earlier discoveries - but now is opened to me fully.  I notice God in the smallest things - I see his hand in the most intricate of creation. In this, I discover the care he takes in the details of our lives. This encourages me, for when the "details" of my life seem to be in a muddle of sorts, I am able to recount how much I know he cares about even the smallest of details!  Just sayin!