Desperately Determined

She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” (Mark 5:27-28)

There is something 'desperate' about this woman's faith, isn't there? She wasn't afraid of the crowds - even though she would have been deemed 'unclean' because of her disease. She wasn't concerned that her need was too great for the healing touch of her God. She wasn't going to allow her 'weakness' to impact her drive to obtain her healing. She was 'desperately determined'. Some of us need to get this desperate and determined in our pursuit of the things we need God to do in our lives - to 'drive toward' our healing instead of wallowing in our weakness.

If I can but touch his robe...

She didn't even need to talk with Jesus, have him stop and acknowledge her. Her desperation led to her to believe that even though it would be better to behold his face, hear his voice, and 'feel' his touch, she would do whatever it took to get 'just close enough' to receive from him. Sometimes we approach God this way, don't we? We get 'just close enough' to receive, but not 'near enough' to really relish his presence. The thing about God is that he understands this type of faith, but he takes it one step further! Just like Jesus did that day, he turns toward us, asks the pointed questions, and then waits on our response.

Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” (Mark 5:30)

Who touched me? As much as we might want to just be 'healed', Jesus is more concerned that we share in his presence. The woman's desperate faith gave her the drive to press through the crowds, but would it be enough to drive her toward 'come forward' with her need in the midst of what seemed like a humbling situation? Some of us need to be humble enough to acknowledge our need. We could just continue to 'creep up on Jesus' whenever we have a need, but he is much more delighted with our face-to-face encounter with us. If we approach with desperation, driven by hope, why is it so hard for us to just openly acknowledge our need? When we do, miracles happen! Just sayin!

Him more...me less

Imagine being the 'new kid on the block', drawing crowds of seekers from all around, only to find out the 'debates' over your legitimacy are mounting just as your ministry gets started. This is what Jesus encountered as he set about on his earthly ministry. His disciples are with him, he is baptizing people just across the way from where John the Baptist has been at work for a while already. John's followers - his disciples - enter into a debate over 'ceremonial cleansing' with a Jewish man. We might not realize just how easily the enemy will use someone to question what we are doing, whether it is legitimate any longer, or which 'way' is right. It is good to see that John's disciples immediately come to him to seek clarity - to get their understanding of what John was doing expanded in light of what Jesus was doing. Any time we begin to do things for the Kingdom of God, the enemy of our souls will send someone to oppose those actions. Why? Satan is never threatened by stagnant Christians - he is only threatened by those who are taking action as God directs!

John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.” John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. (John 3:26-30)

Notice the response of the disciples of John - 'everybody is going to him instead of coming to us'. Isn't it just like us to get a little twitterpated when our 'popularity' or 'draw' seems to wane in light of something else God is doing through another? John is immediate in his response - almost a 'kind rebuke' of sorts. He actually responds with a heart of understanding - he knows he was only paving the way for the Messiah's arrival and is more than willing to 'bolster' Christ's 'success' across the river. It is a truly wise person who realizes and accepts when God is bringing up another who will become 'greater' while they will become 'less'. Imagine if John had of been prideful or arrogant. He might have found ways to deter people from seeking the Messiah if he was, but he wasn't. In fact, he knew his purpose was to point the way - not to become the way.

God always looks for faithful servants, and he will bless their work greatly. A faithful servant knows when they are called, but they also know when it is time to see the work they have been engaged in 'evolve' to the next level. The message to us today is to be faithful in what God has called each of us to do. Be engaged with those he puts in your path - encourage them to seek God in every way imaginable, then step back and see what he does when they do! God may not ask us to be about the same work throughout our entire lives, but when he gives us a task to do, we are to do it heartily and with a committed purpose. When he tells us it is time to let it go, he always asks us to do so gracefully and with prayerful support of what he is beginning to do through another. Just sayin!

A virtue that begins the action of healing

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. (Psalm 138:6)

Have you ever stopped to consider why God cares for this human race? We get a whole lot of things wrong, but he still loves us deeply. We get all wigged-out at our neighbors, spend our resources foolishly, get involved in things that consume our time way too much, and he still keeps waiting on us to realize just how much we need him in our lives. Though he is GREAT, he cares for the HUMBLE. Those who realize their intentions may be good, but their actions reveal just how badly they can mess things up on their own are never going to be rejected by our merciful and GREAT God. In fact, he will continue to draw them to himself, pouring out grace upon grace, until we finally realize our 'best self' is the 'self' that stops being too proud to seek his presence in our lives.

James 4:6 reminds us that God actually opposes the prideful, but he gives grace upon grace to the humble. Humility is actually the one 'virtue' that every other 'good thing' in our lives is built upon. It takes admitting we need help in order for the processes of growth to actually begin in our hearts, minds, and spirit. For a long time, I believed the old adage, "God helps those who help themselves", even thinking it was part of scripture. I have discovered it is not scriptural at all - in fact, if you understand grace, you will recognize that grace is given to those who admit they can NOT help themselves! We think we need to do something to 'get grace', but we must always remember grace is given freely - without us deserving it at all. We find God's care when we admit we have done a poor job of ruling our own lives and invite him to really take over that rulership.

A word of caution here - we can ask for his rulership without really giving him that place in our lives. If you are anything like me, when things are going well, I might think I can steer my life, but as soon as the proverbial 'poop hits the fan', I realize just what a 'stinky' job I have done at 'driving'! Pride makes us think we don't need to lean in when things are going well, and it makes us vulnerable to attack of all kinds, because PRIDE will always open the door for compromise, failure, and hurts. Humble people recognize their need but aren't too ashamed to admit it to God. They are open to doing what he says, not always what they 'feel'. The truly humble person is open to God's leading because they realize without it, the path will be riddled with all manner of 'messes', 'hurts', and 'life-long hang-ups'. 

True humility is manifest in more than our words - it comes in the actions of repentance. Remembering that repentance is a 'turning away' from what we had previously pursued or done, it carries the idea of doing more than admitting we need help. Maybe God stands with the humble because they willingly admit their short-comings and failures, seeking his help to overcome them. Perhaps part of humility is 'drawing close' to his heart, settling into his presence, and listening intently to his words. How does this relate to humility? It shows we truly don't want to remain in control any longer and are intent on his taking that control for us. Humility is the one virtue that begins our healing. Just sayin!

Be thee humble?

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful. (John Wooden)

Have you ever heard the quote from scripture that God takes care of the humble, but opposes the proud man? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to be on the 'opposing' side to God! I am not thinking that would end very well at all. 

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. (Psalm 138:6)

God cares for the humble - the one who realizes how much they owe to the one who has redeemed their lives. I used to think a humble person was one who always went around kind of timid, shyly carrying on tasks behind the scenes. I have since discovered God actually has quite a few humble servants who aren't afraid to put themselves out there each and every day.

They value relationships and work hard to keep not only their relationships 'solid', but they are constantly seeking to see all relationships be on their best footing. They value what talents they have been given and are obedient to put them into use. They know the truth and aren't afraid to bring light into darkness by sharing that truth. You see - the humble aren't shy - they are bold in Christ.

Probably one of the most significant characteristics of a humble man or woman that I have observed over the years is this trait of always being grateful. They have a spirit of thankfulness that just exudes from them. It isn't 'mushy' or 'gushy' in anyway, but you can just sense that they are 'at peace' with their lives and are grateful for each blessing God has bestowed. 

God opposes the proud, but he gives grace upon grace to the humble. To the one who is willing to cultivate a spirit of obedience - God is more than willing to cultivate all the other characteristics of humility that we observe in the truly humble individual. I have never been obedient to what God asks me to do and then not been thankful in the end for what he helped me to see, avoid, or come into as a result of that obedience. 

The dictionary may define humility as the state of feeling a bit inferior to others. The very presence of God within our lives could never make us 'inferior' to anyone else - in fact, it makes us appreciate those around us, pray for their needs, and be there when they need a helping hand. Humble people aren't 'saints' - they are just obedient sinners redeemed by God's grace. Just sayin!

Is there a mismatch here?

 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish plotting. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. (James 3:13)

Boast if you must, but do it with a heart totally in love with Christ and your boasts will not be about yourself - they will be about the good things God has done in your life! As we stop for a moment together today to consider the Word of God, can we focus on one portion of this passage together? I would like us to consider the words - "Its the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts." The way you live - your actions. The way you talk doesn't always equal your walk, does it? Some of us talk one ay, but walk another. Why is there this incongruency in the two? Could it be there is a root of pride at work in many today that causes the tremendous distance between how we talk and walk?

Pride isn't always a bad thing - if I take pride in my appearance or health - does that make me prideful? No, it just means I want to shower regularly so I don't have a body odor that drives others away, comb my hair so there aren't rats and snarls in there, wear clean clothing that more or less goes well together, and keep myself in a generally good shape so I don't have unnecessary physical issues. There is a 'good' form of pride that isn't a bad thing at all. There is also a very 'bad' form of pride that gets us into so much trouble if we let it! That 'bad' form of pride is what actually causes us to live a life that doesn't afford a 'match' between talking and walking.

The bad form of pride? We might see it best exemplified in what our passage references as animal cunning - that willingness to plot and plan in order to get ahead, be noticed, be 'on top' in this world. Our passage also reveals the exact opposite of this manner of living - live wisely, live well, and live humbly. Living wisely by embracing the teachings of Christ - allowing them to change the motivations of our heart. Live well by actually doing what we are told to do - not just hearing and then walking away unchanged. Live humbly - to live wisely and well we absolutely cannot forget the importance of humility. 

Humility allows us to see the error of our actions - the place where our words and actions are 'mismatched'. Humility causes us to reach out to God to help us overcome this distance between the two. Humility affords us the opportunity to grow, while pride just causes us to bring more and more death into our lives. Some see humility as a hard thing to achieve, but do you know what is at the root of humility? The willingness to submit to the leadership of another - Christ. To truly live humbly, we submit to the teachings of Christ, allowing them to change the way we live AND talk - so both are aligned. Just sayin!

Get schooled!

Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2 TLB)

If you have ever worked with the elderly in that latter stages of their lives, or little children in the early years of theirs, you know just how hard it can be to constantly be telling them the same things over and over again. Add to the elderly's constantly dwindling short-term memory the issues of not hearing well, problems with their sight, and the advances of pains galore and you have a recipe for some challenging moments that put to test the fibers of your character. Think about the boundless energy of a small child and constantly challenging curiosity and you have a recipe for exhaustive patience. I wish I could say I never get frustrated repeating stuff over and over again, but I do. I would like to report I never have an edge in my voice that betrays my lack of enthusiasm to be moving at a snail's pace when I'd like to be zooming ahead. I'd like to say I never grow weary in doing the right stuff - the really good stuff - for others, but I do. What I can report to you is that sometimes I have to ask for forgiveness - I just wasn't as patient as I needed to be in making "allowances" for the needs of the other individual.

Humility, gentleness, and being available to the other person are earmarks of a child of grace. Don't be duped into believing these things come easily for a child of Christ, though. They are still three of the toughest character traits to develop and consistently display in our lives. Like it or not, this is a life-long ordeal of learning how to truly live in humility. It means we learn to not be brash in our responses - displaying a little more tactfulness than the occasion may warrant, being consistently reverent in times where our response may logically border on criticism or sarcasm, and being available to take the time to help another understand. Gentleness engages all our senses so that we are not allowing any roughness either in our action or our speech - even when our nerves are fraying a little. Both bespeak living in such a way that there is evidence of a "moderator" over our actions and words.

Christ desires to be that moderator, my friends. He desires to help us know when our pride is going to lead us straight into a landmine. He has ways of helping us realize there is about to emerge a sense of roughness in our actions or words that can be conveyed in so many different ways it could set a forest on fire. We don't always recognize these things on our own - sometimes even justifying our lack of humility or gentleness with excuses. It is the 'you did this' and that made me 'do that' kind of rationalization. It takes a life of consistent connection with Jesus to help us realize there is no real rationalization for bad behavior! It takes this consistent connection to help us recognize opportunities for change. In the past week, I have emphasized this need for consistent connection over and over again. Why? There is no substitute for grace, and their is equally no substitute for those moments in which his grace "schools us" in how to behave! Just sayin!

Break out the Nativity!

As we discovered yesterday, Francis of Assisi was credited for the beginning of the Christmas carol. He was also credited for the establishment of the first nativity scene - something we have come to appreciate as a "symbol" of the Christmas season in many a culture.  At first, these scenes were simple, perhaps only depicting the three characters of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus.  In 1223, Francis set up a living nativity, featuring living people as the characters in the scene - a tool whereby he could teach about the birth of Jesus.  As we all know, we humans do a lot better when there is something to capture our attention and to give us a "picture" of what it is we are considering.  The use of the nativity was Francis' way of doing just this.  We all need instruction to help us "get" what is complex and not always easily grasped by the human mind.  Perhaps we can benefit from a consideration of the next nativity scene we see in our travels this season!

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”  They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay. When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him.  Everyone listened and was surprised.  But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant. (Luke 2:15-18 CEV)

When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem  and said, “Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”  (Matthew 2:1-2 CEV)

One of the essential purposes of the first living nativity was to help us connect with the true humility of Christ - the simple birth, not in an elaborate display of pomp and circumstance, but in the simplicity of a cave of sorts, among the animals, in the quiet of the night.  There is much to be said of connecting with the symbolism of Christ's birth - but nothing stands out more than the extreme degree of love God has for us to have left his divinity to take on the form of a human!  The scripture declares, "You know that our Lord Jesus Christ was kind enough to give up all his riches and become poor, so that you could become rich." (I Corinthians 8:9 CEV)  I think Francis may have wanted us to understand the intensity of God's love, the extreme depth of his grace, and the significance of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.

Our nativity scenes of today range from the three figurines to a vast variety of animals, shepherds, wise men, and the like.  I am blessed to have a hand-crafted one made by my mother out of ceramics.  She has meticulously hand-painted each one of the figurines and my dad made the crest into which I can display these beautiful pieces.  One of the most prominent parts of this scene is not even part of the scene, though.  I typically put this scene somewhere so I can attach a light just above it, shining down into the scene.  Why?  I do this to show something I think we often forget about Christmas - the introduction of "true light" into a very dark world!  The simple light is cast upon the figurines depicting the nativity, but it is this light of Christ which beckons to our hearts - this "true" light which holds the key to our deepest need!  

A few years back, a silly (and I do mean silly) movie called Talladega Nights came out depicting this race car driver named "Ricky Bobby" who constantly referred to Jesus as "newborn infant Jesus" or "baby Jesus in a manger".  Here is how so many people think of Jesus - the baby in the manger. It is as though Jesus never "grew up", never became a man, never returned to his home at the right hand of his Father.  Now, lest you think I am endorsing this movie, let me assure you I am not!  I just wanted to make the point that many of us often associate Jesus as a helpless infant in a manger.  Although the nativity scenes are a beautiful tradition of our season, if all we "get" from them is this image of Jesus, we will always have a "small" image of our great God!

You see, God became flesh, dwelt among us - coming into this world as a baby, lying in a manger.  He did not stay in the manger, my friends!  For in time, he grew, took on the skills of his household (likely carpentry), and later became a "gifted" teacher who many referred to as Rabbi or Teacher.  He is found raising the dead, healing the lame, giving sight to the blind, and setting the demon-possessed free from their shackled way of living - not as a babe in a manger, but as a "God with a Bod" (to coin my pastor's favorite saying).  He took on the form of man - but he lives today as fully human and fully divine!  His coming made a way for us to enter into a deep, personal relationship with a holy and majestic God.  At Christmas we celebrate his coming - at Easter we celebrate his death, burial, and resurrection.  Each moment captured in the traditions of the seasons.  

Let's not forget the God we serve this holiday season.  Let's reflect upon the majesty of Christ's birth, the extreme humility he displayed in laying down his divinity, so he could connect with each of us and prepare the way for us to enter into perfect relationship with God the Father.  Just sayin!

Cart before the horse?

Have you ever answered before you totally listened?  I think this is a plight common to mankind - we get ahead of ourselves and others on occasion.  Whenever we do, the natural outcome is to either to jump to conclusions before we have all the facts we need, or to think we know the solution when we have no idea we are really aiming at.  To this end, I find myself often "backing the boat up" to start over again when I find I have jumped ahead!  I need to regroup - something which can be costly, to say the least, because we expend our energies and often harm relationships when we have put the cart before the horse.  The core reason we suffer from this common ailment of "acting before listening" is this idea of pride.  This "superior" impression we have of ourselves, our abilities, and our stance in life often gets in the way of us really hearing!  When it does, we find the issues multiply - they don't seem to decrease!

Pride leads to destruction; humility leads to honor. It’s stupid and embarrassing to give an answer before you listen. (Proverbs 18:12-13 CEV)

Pride leads to destruction.  It is like a detour sign - you can be traveling along pretty well when all of a sudden you encounter this orange sign indicating your course is going to be changed.  You might find yourself in some of the most unfamiliar territory whenever you have to follow a detour!  So avoiding detours is probably a good thing!  Pride always leads somewhere - but the destination and the journey it takes us is not always that desirable.

Humility leads to honor.  A different path indeed - for in humility, we find we are no longer guided by our need to be in control, but can willingly submit to the will of another. In pride, we simply plunge ahead despite hearing the will of another, or without waiting to discover it!  The bulk of our relationship issues really stem from the times we allow pride to dictate our actions.  

If you have ever found yourself "backing the boat up", you know how this simple action makes you feel - humiliated!  Now, humiliation is when we "lose face", so to speak.  We take a blow to our self-respect.  Essentially, not listening is really a sign we don't respect ourselves in the first place!  If we did, we'd save ourselves the "rework" in life!  

So, how do we learn to listen THEN answer rather than answer THEN listen?  If we really want to avoid the rework,we have to get a handle on our feelings of "self-importance" and see how it is we move into a greater place of "self-respect".  These are different - one elevates one's worth to unreal heights; the other gives us a true sense of exactly where we stand.

It has been hard to learn not to "talk over" others - this is a constant life-lesson for me.  I think my ideas and stories matter, I guess, so I just start blurting them our on occasion when they neither matter, nor is the timing right for their sharing.  The times when I have deferred to another to just listen, I learn so much.  I learn about them as a person and I am able to hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit bringing clarity into my mind and heart.

This one action of listening FIRST has been the hardest lesson for me to learn, but it probably has been one of the most valuable.  Yet, there are times when others expect me to have more to say, or to jump to immediate action.  They don't understand this period of just "listening".  In fact, they misinterpret it as me being timid at times.  In fact, I am not timid - I am just trying to avoid the "rework"!  If I were totally honest, I have been embarrassed by my quick conclusions in the past and don't want to repeat that same action in the present!

A couple of things to remember:

- Rework happens anytime we don't take the time to listen up front.  Pride keeps us from listening - because we think we have it all figured out, know best, have been this way before, etc.  We have to move from being "self-important" to being able to respect the decisions we make - this only comes when we take time consistently to listen.

- Humility is not being abased.  It is being aware of one's value and then allowing that value to lend to the moment.  We don't flaunt our value - we lend it.  The difference is that of being available to do as God says, when he says.  Pride gets us acting out of our own impressions - humility helps us to act on the impression God plants within.

- Relationships are made better in the listening.  We discover so much about ourselves when we take time to be quiet!  You may think the opposite would be true, but when I don't immediately launch into action, I find my thoughts allow me to digest the truths I am hearing and weed out the untruths just as well.

We may not get this down the first time we try it, but if we consistently ask God to assist us in being more in tune with where and when we might just be displaying a little too much self-importance, he will reveal not only those places and times, but a consistent theme of where we have been less than respectful of others and ourselves.  We don't avoid detours by ignoring the signs - we manage to avoid them by never traveling down the road in the first place!  Just sayin!

Lessons we probably all need to learn

The end of the day has come, labors have all just about ended, and you are envisioning a nice bit of sea bass cooked over the fire with a side of some freshly harvested vegetable from your garden.  Then all of a sudden, you vision is broken in upon by an "outsider" almost putting himself upon you to get you to back at work.  At first, it doesn't seem like much - he only wants to use your boat - not too far from shore - so dinner will be a little delayed, but you can soak up a few rays and enjoy the gentle rocking of the boat as it drifts on the still waters.  So, why not?  After all, he is quite popular and he tells stories people really like to hear.  As you lay there gently lulled by the slight lapping of the waters against the side of your boat, your ease is interrupted by another request - this time a little harder to take than his first. At first, you complain a little - something we all are given to at times.  Then you go about explaining how this request is a little unreasonable - something we also engage in whenever we think the request is just a little bit beyond what we'd really like to be doing.  What we do in response to the hard requests makes all the difference, though!  We can reject the request as unreasonable and a little too much for us, or we can make excuses for why it won't work for us to do what is asked, but either way, we miss out on some pretty significant blessings when we do!

Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God. He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simon’s and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd.  When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.” Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch. Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. “Master, leave. I’m a sinner and can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.” When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. It was the same with James and John, Zebedee’s sons, coworkers with Simon.  Jesus said to Simon, “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.  (Luke 5:1-11 MSG)

A couple of thoughts from our passage this morning:

- The crowds push in to better hear what he is saying.  I don't know about you, but I think nothing is worse than to be at the back of the crowd, wanting to hear what is being said, but despite all your straining to hear, you still cannot make it out clearly.  When someone finally picks up the microphone and asks if we can hear them now, I am relieved to not have to "press" so hard to hear what is being said.  Yet, in the pressing in there is something which I want each of not to miss - the urgency to hear, to make out what is being said, to make that connection with the one speaking.  Sometimes I think "taking up the microphone" is okay - because it makes it a little easier to hear, but it also lessens the intensity I must exert in order to hear!  Maybe pressing in is not so bad of an idea.

- Jesus always used what he had at his access.  We don't find stories of Jesus supernaturally creating a pulpit so he could preach, or having manna rain down from heaven so the crowds could eat.  In fact, we repeatedly observe him using what was made available to him - what others placed at his disposal. He used the water in the jugs which someone already drew from the well to make the wine.  He makes a little mud out of dirt and spit to anoint the eyes of the blind man.  He gathers the few fish and loaves to feed the multitudes. He uses the fisherman's boat and the gentle waters of the lake to provide a pulpit and amplify his voice for the crowds.  What is put at his disposal will be put to gracious use by this one we know as Jesus - Savior, Creator, and Lord.

- Even when we think he is finished teaching, there is always another lesson just waiting to be learned.  This might be the hardest thing for us to grasp, but the lessons he teaches are everywhere - we just need to be open to the opportunities.  There is "formal" teaching - more like what we get from the pulpit on Sundays.  Then there is this "informal" teaching - much like the lessons we learn when we are "at work" doing what it is we normally do. Yesterday, my older brother was kind enough to give up his morning to help me assemble a shed.  I had many of the pieces already put together, but just needed his extra set of hands.  As we struggled getting some of the pieces to interlock as they should, we tried numerous things to try to get the connection to occur as the manufacturer had designed.  Yet, in all our struggling, filing, drilling, shaving away, and pounding, nothing seemed to work.  In a moment of almost giving up, I looked at him and suggested we undo the screws holding the floor together.  He doubted it would work, but low and behold, as soon as four tiny screws were let loose, the structure could shift that 1/8" to allow the piece to glide into place.  He looked at me in amazement and asked how I figured that one out.  I told him I just saw it didn't look "plumb" on the edges, so I thought maybe the little shift could make the difference.  It did! Sometimes the lessons come in the "regular" stuff of our lives - like putting together a shed.  It doesn't take much for us to be "out of plumb" - but it also doesn't take much for us to "re-align" to plumb!  When we do, the plan God designed "fits" perfectly!

- We don't expect much, but are frequently dazzled by the greatness of our God.  It shouldn't surprise any of us that we set our eyes and hearts far below the greatness God designs for us.  He sees the harvest before us, even when we think nothing exists.  When we take even the first step toward responding to what he asks, the "haul" begins!  We cannot always see what is just beneath the surface in our lives, but he can.  When he asks for us to "cast our nets", the excuses have to go!  We need to remember he is the Lord of the Harvest and he knows what he has in store for us.  Cast those nets and see his goodness!  I don't honestly believe any of us will be disappointed!

- His greatness and goodness often humble us.  There is a difference though between being humbled and feeling shame.  Shame is not from God - it puts us down and keeps us bound by the past.  Humility recognizes the need for God to touch what we are powerless to fix.  Humility allows the past to be put in the past and opens us to receive the direction for our future.  Peter didn't know what was in store for him that day, but humbled by Jesus and opened to receiving something new, he took the bold steps into his future.  We might just need to do the same.  Just sayin!

A change of perspective

Anyone know the test of greatness?  I think it might just be whether we exalt or humble ourselves.  If you have considered the scriptures, one of the themes which comes through loud and clear is the importance of having a humble view of oneself and not exalting self over others.  Pride is one of the most important "barriers" to greatness spoken of in scripture.  In fact, the attitude of pride will never yield greatness - greatness is achieved because people have learned the value of being a servant.  It is contrary to what the world teaches - it is not dog eat dog, it is man serve man.  Humility is one of those things which actually helps us to manage our ambitions - it acts as a "governor" of sorts over what would otherwise cause us to plunge ahead at all cost without regard for others.  

I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. (Romans 12:3 MSG)

Ambitions are really some type of desire for achievement or recognition.  It is the thing which gets us saying stuff like "look at me" or "did you see me then I..." and we become the center of attention.  Behind the ambition is the desire for fame, honor, or some type of achieved "greatness".  God isn't against us scoring the winning point in the football game, getting first prize at the county fair, or in getting accolades for a job well done.  He just wants us to guard against doing anything simply because it will get "us" recognized. Every achievement in our lives is really a way to point the honor back to the one who gave us the talent in the first place!

When our will is submitted to the will of the Father, our ambitions will be managed by him.  We will not seek glory or fame for our name's sake, but all honor and glory will go to him.  Selfish ambition is really marked by one tell-tale sign:  Being demanding.  If you ever find yourself demanding your own way or out of sorts because you didn't get your own way, you might have to step back for a moment to consider if the thing you are really struggling with is some form of selfishness.  Lessons of real value rarely come out of us demanding our own way.  In fact, we learn lessons about humility whenever we elevate ourselves over others or God!  

If you have ever been around a demanding person for any length of time, you know they expect you to act they way they want you to act.  In fact, if you don't act a certain way in response to their actions, you might find yourself in the midst of a little session of someone having a pity party about not getting their own way, or getting the attention they felt they deserved.  Humility is the opposite of being demanding - it is the willingness to lay down the "my way or the highway" philosophy in life.  It is marked by dependence - not on self, but on God himself.  To walk independent of God is to walk in pride - and this is truthfully a very lonely and rocky walk!

One test I think might just help us determine if we are really being humble is our ability to look in the mirror after we make a mistake.  If we are operating in humility, we tend to look in the mirror at ourselves to see what we could have done differently rather than focusing on the other person to point out what they did wrong.  Humility looks at others and sees their successes - not their failures.  Anytime I am looking at another with the idea of pointing out their failures, I am truthfully putting them down to attempt to make myself look just a little better (if not in your eyes, at least in my own).  The issue with this is that I rarely come out very well in the deal!

To be truly humble is to allow God to deal with our need to be noticed.  If you look in scripture, you don't see a whole lot of examples of God telling people to do stuff which will get THEM noticed - he usually uses them to help people notice HIM.  Someone once told me to live for an audience of ONE - God himself.  If I do this, I am likely less focused on what YOU think of me and really genuinely concerned about what GOD thinks of me.  What I come to appreciate is his focus is always on his kids - he never takes his eyes off us. If we want to be "noticed", we might just do well to turn our eyes to Jesus and catch a little more of his attention!

On our knees we become aware of the needs of others around us.  There is no greater honor than to lose oneself in the passion of serving those around us. Truth is, we need to see life from a different perspective most of the time - getting to our knees often helps us change perspective.  In truth, humility is putting God first, others second, and self last.  It doesn't mean we never see our own needs met, because in meeting the needs of others, we often realize the needs we had get met in return.  Just sayin!

Honesty and Humility - hand in hand

Blessing in life is a matter of choice.  Choice is a matter of considering our options and then selecting the one which comes the closest to what we hoped to accomplish or obtain.  Sometimes the thing we "settle on" as a matter of choice is not the "exact" thing we hoped for, but it is close enough to meet our expectations.  Our action or behavior determines the course of our lives - this course goes a long way in determining the blessing or curse we experience in the journey.  It is important to remember that every wrong choice comes with a way of escape - either before we make the choice, or once we realize we are traveling down the wrong path, we turn around.  The point at which we experience the "escape" is important - most of us would rather not make the wrong choices and suffer even one-tenth of the consequences of those choices.  We'd like to consistently make the best choices - experiencing the full one-hundred percent blessing!

The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin...  Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life.  Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust...  A good person is saved from much trouble; a bad person runs straight into it.  
(Proverbs 11:3, 5-6, 8 MSG)

Honesty and humility are two choices we shall consider this morning.  Both are very specific choices, for neither allows for much "liberality" in our definition.  We either are honest or we are not.  We either exhibit true humility or we do not.  There isn't much middle ground with these two choices, for anything less than 100% honesty is a lie and something less than pure humility is a farce.

- Honesty in relationships seems to be one of the things God puts a lot of emphasis on in scripture.  It begins with honesty with him, but it carries into all the other relationships we experience in life.  Honesty is not only a choice in relationship with others, but it is also a choice in evaluating ourselves. God's character demands honesty because it is how he operates - openly, above board, and with integrity.  Two things God expects of us in relationship: be straight-forward with each other, and be truthfully fair.  God leads by example here - telling us like it is, and not showing partiality to any man.  

Let me speak about dishonesty a little for a moment.  Dishonesty in relationship actually is a breeding ground for all kinds of issues, but probably one of the most damaging is this idea of creating "false hopes".  When we are dishonest with others, we actually build upon a basis of "false hopes" - almost creating an atmosphere where one or the other will someday find their hopes totally unfounded.  Whenever we cannot be "above board" in our relationships, we find the things which don't get shared are probably a little more important the things which do get shared.  Dishonesty is often revealed in NOT being truthful - not so much in what is said, but in what is left unsaid.  

God is looking for us to be "real" people.  He wants our lives to be based in "reality" - not in some trumped up hope in the by-and-by which never comes to fruition.  "Reality" involves being "reputable" - able to be counted on, always consistent in our dealings.  Honesty breeds assurances - because we know where we stand and what we struggle with.  This makes a man or woman credible - trustworthy.  In turn, this makes a person respectable - there is something within their character which points to these attributes we find give a solid foundation within relationship.  

- Humility is a life choice in all relationships and is essential in evaluating direction and outcome in life.  First, God expects for us to defer to his plans for our lives and not be so doggone independent in our choices.  He asks this for a reason - because we don't do such a good job staying within the boundaries of safety within our lives.  Boundaries kind of threaten an "independent" spirit.  For the one who has placed their trust in the faithfulness of God, boundaries are less of a threat because we trust in the one who sets them for us.  Humble individuals realize the "independence" of free choice is not always the safest way to make choices!

As we look at humility, we must examine the opposite - arrogance.  There is just no room for arrogance in our relationships - it damages them, pushes others away, and it keeps us from being totally honest with others and our selves.  If you have ever struggled with even a smidgen of pride in your life, you know how much this pushes a wedge between you and others.  Pride is more than feeling good about an accomplishment - it is the demand of our inner nature to get noticed for the accomplishment, thought about a little more highly than others, etc.  Arrogance always puts the focus on how the situation impacts self, not the other guy.

Maybe this is why God warns us so frequently about the dangers of pride.  In the most literal sense, arrogance puts us at a disadvantage for maintaining relationship because it is rather over-bearing.  Pride has a way of catching people up in its path - but sometimes it always has a way of dashing them as quickly to the ground.  Why?  Pride goes before a fall - isn't this what scripture teaches.  Get all caught up in arrogant behavior in any relationship and that relationship is headed for a little turbulence.  

Honest dealings, consistently deferring to God's plans, and openly displaying the grace and love of Jesus in your lives is a much safer foundation upon which we build, is it not?  At best, all other choices only yield temporary gains.  The "permanent" gains in life are because we have dealt honestly and we live humbly.  Trust in any other plan than God's will result in a rocky path, easy stumbling, and a lot of bunged up knees!  The righteous can escape the falls because God is there not just to remove the obstacles from the path, but to catch us when we begin to stumble.  As I mentioned earlier, escape comes at various points in our walk - sometimes at the very beginning before we make the first misstep, other times just short of a full fall.  Just sayin!

Got a wall in the middle?

Who would ever connect confession and prayer to being able to live together with others whole and healed?  Well, scripture tells us the man or woman who lives this way becomes a "power" to be reckoned with.  Some of us think when people continue to cause strife in relationships this is when they become a "power" to be reckoned with, but scripture proclaims just the opposite to be true.  Too many times we determine we cannot go any further because someone or something just stands in our way.  Sin has a way of putting up some pretty great walls - better than the walls which have divided countries! Instead of causing communication to occur, it shuts down the pathways of communication and causes us to draw inward. We neglect communicating what we struggle with the most.  Maybe this is why James tells us to make confession and prayer "our common practice" - since our common practice needs a little more than a slight overhaul!

Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.   (James 5:16-17 MSG)

For most of the human race, confession isn't a natural thing we just slip into with great ease.  In fact, being honest about where it is we are at, or perhaps where it is we have failed, is oftentimes the hardest thing for us to do in this life.  I have often said transparency in relationship will be the one thing which helps us grow deeper in the relationship, but it is the hardest thing to learn. There is more than one reason for this reticence to be open and honest with each other - things such of fear the other will no longer respect you if they knew the "real" you, or the attitude which says no one needs to know because you can handle things on your own.  Regardless of the reason, you end up with walls which really make it hard to communicate and grow.  If you don't believe me, researchers have found 55% of communication is our body language.  How can we see another's body language when we are separated by walls?  Another 38% is our tone of voice - but even the tone of voice can be changed because of our circumstances - such as being quick to answer when in a hurry, interpreted by the hearer as being flip or just not caring. Allegedly, only 7% is what we actually say!

James encourages us to "make this our common practice" - in other words, you probably aren't doing it now, but you need to learn how to do this and to do it well.  Now, before anyone thinks I am going over the deep end here, let me explain a little bit about "confession".  In some churches, a priest is the one who "hears" our confession.  Don't get me wrong, but I don't think this is God's idea.  In fact, scripture tells us to engage in this practice of confession with those who will pray for us and help us to live whole lives.  The priest may pray for us, but honestly, he is not in the trenches with us day after day.  We need those who are close to us to help us live out our healing!  Confession is simply an acknowledgement that something is not right at the moment.  It may be we are struggling to put the pieces of our lives back together after making horrific choices which have left us devastated and feeling like there is no hope for moving on.  It may be we just don't "get" what another person is doing or saying, so we can neither engage in the process, nor can we stand in the way of it.  Regardless of the "reason" for confession, there needs to be a safe place for the "need" for confession in our relationships.

Too many times things go unsaid in relationship because the other is afraid to "cross the line" with the other.  Some of us actually think if they knew us as we really are, they probably wouldn't want to be hanging around with us!  I think the opposite is true - for when someone cares enough to open their heart with me, being totally willing to get "vulnerable" with me, I am drawn to their humble heart.  I find I am moved to pray for them, holding them up before God in my thoughts throughout the day, and then help them take the steps they so desperately desire to take.  Maybe this is what James was trying to tell us - confession, coupled with prayer, makes us powerful in true relationship.  

Three things my pastor shared this past weekend:
- Humble people don't fear confession.  They are willing to look stupid in the eyes of others because no steps forward are ever easy.
- Humble people operate in the realm of truth.  Truth builds trust and trust will help us to walk where we have been afraid to walk before.
- Humble people aren't afraid to seek grace.  Grace-filled people have probably already needed a whole lot of grace already!  So, giving it away is easy!

Not sure where you stand today, but I know the walls won't help you communicate any better!  Just sayin!

http://vimeo.com/72137116
The Elephant in the Room - Part I

Whatcha hiding from?

Humility is often thought of as being modest or a little bit inferior to another. In reality, humility is really a spirit of deference.  It is the respectful and courteous regard of others in our lives - the willingness to take back seat or to play second fiddle, so to speak.  In another essence, it is the condition of no longer pretending - being real.  A truly humble person is not afraid to be themselves.  Our writer doesn't say "humility" - he says "true humility".  This suggests to me there is a form of humility which is not genuine.  It is the type of humility that "pretends" to be submissive to the will of another, but really there is a little resistance going on.  It is like the age-old adage of sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside!

True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life. (Proverbs 22:4 NLT)

I think there are a lot of ways we "don't" show our humility.  Probably one of the most evident is when we say we know everything there is to know about a certain circumstance in our lives.  We actually shut the door on growth whenever we are so determined to maintain the "pretense" of knowing it all. There is a danger in being a know-it-all kind of person - it is in never learning from our mistakes!  We allow history to continue repeat itself whenever we are unwilling or unable to accept direction in the failure.  The only thing which keeps us from accepting it - thinking we can handle it ourselves or that we know exactly how to "fix" the problem.  Correction requires more than common sense sometimes!  Not everything we learn comes through common sense - sometimes it comes because we get still long enough to realize we don't actually know it all!

In truth, humility identifies with someone other than yourself.  As long as my viewpoint is turned inwardly, I cannot see what others see, nor can I learn from what they have learned.  Learning to identify with other people - truly connecting with them at the heart, mind and spirit levels - opens the door for us to learn their lessons.  I don't know about you, but if I can save a little hardship in my own life by learning from it in yours, I am all for that!  Some of us are always looking for others who are exactly at our same level of maturity, spiritually / emotionally / or intellectually.  You know, I learned the most from those who had already mastered the skills!  I also learned quicker when I had the opportunity to help another walk through where I had already walked!  We need to connect with each other in order to grow.

The opposite of humility is a condition we could label as arrogance.  It is the condition of feeling and acting superior to another.  It may be because we dress better, drive a better car, don't have the same issues in life, etc. Regardless of the reason for the sense of "superiority", the arrogant man or woman actually alienates others rather than drawing them closer.  Our writer reminds us it is the humble who receive honor - not the arrogant.  The arrogant may "feel special", but the true honor goes to the humble.  If everything in life is done as a matter of "showing" oneself as superior to another, it will be a miserable existence.  Humble people are not afraid to help another get the honor!  When humility is the course of your life, you actually look for opportunities for another to be successful!

One of the hardest things to do is admit your inability.  Humble people don't fret it!  They are honest to the core - knowing the only way to find help is to admit you actually need it!  Arrogant people won't share these inabilities because there is a pretense which must be maintained.  When we are willing to let go of the pretense, we actually open the door for the help we so desperately need.  Failure is a part of life - get over it!  You cannot go through life masking your failure - in time, it will become evident - you can only bury it for so long.  

Scripture reminds us God actually "opposes" the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to be on the side of the field where I look across and see God as my opposition!  It is hard to let go of needing to "be right" all the time, but it is when we do that we finally realize we begin to gain the wisdom we so desperately require in order to move beyond our failures.  Just sayin!

Love - the loudest testimony

There is one character trait which is evidence of being born of God - love.  It is impossible for a man or woman to be a child of God and not love, for where God dwells, there is love.  There is something we can glean from examining God's love for us - his sacrificial, pursuing, and purposeful love.  If we are honest, if God had not pursued us, we'd probably still be doing our own thing! Love pursues what it sets its heart on - God set his heart upon us and therefore, he has pursued us since he made us!  His love is also sacrificial and purposeful - there is nothing quite like the sacrifice he paid for our sins - his dear Son.  There is an "aim" to his love - us.  Therefore, his love is purposeful, for purpose suggests intent and aim.  So, these three characteristics of God's love bespeak of some elements of heart response, choices of the mind, and actions of the spirit, don't they?  Maybe this is what love is really like when we come to understanding it - there is involvement of the heart, mind and spirit, not just emotions!

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.  My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!  (I John 4:7-12 MSG)

Look at what love "does" - it sets about to set right what has been damaged through sin's influence.  Now, maybe this doesn't seem significant at first - after all, none of us is God's only Son, so we really aren't called upon to "set things right" or "bring order" to what sin has destroyed, are we?  Well, contrary to what we might initially think, we are!  Throughout scripture, we are told to remedy rifts in relationships, forgiving one another their faults, even when they don't "deserve" it or "seek" it.  We are told to be peace-keepers, guarding our tongues so we don't speak rashly - constantly being aware of the power in our words.  Even in our own lives, we are told to turn from what has pulled us down and left us empty, then to turn toward the only thing which can keep us standing and fill us to overflowing.  So, we are called to be engaged in this work of "setting things right" which have damaged each of us in some respect.

There are some principles to love which I think we all need to understand:

- It exhibits loyalty.  There is a faithfulness to love - not only in our words, but in our actions, as well.  There is an allegiance which is inherent in love - the pledging of oneself to another.  God did this as he pledged himself (and his Son) to pursuing us.  The same should be true of each of us - we are to pursue not just those who give love in return, but those who have no idea what it is like to experience the level of commitment and allegiance which are characteristic of those who call themselves Christian.  Loyalty is exhibited in actions - not in our words alone.  There is a willingness to be there for the long haul.  Nothing bespeaks love more than standing alongside someone even when they aren't at their "lovable best".

- It is liberal.  Love is generous to a fault - it thinks outside of self and considers the needs of others first.  Sometimes I think we consider living a "simple" life as kind of boring or lacking in excitement.  The simpler my life becomes, the more I find I am able to be liberal in my love.  Generous hearts are liberal in their love because they know by giving out, they get more than they'd ever be able to contain anyway!  Liberality is not "on impulse" - it is a lifestyle.  This lifestyle is born in the times of fellowship with Christ - enjoying his liberality in our lives first makes us more able to share with liberality in the end.

- It listens to the Holy Spirit's leading.  There is something foundational to love - truth.  We only come into truth through the actions of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  As we are led by the Holy Spirit INTO truth, it changes the way we interact with others - there is a consideration and compassion which are evident because his leading has created a changed heart.

- It is lowly in its actions.  We don't use this word too much today in "conversation", but it really is another word for humble.  Love is evident in a lowly heart, not because it thinks "low thoughts" about self, but because a humble heart is a changed heart - humility produces actions contrary to selfishness.  When people begin to behave without selfish intent, love comes through.

Love is indeed a trait we all need to have evident in our lives.  Don't lose sight of what I said to begin with - it is the evidence we have Christ in our lives - nothing speaks louder or more consistently to those who need lives set right than the love of God in action in a believer's life.  Just sayin!

A Contrite Heart

We are well underway with our discovery of some of the character traits which may not be very evident in our physical appearance, but which make us quite "attractive" from the inside out.  As we begin today on our "C" List of character traits, there is really only one trait today where I'd like to focus - that of a CONTRITE heart.  For some, their first impression of "contrite" is that of being repentant, and therefore, remorseful because their is some sense of guilt one is feeling.  I don't think of a contrite heart in quite this same sense. Yep, I think a contrite heart is one with a "healthy" perspective on the value and practice of repentance.  Yep, I believe the contrite heart experiences some sort of "pain" whenever there is sinful behavior being acted out in their lives.  Yet, I don't believe for a moment God ever looks for us to be laden with guilt - remorseful in the sense of the shame or regret caused by the sin coming back to bite at us again and again.  If you did not realize this, the root of the word remorse comes from the old Latin word "remord" which means to bite again, nag, vex.  God's plan is for us to bring our sin to him, leave it there and never be "nagged" or "vexed" by it again!

For the high and honored One Who lives forever, Whose name is Holy, says, “I live in the high and holy place. And I also live with those who are sorry for their sins and have turned from them and are not proud. I give new strength to the spirit of those without pride, and also to those whose hearts are sorry for their sins.  (Isaiah 57:15 NLV)

“Heaven’s my throne, earth is my footstool.  What sort of house could you build for me?  What holiday spot reserve for me?  I made all this! I own all this!”  God’s Decree.  “But there is something I’m looking for:  a person simple and plain, reverently responsive to what I say."  (Isaiah 66:1-2 MSG)

Two passages were chosen for today's study, but I could have chosen many more.  The scriptures have a lot to say about the heart and its condition.  The book of Isaiah is written to a nation definitely determined to follow their own way, to pursue their own path in life.  This has not worked out so well for them.  They have encountered all kinds of not so "exciting" ramifications for their "independent" living - ranging from disease to captivity.  Their worship has become rote, their homes filled with all kinds of things God warned them would only take their eyes off of him, and their daily struggles to avoid the ever encroaching reign of the Assyrians in their midst.  Sadly, the same can be said of us whenever we choose our own path - determined to live independent of God's counsel, content to "find our own way" in life.  To this God says, "There is something I am looking for...a person simple and plain...reverently responsive to me!"  

A contrite heart is really a responsive heart - one which turns from the path it is on which may not be wholesome; one which looks to God to "author" the plan for each new day.  As we look at our first passage, we find several key elements of a "contrite" heart - sincere sorrow for sin, the willingness to turn away from sin (repentance), and a lack of pride.  Wow!  A pretty big list of "characteristics", huh?  This is probably why I decided to only put one on my "C" List for today - it is a pretty sizable character trait all by itself!  I think these traits need a little deeper exploring, so here goes:

- Repentance:  First of all, the translations I chose are probably not the best to describe the true "action" of repentance.  In society today, we often hear others say "I am sorry" without really seeing any "back up" to the words.  In other words, they are just words!  Repentance involves action - turning AWAY from what it is you have been pursuing and TOWARD a different path.  It has been likened to making a 180-degree turn.  You do an "about-face".  It is more than a little "sorrow" for your sin.  Too many times, we find ourselves "sorry" for our sin simply because we got caught in our sin!  If we look at our passages again, we find God looks for the heart "willing" to make a turn-around.  If you were driving a car today on a busy street, needing to get out of the flow of traffic moving in this direction on this side of the street to the flow of traffic moving in the opposite direction on the other side of the street, you'd likely call this a U-Turn.  To do this, you have to "commit" to make the turn and it is kind of scary when you have to change directions in the midst of going the other way.  Once you start into the U-Turn, you cannot look back!  You have to complete the turn!  God looks for the heart willing to commit to the turn!  He doesn't present "round-abouts" to us - he presents "U-Turn" opportunities.  "Round-about" turns just put us back where we started!  

- Humility:  Next, we see God comments about the "attitude" of heart he finds great delight in - humble, lacking pride.  There is nothing more pleasing to God than to find one who is willing to commit - but the desire to commit really comes when we are willing to admit the path we have chosen is not getting us to where we really want to be!  There is something about being honest about where we are at and where our present course will keep us headed.  An honest heart is an authentic heart (back to our A-List).  We don't really move into repentance without humbly admitting our choices have been wrong.  Even if the actions of our lives aren't producing "bad stuff" like anger, deceit, resentment, and the like, if the heart is devoid of God's Spirit, it isn't really producing all the "good stuff" it was designed to produce!  So, even "good people" need to develop an appreciation for their need for a change of heart.  God honors anyone who humbly admits their need for his presence in them.  In fact, he is delighted to hear this admission!

So, a contrite heart is really one which is responsive to him.  It might just involve repentance - sometimes more than we'd like to freely admit.  It definitely requires action on our part - and a willingness to be shown our choices may not have produced the best results.  The contrite heart is one which God can move into fully.  Just sayin!

The knee is connected to the foot....

Do you remember the little song that goes something like:  The toe bone's connected to the foot bone...the foot bone's connected to the ankle bone...the ankle bone's connected to the leg bone...and so on?  It was a folk song we learned in school when I was younger.  I don't even know if kids sing in school anymore, but it was a cute song designed to get us both singing and moving. As we'd sing each portion, we'd point to the parts we were singing about - hence accomplishing some physical exercise with the words of the song.  I would like us to consider another "connection" of "body parts" this morning - the knee - foot connection.  Now, before someone wants to give me a lesson in anatomy, know that I aced that class when I was in nursing school, so bare with me here!

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.  (James 4:7-10 MSG)

There is something quite amazing about the "knees-feet" connection.  You see, James reminds us when we get down on our KNEES - humbly submitting ourselves to God - we find we are able to stand on our FEET much better than we ever could without this "connection".  Let me begin by saying, I don't spend a lot of times physically on my knees in prayer because of a knee injury I sustained at the age of 19, but I do spend a fair amount of time in the place of prayer in my spirit.  There is just something about getting "face-time" with God which makes our ability to stand much easier, isn't there?

James has been talking about the struggles we all experience as we go through life - things like wanting what we don't have, desiring to live just close enough to the edge to be on the "right" side, but able to flirt now and then with the "wrong" side!  Now, don't get me wrong, I am not accusing - I am just reporting what I know to be true about myself on occasion!  IF you might just perhaps struggle with similar things, then what James is saying may just be important for you to latch onto, as well.

The challenge James issues is one of "commitment" - are we willing to get serious enough in our pursuit of right-living to quit dabbling in sin?  Whenever I have been half-hearted in any pursuit, like exercise, following my healthy diet regimen, or the like, I find I have to come to the place where I am willing to "get serious" again.  If I don't, then I drift into a place it takes me a whole lot longer to get out of than it did to get into!  The same is true with spiritual pursuits - a little "dabbling" in the stuff which only puts us into places of shame, guilt and ill-feelings of all sorts will just make it harder to "get back" to the place we really need to be.

The issued challenge:  Get serious!  The means to meeting the challenge:  Surrender.  Isn't this the "knees-feet" connection?  When we finally "get serious" about what gives us the greatest heart-aches in life, we find ourselves needing more than just a fleeting experience.  We need a connection which leaves the baggage behind and makes us able to rise to our feet strong and solid.  The only place for this connection is at the feet of Jesus.  Amazingly, it is in humbling ourselves we find ourselves lifted up again.  Not in prideful vanity, but in the strength of a compassionate and loving God.  

The knee-feet connection is the starting point for all change.  It is in laying down something that our hands are free to take up something more valuable. If you were a child who carried a blanket or favorite stuffed animal around from place to place with you, you will probably associate with what I am about to say a little better.  The day came when someone told you to lay it down, didn't it?   The constant companion you had formed such a bond with held such significance to you, didn't it?  You received some "comfort" from having that constant companion.  When you were told to lay it down, you likely resisted.  Why?  You could not imagine life without it!

The first couple of naps without it might have been terrifying.  The first few days without the consistency of that object may have left you feeling "naked" and kind of out on your own a little.  Yet, in time, you learned to nap without it, felt less naked, and you learned there were other things to "embrace" in life beside the blanket or stuffed animal.  You learned something we call the "put off-put on" dynamic.  By putting off (laying down the blanket), you were able to put on something new.  The same is true in our spiritual life.  When we lay down something, we are opened to the new possibilities ahead.  The knee-feet connection is the starting point - not the end!

Not sure what knees-feet connection you may need to make today, but I trust in laying something down, you will find your hands (and heart) fully able to embraced exactly what you need to bring you to your feet strong and able in all respects!  Just sayin!