What's the point?

I often study the life of David - from boy in the field tending sheep to the ruler of a nation. David had an intimate relationship with God - something quite evident in how frankly he spoke with God and how "free" he was in the presence of God. There is much to be said about having a deep, beyond the mundane, relationship with God. Look at what David reminds us time and time again - God is the one who welcomes, we are the ones who come into that place invited. We aren't interlopers in God's presence - we are welcomed and embraced.

You've always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all, a lifetime pass to your safe-house, an open invitation as your guest. You've always taken me seriously, God, made me welcome among those who know and love you.  (Psalm 61:3-5)

David acknowledges that God gives him something we call 'space' - that thing we like to refer to as breathing room - a place of complete sanctuary. Have you ever had a really good friend that you can just be yourself around? You can kick off your shoes, let down your guard, and be your real self - no pretense, no masks, just you. God desires that kind of relationship with us - extending to us the invitation to come into his presence and "chill" - to find rest for our souls, nourishment for our spirits, and uplifting for our emotions.

We are reminded that it is a lifetime experience - not a one-time experience, but a cultivated enjoyment of the presence of God. We have an open invitation - to come freely into his presence, drink deeply of his graces, and know that we are there as an invited member of his household. We aren't just invited 'guests' - we are members of his family. David's most consistent theme in his writings is that God knew him and he knew God. He even acknowledged that he is aware of this most because God "takes him seriously". Nothing he shares with God escapes God's attention or care. Why? Because he knew God in a personal way and he loved God with all that his heart had the capacity to love.

Jesus came to this earth, taking on the form of human nature, to connect with us. He laid aside his divinity to take on human form - connecting with the struggles we encounter, understanding the limitations of our mortal bodies, and involving himself in the tasks of ordinary everyday life. That is why scripture reminds us that we have a Savior that is not unaware of our struggles, knows what temptations await us at every turn. We are soon approaching the season we celebrate his birth. As my pastor likes to remind us, sinners (like you and me) are the POINT of the birth of our Savior in human form. They are not just PART of it, they are the POINT of it. God takes each of us quite seriously - we are the objects of his affection and the consistent POINT of his attention. Isn't it time that we recognized the tug of Lord on the strings of our heart? Isn't it time that we came into his presence, thoroughly enjoying the sanctuary of his graces? We are the POINT - sinners in need of a Savior. When you are at the place of asking, "What's the point?" - you are! You are the point of his every action! Just sayin!

Open invitation

God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?  "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. "Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. "You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this." (Psalm 15)

David stands as a great example of how it is we are to communicate with God. He certainly doesn't seem to have a lot of preconceived pretense in his "discussions" with God. It isn't rehearsed or all that formal. He is conversant with God in a casual, relaxed manner - allowing God to reveal things to him as he just opened up his heart to God and then listened. David asks a question that I suppose many have asked over the years: How does someone get welcomed into God's presence? If anyone is ever curious about that truth, God isn't going to turn away, but he is going to respond to that curiosity. God gives him a list of fourteen characteristics that "stand out" in a man's character that makes that man "stand out" in God's eyes - things that are 'built in' the more we spend time with Jesus in thoughtful and prayerful discussion. Let's briefly look at each:

Walk straight - suggests that you are not stagnant in your walk. The walk is characterized by straightness - it has directed purpose, an aim in mind - the movement is not just movement for movement's sake. That movement or aim is God's best being achieved in one's life - single-minded focus that makes all movement purpose-driven and heading toward the target.

Act right - when our walk is directed purposefully toward the things God desires of each of us, it becomes easier to have our action be affected by the very goal we are directed toward. Action is always affected by the aim of our heart and mind - if it is rightly focused on God, we tend to act more consistently in accordance with his love and grace.

Tell the truth - look at the progression here: First, your aim in life needs to be Christ-centered. Then, your choice of action is affected by the fact that Christ is at the center and self is no longer the main object of your satisfaction. In turn, you begin to see your speech (words) be affected. The words we speak take on meaning and become life-giving when our aim is right. That is what truth is and what it produces - it is a well-spring of life to those that hear it.

Don't hurt your friends - did you know that one of the easiest ways we hurt each other is in the carelessness of our words? Our actions and our words can both hurt, but most people will be quick to tell you that words cut deeply. Actions may be more easily forgiven, while words are not quickly forgotten. Guard well your words. 

Don't blame your neighbor - we may not like it, but we are to own up to our behavior and don't shift blame to others. It is easy to blame-shift, but it takes a strength of character to say, "It was me; I had a part in that outcome." It is this admittance of blame that often begins the road to healing after an offense has been felt.

Despise the despicable - the mean, vile things are to be despised - akin to 'hated'. It is easier to despise a "scumbag", but a little more challenging to despise the sin that motivates the man to act as he does. It is never God's intent that we throw the sinner out with the sin - we are to embrace the sinner, and despise the sin. Oftentimes we get that backwards - but when we keep the right focus on this one, we find the sinner draws closer because they are intrigued by our openness to embrace even the unlovely.

Keep your word even when it costs you - and it WILL cost you to be true to your word! We use our words sometimes a little too freely and promise what we really did not intend to provide. God asks us to only promise what we can provide - words often commit us beyond our capacity or capability. Words like, "I will NEVER...." are rarely achievable, nor truthful. We need to learn to be realistic in our commitments - both to God and to others. In so doing, it becomes easier to keep our words.

Make an honest living - we all have a contribution that is to be made to society, family, and local community. Whatever that is, we need to engage in it with a focus on contributing what we are capable of contributing. The thing we might contribute that is most valuable is our time.

Don't take a bribe - this really goes hand in hand with making an honest living. Honesty and upright conduct should be the hallmarks of all we engage in.

If our conduct is reflective of his actions within our life, we are truly blessed individuals. Don't get me wrong - you don't need to be perfect - just moving in that direction! God welcomes those with a right focus - the rest is an outcome of focus. So, come right on into God's presence - he welcomes those who welcome his presence into their lives! Just sayin!

R.S.V.P. required!

There are many forms of invitations - both spoken and written.  There are even "unspoken" invitations - simply expressed by a simple gesture, a simple look, or a nod of the head.  My daughter usually plans for the annual birthday bash for my grandson about six or eight months in advance of his birthday!  She picks a theme, begins to pick up things throughout the year, all the while working out a "theme" for the party.  She is much more creative than I am - making absolutely beautiful decorations, cleverly displayed snack items, and treasures for each child in attendance.  It amazes me.  One of the "tasks" is the custom invitations she prepares.  Yep, you read it right - custom!  She designs, prints, cuts, scraps, and the like - until she has the "look" she wants which matches the theme of the party.  There is a very important invitation we each receive - customized especially for us, as well.

^28-30 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."  (Matthew 11:28-30 The Message)

Tired?  Worn out?  Burned out?  Sound like any of us?  My work weeks have been long, the tasks mounting as members of the team are transitioned to new roles outside of the department, leaving fewer of us to do the work.  My home life is simple compared to some, but even the task of cooking dinner after a long work day can seem like a chore on occasion.  There are days I just plain don't feel like doing another thing!  

The invitation set before us today is directly from Christ - customized for all who will hear and respond.  I don't know about you, but I think almost all of us could "cop" to the plea of being tired or worn out on occasion - some of us almost to a point of perpetual tiredness.  It may be related to our tendency to take on more than we should, never really being conscious of just how much the "busy-ness" of our days are mounting.  Being over-extended leads to us being tired and worn out quicker than any other factor!

The invitation is also to those "burned out" on religion.  This seems odd, right?  Why would somebody be "burned out" on religion?  Well, when Jesus gives this invitation, he is really calling to those who have tried all the "steps" of religious activity - going to church, being in the choir, volunteering to teach Sunday School, etc.  These "activities" don't fulfill the soul and spirit - HE does.  "Religion" is the attempt to "work our way" into God's good graces - an impossibility!  God's "good graces" are given freely and are available to all who will ask.  Plain and simple.

The invitation - get away with me!  Jesus is asking for "personal time".  I like to call this "me time".  The time we take to just "get together" with Jesus is the time he uses to help us recover from all life has beaten us down with!  He provides the "real rest" we are so desperately in need of.  Here, he teaches us by his example - balance is important.  

Look at the promise - I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you!  Awesome!  God cares so much about us he even wants to lift our burdens - those things we were never meant to carry alone anyway!  His goal is to "fit us well" with the things we need for life and health.  We will learn to live freely and lightly!  I think most of us need to learn to live a little freer and with a whole lot less weight on our shoulders!

So, here's your personal invitation today - personalized just for you!  You decide how you will respond - R.S.V.P. today!  You won't be sorry!

You're Invited

¹ God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? 

How do we get on your guest list? 
 ² "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. 
 ^3-4 Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. 
 ⁵ Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, 
         never take a bribe.  You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."

(Psalm 15 The Message)

David was a man after God's own heart.  I often consider what this really means.  It seems that my "heart" can often betray me - so I am reluctant to "follow it" sometimes!  In all the practicality of day-to-day life, David takes a little time to listen to what God tells him.  He asks God a question, then he actually stops long enough to listen for God's answer.  I think that is what it is like to have a heart after God - not that we always make the right choices and live 100% perfectly, but that we give God the central place in our lives.

When David stopped long enough to listen for God's reply, he heard some very practical answers to his question.  His question was simple:  "Hey, God, how can a man be assured that he has a place in heaven?"  I think we may have asked that question a time or two ourselves.  He wants to get it straight in his mind.  That is the way most of us like to live - get the facts and then we know what it is that we are expected to do.  I have had an opportunity lately to lay out what my expectations for another individual are - in turn, that individual will lay out the expectations that are in their mind for me.  This gives us an understanding upon which to operate in our relationship.

Here's what David learned when he posed that question:

- Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.  Easier said than done, right?  Walk straight means that we set our eyes on the goal and we don't take our eyes off that goal.  I watched a cute movie the other day in which the three women were overweight, so they each had a "goal" that they kept in mind to motivate them to remain faithful to their diet and exercise plan.  For one, it was a bikini.  Now, that would not be my goal, but it worked for her!  Every time she thought about "veering off-course" in her plan, she pulled out the bikini and remembered why she was on the course in the first place.  That's how it is in our daily walk - sometimes we need reminders about where it is we are headed and then we just need to refocus a little.  Action is an outcome of focus.  Where we direct our attention, we direction our affection!  When we are honest with ourselves first, we find it easier to be honest with God and others!

- Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable.  Okay, we probably find it easier to be motivated to not hurt a friend than we are to do most things.  Yet, in reality, we sometimes do hurt those we love the most.  When we do, we have an obligation to make things right.  I am learning to live "current" in relationships - not toting a whole lot of "baggage" from past mistakes and missteps in relationships around with me.  Deal with it, get forgiveness, then work through the restoration.  That is how God planned for us to live!  Blame is so easy to assign when things are just not going well in relationship.  Have you ever said, "Well if he/she had not said/done that, then I wouldn't have responded this way?"  If you have, you are probably playing the blame game.  It is always easier to shift the blame than to assume it ourselves!

- Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe.  It sometimes costs us dearly to keep our word.  Especially when we have made a promise without really considering the cost!  I think that is why scripture warns us to not make a vow indiscriminately.  We can regret our vows when we do.  Living well involves us working well - applying ourselves, getting the job done, and doing it on the up-and-up.  We cannot always be motivated for the "what's in it for me" mentality.  We need to move beyond that to really doing things because it is the "right thing" to do!

So, when we actually stop long enough to listen, these may be the kind of answers we get from God.  The invitation today is to take time to really listen for the answers to your questions.  God delights in giving us direction - we have to be just as delighted in waiting upon him for that direction!  I have a friend that will come by the office periodically, notepad in hand, with the announcement, "You are on my list today!"  I humorously reply that I hope it is her "nice" list and not her blacklist!  I think that is how we often approach God's invitation to sit at his feet - we wonder if we are on his blacklist!  Just know that God's grace is sufficient to always keep us on his "nice list"!  Heed his invitation today - you might be surprised at the answers you receive!

Invitation into sanctuary

^3-5 You've always given me breathing room,
      a place to get away from it all,
   A lifetime pass to your safe-house,
      an open invitation as your guest.
   You've always taken me seriously, God,
      made me welcome among those who know and love you. 

(Psalm 61:3-5)

David had an intimate relationship with God - evident in how frankly he speaks with God and how "free" he is in the presence of God.  There is much to be said about having a deep, beyond the mundane, relationship with God.  Look at what David tells us here - God is the one who welcomes, we are the ones who come into that place invited.

David acknowledges that God gives him space - breathing room - a place of sanctuary.  Have you ever had a really good friend that you can just be yourself around?  You can kick off your shoes, let down your guard, and be your real self - no pretense, no masks, just you.  God desires that kind of relationship with us - extending to us the invitation to come into his presence and "chill" - find rest for our souls.

We are reminded that it is a lifetime pass - not a one-time experience, but a cultivated enjoyment of the presence of God.  We have an open invitation - come freely into his presence, drink deeply of his graces, and know that you are there as an invited member of his household.  

David's most consistent theme in his writings is that God knew him and he knew God.  He even acknowledges that he is aware of this because God "takes him seriously" - nothing he shares with God escapes God's attention or care.  Why?  Because he knew God in a personal way and he loved God with all his heart was capable of.  

Jesus came to this earth so many years ago, taking on the form of human nature, to connect with us.  He laid aside his divinity to take on human form - connecting with the struggles we encounter, understanding the limitations of our mortal bodies, and involving himself in the tasks of ordinary life.  That is why scripture reminds us that we have a Savior that is not unaware of our struggles, knows what temptations await us at every turn.  

This is the season we celebrate his birth.  A few weeks ago, our pastor brought forth the idea that sinners (like you and me) are the POINT of the birth of our Savior in human form.  They are not just PART of it, they are the POINT of it. God takes each of us quite seriously - we are the objects of his affection and the consistent POINT of his attention.  Isn't it time that we recognized the tug of Lord on the strings of our heart?  Isn't it time that we came into his presence, thoroughly enjoying the sanctuary of his graces?  

We are the POINT of this season - sinners in need of a Savior.  What will you do with your Savior this Christmas?

Invitation to occupy

When GOD, your God, ushers you into the land he promised through your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you, you’re going to walk into large, bustling cities you didn’t build, well-furnished houses you didn’t buy, come upon wells you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive orchards you didn’t plant.  When you take it all in and settle down, pleased and content, make sure you don’t forget how you got there – GOD brought you out of slavery in Egypt.  Deeply respect GOD, your God.  Serve and worship him exclusively.  Carefully keep the commands of GOD, your God, all the requirements and regulation she gave you.  Do what is right, do what is good in GOD’S sight so you’ll live a good life and be able to march in and take this pleasant land that GOD so solemnly promised through your ancestors, throwing out your enemies left and right – exactly as GOD said.  

(Deut. 6: 10-12, 14-19)

As Israel was called to enter into the Promised Land, they were told to not do so in their own effort, or in a timid way.  They were told to do so in the power and authority of the God they served – standing upon the firm foundation of his character.  They were to enter and to occupy. 

Entering suggests a changing of position and the potential of going into something they were not familiar with.  Entry suggests making a new beginning – with the intention of taking possession.  It also carries the idea of being an active participant in that which God is doing.  

Occupying carries a slightly different meaning – it implies that we take ownership of that which we enter into.  Occupation requires an engagement of our attention to that which we seek the ownership of – owners are more than onlookers – they actually enter into the experience of that which they own.

It is necessary to see the method of ownership that we enjoy as a follower of Christ – it is that of being “ushered into” possession of that which was once occupied.  God goes before – he is the forerunner who graciously escorts us into realms unknown – in spirit, emotion, and in physical experience.  It is an occupied territory that we enter into – a change of ownership must occur.  It is a dispossessing work – dispossessing Satan and his hosts; dispossessing ego and its demands.  It is more than just “experiencing” for a period of time – it is a complete change of possession that is promised.  Look at all we enjoy – that which we did not prepare; that which we did not build; that which we did not harvest. 

As we rightly order our lives and begin to respond to him in obedient reverence, we are commanded to love the Lord with all we’ve got.  This is not a partial commitment to give some of ourselves to him, but a commitment of our entire being to live in such a way that all we do, say and think is a manifestation of having him central in our lives.  Love with every emotion we have, surrendered in abandoned adoration to him.  

Abandon really signifies a change of heart that is evident in our no longer trying to perform a certain way – it implies that we will be given to him in such a way that we give ourselves over to his governance unrestrained.  Love him with all our soul – with every part of our being that makes us who or what we are.  Love him with all our strength – all that we have capacity for, with every effort we can make, with unreserved service and adoration.  Love him with whole-hearted commitment that dedicates the will to the fulfilling of the will of another.

We are then to live as examples to all who surround us – first to our families, then to those we contact in our communities each day.  The dedication of our lives is to impact others.  They are not to just “hear about” Christ, but they are to see him modeled in our daily walk.  The promise is a blessing of God on our lives that we cannot fully contain all he provides.  The riches of a child of God are never earned or self-constructed – they are a provision from a loving God in response to our dedication to his gracious love.  

Life in Christ is not a system of works – things done to gain approval or right-standing.  Rather, it is a heartfelt response to an intensely gracious love that draws us in, wraps us in its presence, and relishes its effects in the inner core of our being.  There is a vulnerability, or openness to possibilities beyond our imagining, that occurs when we are willing to lay it all down before him.  Let us not be bound to our own efforts to live righteously– the possibilities contained within abandonment far outweigh the limitations of our abilities to live right.  Living right is a natural outcome to abandoning our hearts to the one who creates that righteousness in us as his love is allowed to deeply affect the center of all we are.  Let us learn to love with all we’ve got.

Invitation to let God lead

 ^10-12 The land you are entering to take up ownership isn't like Egypt, the land you left, where you had to plant your own seed and water it yourselves as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are about to cross the river and take for your own is a land of mountains and valleys; it drinks water that rains from the sky. It's a land that God, your God, personally tends—he's the gardener—he alone keeps his eye on it all year long.

(Deuteronomy 11:10-12)

The nation of Israel is just about to cross over into the land God had promised to them years before.  Their ancestors had this very day in mind - now it was becoming a reality.  The leader of the nation at the time was Moses.  He was speaking to Israel, as the Lord gave him the words to speak, of how it was that they were to enter the land, what it was they were to do with the land, but more importantly, how it was that they were to live once they arrived in the land.

Then he shares with them this little passage we have above - the land they would inherit would not be like that which they had come out of - it would be tended by God.  Without waxing too philosophical, there are some parallels to what God said to Israel that day and what he says to each of us as we enter into the newness of relationship with him.  The promises are similar for us - it is a new life, with a new caretaker - there is a change of mind and heart that is necessary to appreciate the difference.

At the point of our salvation, God asks for us to give him the reins of our lives - to allow him to be in control.  For some of us that are "control freaks", giving up control is a scary option - we have a hard time letting go.  For those of us that have been so "out of control", having some sense of "control" in our lives seems pretty promising.  With this change of control, our mind / will / and emotions are impacted.  We are reminded that Christ must be the central one in our thoughts - keeping ourselves focused on his will - allowing him to temper our emotions.  Most of us get that - but we struggle with trusting God.

Look at what God speaks through Moses - today is a new day!  This is a new land!  There is a new way of doing business that lays ahead!  It is no longer what you can do for yourself, but what God will do for you!  If we can get the idea that God does not want us "doing" for ourselves what he intends to do for us, we will enjoy a sense of peace in times that ought to cause a man without Christ much worry.  

Don't get me wrong - we have a part to play in victories won in our lives - but God is the one who tends over our lives like a gardener tends over a garden.  He is the one giving us both the strength and the ability to do as he directs - our part is the obedience.  For many of us, we get so caught up in the details of trying to work out life on our own terms that we miss how it is that God has already worked it out for us!  God is asking us to remember that we are no longer living in such a way that we have to do it all for ourselves.  He is central in our lives - he is at the controls - so we need to let him lead.

Our invitation today is to let God lead.  It is a land prepared for us - we need to learn how to enjoy the fruits of what he has for us in this new life.  

Invitation to get focus

⁴"Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—
   full of himself but soul-empty.
But the person in right standing before God
   through loyal and steady believing
   is fully alive, really alive."

(Habakkuk 2:4)

Habakkuk was a prophet of the Old Testament.  The first two chapters are really a discussion between God and Habakkuk - the prophet pouring out his heart and then hearing from God as to what was transpiring around him.  The very basis of this book of the Bible is to present the concept that it is impossible to live without faith - the concept you might of heard of that the just shall live by faith.  It is a short book of only three chapters - but the idea comes across clearly that faith must be growing, continually developing.  The third chapter begins with a plea from the prophet for God to do among them what he had done amongst his ancestors of old - in other words, be awesome in every way, delivering them from the Chaldean army that was about to come in around them and take the nation of Israel into captivity.  The fact was, Habakkuk and the people of the day had heard about the God of their ancestors, but they had not really experienced God in the same way.

Second-hand knowledge about God is never all that fulfilling.  Our prophet challenges us to look - really take in the various aspects of what we are beholding - looking intently at the man who is bloated by self-importance.  At a cursory review of this passage, we may immediately think about someone who is filled with pride, boastful and living with his "nose in the air".  The actual intent is quite different - being bloated with self-importance actually encompasses any man or woman who spends more time focusing on the things that please / fulfill the selfish desires of the heart more than on what pleases the heart of God.

Habakkuk asks us to look at the intentions of our heart - why it is that we do what we do, what drives us to make the decisions we make, how it is that we have chosen to live our lives.  He reminds us, not very tenderly, that choosing to live in a self-centered, ego-centric way is to live a life that is "soul-empty". There is no real substance to it - it is vacant of what really rewards.  We may have "full lives", but they are filled with that which really brings no satisfaction in the end - soul-empty lives.

The prophet wants us to come into the experience of God's presence in our lives - getting to know the "ins and outs" of how he works, having our heart "tugged" by the things that move his heart.  It is quite easy to get so focused on what "I" want, how a circumstance will affect "me", what "I" think is important.  In the end, "I" truly does "stand alone".  When an individual is "ego-centric", that person is focused on self - others are tolerated, but they are not the focus of life (including God).  Israel got themselves in the position of being taken into captivity by many a nasty enemy as a result of getting God out of focus.

Habakkuk tells us how we can be fully alive - by steady and loyal believing.  It is the commitment to keep God in focus - central in our lives - that keeps us steady.  As long as we are focused inwardly on our needs (our wants), we don't have our eyes on anything that gives us stability, assurance, or lasting "advantage" in life.  In fact, all we are focusing on is something that will "pass away" in the course of time.  Faith is a growth experience - it is taking our eyes off of ourselves long enough to put them on Christ, intentionally seeing him.

I was reminding a group of women this week that we can keep two things in our line of sight, but it is impossible to focus on both at the same time.  This is a basic principle of photography - the photographer can go for the big picture (really focusing on no "one thing"), or can obscure the big picture (take it out of focus) to move in with clarity on one thing in the shot that is brought alive as the "focal point" of the image.  When we see this type of image, properly displayed, we are awed by the brilliance of what is captured.  So it is with our focus - if it is obscured by trying to constantly take in the "big picture", we will miss the awesomeness of the brilliance of God in the midst of the "picture".

Our invitation today is to get "focus" - the right perspective determines the image that is ultimately portrayed.

Invitation to overlook an offense

⁹ Overlook an offense and bond a friendship;
   fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend! 

(Proverbs 17:9)

There are times in life when an offense seems just too significant to overlook - there is just something about that offense that makes you think it is "justifiable" to remain angry with someone or to perhaps even break off the friendship.  Our passage from Proverbs this morning reminds us that when we overlook an offense, we are actually bringing a "bond" to that friendship that is like super glue.  When we "faster on to" an offense, we are taking the risk that the friendship will be harmed by that action.

To overlook something means more than that we don't take notice of the offense.  It includes the idea of not taking time to consider that offense over and over again - we don't rehearse it repeatedly.  Ever been in a "heated" discussion with someone, only to have them bring up something you had done years before?  People who are "holding on to" offenses are like that - they have an ability to recount the failure of the past over and over again.  

The meaning of this word also carries the idea that we extend a pardon - the person who is offending us gets a "buy" as it comes to the offense.  For many of us, giving someone a "buy" when they offend us is conditional - if the offense is minor, we might extend the pardon, but if it is more grievous, we hold on for dear life.  One thing reiterated in scripture is that God is not conditional in his grace - he extends it even before we realize we have need for it.  

When we fail to take notice of the offense, or extend that pardon when it is least deserved, we are bringing a bond in that relationship that is not easily broken.  That simple action on our part serves to unite us in relationship.  It brings a connection between the two parties that helps the relationship be twice a strong as it was prior to the extension of that mercy.  The important thing is that we learn to look beyond the "slights" in behavior that we often have a tendency to "latch onto".


Now, before you get me wrong, you don't need to go through life being the doormat - letting others just walk all over you and leave you covered in dirt!  There are times when an offense is egregious - it is glaringly bad or wrong!  We need to be able to express the way that action of another affected us - without attacking that other individual.  Then we need to let that other person go - not holding them in a place of "owing" us, but allowing God to take that person into his hands for whatever action he feels may be warranted.


There are "little things" in relationships that become "big things" - all because we fasten on to those things - focusing on them, rehearsing them, not being willing to overlook them.  The invitation to us today is to learn how we are to overlook the slights in relationship.  Most of the time, the slights are really done without malice - they are unintentional.  When we learn to focus less on those and more on the person, loving them unconditionally, it is amazing how little those small things will really matter.

Invited to the Crucible

³ As silver in a crucible and gold in a pan,
   so our lives are assayed by God. 

(Proverbs 17:3)

I lived in Alaska for three years.  One of the biggest "tourism" souvenirs that you could take with you back to the lower 48 was a gold pan.  Often, they would be fully painted with some scenery of the great gold rush days of Alaska or just an outdoor rendering.  The served as a memory of the big gold bonanza that brought many a prospector to the territory.  

Silver is mined - then must be separated from all the various impurities that it is surrounded by such as sulfur, arsenic, antimony, chlorine, or argentite.  It is rarely found in some big clump that you can take out of the mine and say that it was purely silver.  There is a refining process that must occur in order to separate the other stuff from the silver.  Look at what silver is found "clinging" to:

• Sulfur - when burned, it can have a suffocating odor.  Its various uses are for the production of gunpowder, in the formulation of medicines to kill various germs, and in the vulcanizing process of making rubber. 
• Arsenic - the interesting thing about arsenic is that it vaporizes when heated, has a great metallic luster which gives it an appearance of beauty, and is quite poisonous is ingested.
• Antimony - a kind of lustrous metal compound that looks good, but has very little value as a metal.  Its main use is in being an addition to metal alloys to give them strength.  It is the metal often used in semi-conductors.  The important thing to remember is that it is quite toxic.
• Chlorine - we know that chlorine has many uses, but its main use is in the purification process because it has the ability to kill bacteria.  It is toxic in both its gaseous and more "visible" forms such as liquid or crystal.
• Argentite - this mineral usually never exists alone.  It is found in the silver mines along with the silver, clinging to the silver as part of the ore. It is lead grey in color and is very unstable once exposed to air, so it is not really of any use as a mineral.

Okay, I did not want to bore you with all kinds of information on the minerals of silver mining, but I wanted to refer to each of these just a little bit to bring some clarity to why this analogy of silver in a crucible is used to describe God's work in our lives.  Let's examine each one briefly to see how they relate to what God may be doing by placing us in circumstances that we refer to as the "crucible" of trial.

• We may have some "sulfur-like" behavior that we need to have brought to the surface and separated from our lives - such as anger or wrath.  When it is allowed to remain "combined" with the silver - we have a "combustible" part of our character that does not bring honor to God.
• Arsenic may look good, adding some type of "luster" to our character, but it is toxic.  We might have some types of "toxic" character traits, such as gossip, malice, envy, etc., that God knows the extreme "toxicity" of if they are allowed to remain - so he puts us through the purifying process in order to remove these from our lives.  
• Antimony gives the appearance of "looking good", but the presence of the "mask" never determines the reality of what is hidden.  God knows that a transparent Christian is more valuable than one that looks good on the outside and is hiding nothing of value on the inside.  Antimony is kind of like being this intensely strong appearing Christian on the outside, but being a blubbering idiot on the inside!
• Chlorine has both a positive and negative affect - it can be a purifying agent, but not until it is "processed".  It must be separated from all the other impurities, then it has to be used very carefully or it burns!  We can liken to this as either giving off a "sweet smelling odor" that delights God, or being "toxic" in what we emanate, burning the world around us.
• Argentite is absolutely worthless when it is exposed to air - it does nothing to lend to the strength or beauty of the silver once it is exposed. That is the same with any secret sin in our lives - as long as it is hidden in the cores of our inner man, it gets along just fine.  Once exposed to the Word of God, the sin shows the true corruptibility of its substance.

God uses the crucible of circumstance (trial) to remove the stuff that only serves to contaminate our spiritual beauty and our testimony.  The next time you are going through the fire, you might ask God what "worthless mineral" he is focusing on separating from your life at that moment in time.  The "smelting" process God uses is designed to produce the clarity of pure, refined silver - gleaming in all its beauty, reflective of the image of Jesus.  Our invitation today is to endure the crucible - the refining process is well-worth the heat!

Invitation to look beyond the cover

 ² Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
   God probes for what is good. 

(Proverbs 16:2)

As a member of the human race, I speak as one fully aware of what the writer of Proverbs states in this passage.  We are so consumed with what "looks good" - many times judging a book by its cover without inspecting the pages to see what is contained within.  The perception of eyes often becomes the only method we utilize to determine the "goodness" or "evil" of a certain thing.  We set ourselves up for accepting things that are clearly outside of God's best for our lives when we are only "cover readers".

Let me give a few examples of how this works:

• David and Bathsheba - David was King of Israel, his troops are out fighting the battle to take more territory in the name of Israel, and he is at home, enjoying the view from his rooftop.  He gazes upon Bathsheba, a beautiful woman, bathing on her rooftop (a custom of the day).  What he saw "looked good" - what he saw, he wanted and so, he took her as his own.  What he failed to do was to consider the reality that she was another man's wife.  He looked only at the cover, became enamored in what he beheld, and engaged in his plan without further thought.
• The Rich Young Ruler - a man of wealth, a real place in society, approaches Jesus and his disciples one day while they were ministering to the crowds.  He proclaims to Jesus that he want to be a follower of Christ - one of his disciples.  To this he adds a long litany of "credentials" he hopes will show Jesus just how "qualified" he was for the role.  His "credentials" are all "good" - kept the letter of the law, observed the feasts and holy days, studied the scriptures, etc.  Jesus asks him to sell all he has (a substantial amount), give it to the poor, and then come to follow him as his disciple.  Obviously, this is too much for this man, as we see him leave and never return again.

What we see in these two examples is man's tendency to judge a book by its cover.  David saw the "woman of his dreams" - or more accurately, the woman of his fantasies!  He never stopped to listen to the niggling of his conscience that she was another man's wife!  She looked good!  He wanted her and he never looked back until it was too late.  The rich young ruler saw a life of tremendous fame in front of him.  He had attained all he could attain in the society in which he lived.  Now Jesus and his disciples, thronged by crowds, fill the streets with miracles, signs, and wonders.  He wants what they have.  I am not sure that he actually saw what they had as "fame" or "renown", but he is called upon to go deeper than he has ever gone in his obedience before - and he is unable to do so.  What he saw "looked good" to him - but he had failed to count the cost of such a life of service.

Our writer gives us insight into how it is that we are to "look beyond the cover" of what we see.  We are to "probe" deeper.  When we probe, we look into a matter with the intention of seeing all there is to see (just like when we read the pages of a book rather than skimming it or only looking at the pictures).  This type of "examination" allows us to see beyond the surface appearance of "good" to what actually is at the root of a person, a circumstance, or a pleasant appearing opportunity.

God's invitation to us today is to look deeper than we ever have before - to learn to see the heart behind the action of another; the temporary satisfaction of an immediate gratification of our longings/lusts; or the indicators of integrity that give us insight into the heart of another.  We need to learn what it is to "examine carefully before we buy"!  We "buy into" much that God would rather we never consider in the first place!  Sin has an enticing cover - we need to learn to look beyond the cover to see the trap contained within.

Invitation into revival

7 When the Philistines heard that Israel was meeting at Mizpah, the Philistine leaders went on the offensive. Israel got the report and became frightened—Philistines on the move again!  ⁸ They pleaded with Samuel, "Pray with all your might! And don't let up! Pray to God, our God, that he'll save us from the boot of the Philistines."  ⁹ Samuel took a young lamb not yet weaned and offered it whole as a Whole-Burnt-Offering to God. He prayed fervently to God, interceding for Israel. And God answered.  ^10-12 While Samuel was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines came within range to fight Israel. Just then Godthundered, a huge thunderclap exploding among the Philistines. They panicked—mass confusion!—and ran helter-skelter from Israel. Israel poured out of Mizpah and gave chase, killing Philistines right and left, to a point just beyond Beth Car. Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it "Ebenezer" (Rock of Help), saying, "This marks the place where God helped us."

(I Samuel 7:7-12)

This passage comes at the end of about three chapters recounting the battle of Israel with the Philistines.  The first attack against the Philistine armies did not go well - four thousand of Israel's men left dead in the fields, with the remainder of the army returned to base camp in utter defeat.  Israel's elders come before the prophet Samuel and ask him for insight into what went wrong - what could be done differently in the next battle against those Philistines.  Before he could answer them, they come to the conclusion that they need to bring the Ark of the Covenant (the presence of God) into the midst of the battle.

The Ark is brought from Shiloh to the place of the battle.  As it arrives, the troops gathered there begin to hoop and holler - a huge celebration of its arrival.  They plan to march out, certain that this time the battle will be theirs.  Instead, the Philistines hear all the commotion, realize that the God of the Hebrews was in their midst and begin to attack with all their might.  The men of Israel are again left in the fields dead and dying - this time, thirty thousand.  To top it off, the Ark of God's Covenant is taken from the hands of the priests and carted off into Philistine territory.  To the leaders of Israel and the entire nation, this was a loss beyond all other losses.

The story does not end there.  The Philistines cannot escape the results of the presence of the Holy God of Israel being in their midst - they are struck with tumors, their false idols fall to the ground and are broken into pieces, the people of the land of Philistine are in utter panic because wherever the presence of the God of Israel goes, there is certain judgment!  They want to be rid of the Ark of the Covenant rather than having it in their presence.  So, they craft a plan to return it to Israel - with what they consider to be compensation for their removal of the Ark (five gold tumors and five gold rats).  It is sent back on a cart - no one would even carry it for fear of death!

As the Ark returns to Israel, a celebration ensues.  A group of Philistine leaders hung back on the outskirts, watching to see that the Ark made it back to Israel and that their "offering of compensation" was accepted.  In other words, they wanted to know if they had appeased the God of Israel!  Here's what happened next - something that we almost miss when reading through this account of the power of the presence of God:  From the time that the Chest came to rest in Kiriath Jearim, a long time passed—twenty years it was—and throughout Israel there was a widespread, fearful movement toward God. (I Sam. 7:2)  This may not seem like much to us, but look at what the return of God's presence did for the nation of Israel - there was revival!

For twenty years - the people began to move back toward God.   That implies that they had first moved away from God.  In fact, if we read a little further, we see that they had embraced the gods of the land - making idols, involving themselves in worship of other gods instead of the One True God.  They forsake all their false worship and embrace God once again.  It says they gave their "exclusive attention and service to God".  Wow!  Look at what the presence of God has the potential of doing!

The passage above gives us the accounting of what happened next - utter panic amongst the Philistines.  They thought nothing would be different after they had been encountered by the presence of the Holy God of Israel, but they were wrong.  They continue in their worship of false gods, Israel returns the worship of the One True God, and victory for Israel ensues.  

The invitation today is really a question:  What will you do with the presence of God?  Will you seek to avoid the move of his spirit in your heart?  Or will you embrace it, moving toward God?  We are invited to make steady, consistent movement toward him.  If we do, we are ensured a revival of our spirit like none other!

Invitation to cry out

 I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy.  He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him. Death stared me in the face, hell was hard on my heels.  Up against it, I didn't know which way to turn; then I called out to God for help: "Please, God!" I cried out. "Save my life!" God is gracious—it is he who makes things right, our most compassionate God. God takes the side of the helpless; when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me.

(Psalm 116:1-6)

I have been asked why I serve God - why I love him with all my heart.  I used to have a really elaborate answer - one that took some time to "prepare" that some in Christianity would call "a testimony".  I appreciate David's simplicity in his declaration above - I love God because he listened to me!  When it comes right down to it, isn't that what all of us could say when we are asked why it is that we love God?  He listens!  He responds!  He makes things right when we get them wrong!  He takes our side!  There you go - that is my testimony!

Our friends and family need to hear the truth that God responds with mercy when we cry out for him to "fix" what we have "botched" up or what seems to be out of our control anymore.  Look at what David described as the condition of his life:  Death stared me in the face, hell was hard on my heels.  He was not just in need of God's mercy, he was desperate!  Things were tougher than he could possibly handle on his own and he didn't know which way to turn - he was in the midst of a mess and he was confused about the next steps to take.

Then....he called out to God for help!  I like those "qualifying" words in scripture.  We call them the "joining" words in a series of words that describe an idea - then, therefore, because, but, etc.  They suggest a transition.  David's moment of transition was when he called out to God - in honest declaration of his circumstances, what he was feeling at that moment, and his desperation to get God's help in the matter.  Most of us are not unlike David - we sometimes have to get to the place of desperation BEFORE calling out to God.  What a pity to wait so long!  God was there all along - but we were so caught up in doing things our way that we didn't call out to God until things got desperate.

Desperation suggests urgency - things are "heating up" and an answer is needed right now!  The pressure becomes intolerable - we are at the point where we are just about ready to give into the despair we are feeling.  Then....we call out to God.  There it is - the transition point!  I am so glad that I am not God!  If I was, I'd get pretty disgusted with those of us that have to get to a place of desperation before we think about calling out to God for help!  Thank goodness I am not God!  He responds in mercy - regardless of when the "call" goes out.  It can come before things get heated - in the midst of the heat - or when things are crumbling in around us.  All he cares about is that the call comes!

There is an old fairy tale or fable that describes the boy who cried wolf too many times.  You may remember it - he would say there was a wolf attacking and when people came to his rescue, no wolf was to be seen.  Then when the wolf actually did attack, no one came because he had "cried wolf" too many times.  I know the moral of this story was that we should not lie as people will not know when to trust that we are telling the truth when we do.  I'd like to go one step further with this story.

The amazing thing about God is that we can "cry wolf" and he comes!  It doesn't matter to him that we may be anxious over stuff that he tells us not to be anxious about.  He comes!  Why?  Simply because he loves us - he wants us to know he will always be there!  He comes because we MATTER to him!  We are the focus of his attention.  God enjoys the times when we nuzzle up to him in prayer - not really "desperate" for anything from him at the moment.  He "lives for" the moments we will cry out in our desperation - ready to respond with mercy and grace!  

Our invitation today is to cry out!  Get "desperate" with God - tell him what you need.  Be bold enough to admit you are at the end of your rope - ready to pack it all in.  Let him know the anxiety of soul that brings you to your knees.  He stands ready to respond.

Invitation to be held

^35-38Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don't really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.

(John 6:35-38)

This passage of scripture follows an amazing event of Jesus feeding masses of people gathered on the countryside with only five barley loaves and two small fish.  The scripture tells us it was at least 5000 people - probably only counting the men in the crowd, as was the custom.  The disciples have distributed bread and fish from what appeared to be a never-ending supply, with left-overs to boot!  The miracle of feeding the multitude makes even more people show an interest in following him.  Now, Jesus speaks to the crowds that come looking for him.

Jesus has left the hillside and gone across the sea to the other shore.  He is approached by the crowds who have come looking for him and he has some pointed words for them.  The first thing he encounters is their motives - he tells them point blank that they have come looking for him simply because they were fed.  He almost chides them for their lack of spiritual insight - telling them that they were not looking for him because of what they had seen God do, but for the food!  Ouch!

Then he launches into an exhortation that escapes many in the crowd.  He asks them to seek for bread that does not perish - something really not heard of in those days of no preservatives, freezers, or air-tight containers!  They are quite honest with him that they really have no idea what he is talking about.  They even go so far as to ask him for a "clue" into what he is doing so they can really decide if they want to "throw in their lot" and follow him!  Okay - get the picture here - a crowd so huge that we could not count them all had been fed with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish AND there were even left-overs - and they want a "clue" of who he is and what he is doing????

Jesus is infinitely more patient with the stupidity of man than I am!  He guides them into discovery of who he is with an invitation to know him better.  He promises them that if they align with him, they will hunger no more.  I am thinking most of the crowd is still focusing on the type of bread that came down from heaven during the time of Moses (manna) - while he is attempting to get them to see that they need the Bread of Life (Jesus).  

The most amazing portion of this passage is found in these words:  Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go.  Woohoo!  Jesus' words give us insight into how it is that we embrace God - it is really a matter of HIM holding on to us and not letting go of US.  Somehow, we have it formulated in our minds that WE need to hold onto him - but see the truth laid out for us here - HE is the one doing the holding!

Our invitation today is to be held - but that requires a willingness to come close enough to him to be held tightly by his arms.  Jesus reminds us that even the coming is really not our doing - God has orchestrated even that.  Remember that God draws us to him - we respond by yielding to his embrace.  Jesus' promise to us is that when we run to him, he has open arms - ready to hold onto us for all eternity.  There is much to be found in his embrace - more than bread for our body with a little left-overs.  His embrace is all-encompassing.  The one he holds onto has no need of anything else to satisfy the deepest longings of the heart.

In the Sunday message from our pastor, he mentioned something that has stuck with me all week:  God calls sinners, not the righteous.  The only thing we need to be to be "qualified" to be called by God is to be a sinner - something that we are each amply qualified for!  Jesus' words are to align with him - there we find his "holding" arms of tender care, loving guidance, encouraging hope, and infinite enjoyment.  Won't you be "held" today?